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Torah and Jewish Idea => Torah and Jewish Idea => Topic started by: Moshe92 on August 29, 2009, 10:36:39 PM

Title: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: Moshe92 on August 29, 2009, 10:36:39 PM
Can you blow a shofar? I've never been able to do so.
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: SW on August 30, 2009, 06:33:23 AM
No, I can't and I never had one in my hands. But I think it's like blowing in a trumpet. I don't know...
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: Zelhar on August 30, 2009, 08:38:18 AM
It requires some mastering of technique because Shofar has no special mouth piece unlike a trumpet and most other wind pipe musical instruments.
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: SW on August 30, 2009, 08:49:44 AM
It requires some mastering of technique because Shofar has no special mouth piece unlike a trumpet and most other wind pipe musical instruments.

Ok. So you need to learn it like any other instrument? Or is it talent?
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: The One and Only Mo on August 30, 2009, 09:02:52 AM
I've tried a few times. It's not that hard, it's just hard to change to every different sound consistently.
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: Zelhar on August 30, 2009, 09:37:34 AM
It requires some mastering of technique because Shofar has no special mouth piece unlike a trumpet and most other wind pipe musical instruments.

Ok. So you need to learn it like any other instrument? Or is it talent?
It is not as versatile as a real musical instrument. You just have to practice first to learn how to make the sound, then how to make the specific types of calls it can make.
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: muman613 on August 30, 2009, 03:52:11 PM
A shofar is a Rams Horn... It is not a 'musical instrument' per se... It must be learned how to create the three different calls of the Shofar:

Tekiah
Truah
Shevarim

(http://www.judaica-mall.com/products/shofar-14008.jpg)

Quote
The sequence of the shofar blowing is thus tekiah, shevarim-teruah, tekiah; tekiah, shevarim, tekiah; tekiah, teruah, and then a final blast of "tekiah gadola" which means "big tekiah," held as long as possible. This formula makes thirty sounds for the series, with tekiah being one note, shevarium three, and teruah nine. This series of thirty sounds is repeated twice more, making ninety sounds in all. The trebling of the series is based on the mention of teruah three times in connection with the seventh month (Lev. xxiii, xxv; Num. xxix), and also on the above-mentioned division of the service into malchiyot, zichronot, and shofarot. In addition to these three repetitions, a single formula of ten sounds is rendered at the close of the service, making a total of 100 sounds. According to the Sephardic tradition, a full 101 blasts are sounded, corresponding to the 100 cries of the mother of Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army who did not make it home after being assassinated by the biblical Yael (Judges 5:28). One cry is left to symbolize the legitimate love of a mother mourning her son.
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: The One and Only Mo on September 01, 2009, 09:46:11 PM
Don't let the sound of the shofar go in 1 ear and out the other.
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: SW on September 02, 2009, 07:35:35 AM
Here is an interesting video about the shofar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6iNXRVN-WE

Enjoy it!
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: AsheDina on September 02, 2009, 07:40:12 AM
Here is an interesting video about the shofar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6iNXRVN-WE

Enjoy it!

Nice, sends shivers through me
Title: Re: Can you blow a shofar?
Post by: The One and Only Mo on September 02, 2009, 07:34:34 PM
Rosh Hashanah is almost here.