Shofar

The shofar or the shofar ( Hebrew שׁוֹפָר, SOFAR ), also Schaufor ( aschk. ) sophar ( sef. ) shoyfer ( jidd. ) and shofar (English ) written, and also known as the year of jubilee trumpet or trombone Hall, is an ancient musical instrument from the Middle East. The natural funnel shape automatically works as a sound amplifier because the sound is produced not only bundled, but is also released in a preferred direction; this principle is to this day in modern horn speakers used.

The made ​​from sheep or Kuduhorn instrument has its origins in the Jewish religion and is used mainly for ritual purposes. The shofar is blown as a brass instrument on the principle of cushion pipe and thus one of the natural horns. The shofar is the only instrument of antiquity today in the synagogue in use.

Application

The shofar reminds us of the sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham planned for God. At Isaac's place for a ram was then sacrificed, whose horns God to remind us of the vicarious atonement suffering of Israel ( first book of Genesis, chapter 22).

At the conquest of Jericho under Joshua (Josh. 6.4 LUT) there were seven trumpets that were blown before the collapse of the walls.

Also from the custom of the coronation of a king to blow the shofar, was the symbolic ritual of the shofar-blowing for the solemn recognition of God as king, protector, and judge and is generally intended to rouse from a thoughtless life. The shofar is blown laid down in Torah and Talmud mitzvot. Among other things, the morning prayer in the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah as the end of the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur precise instructions regarding the sequence of notes and blowing manner are fixed.

If a party to a Shabbat, the shofar is not blown, because the use of musical instruments is forbidden at this time.

Mouthpieces of a shofar in the Yemenite style

Small Shofar in the Ashkenazi style

Mazewa with Shofar in the Jewish Cemetery in Buttenheim, Upper Franconia

Mazewa with Shofar in the Jewish Cemetery in Essingen, Pfalz

Fundamental tones

There are four basic tones:

The shofar in the Temple of Jerusalem was blown on many occasions along with the trumpet -like Chazozra. In biblical times the shofar grew in importance, since musical instruments were banned from mourning over the destruction of the temple from the liturgy. But the secular use of the shofar went back, even if the reunification of Jerusalem was proclaimed in 1967.

Production

The shofar is made from a horn, the mouthpiece similar opening for blowing with the lips usually arises from the sawing off the horn tip and then some boiler- shaped formation. The Anblasweise that of a brass instrument.

The simple curved ram's horn of the Ashkenazi Jews has no mouthpiece, at the Sephardic Jews, however, it may be equipped with a simple mouthpiece. The horn of the kudu is longer and wound spirally.

Kudu ( antelope ) and Aries were originally located in Canaan, come today but only in South Africa in large numbers before.

The shofar can be made from the horn of any kosher animal, even if this was not ritually slaughtered. An exception is made by the horns of cattle: Since these are too reminiscent of the Golden Calf, the horn of a cow or an ox is not used.

In 2011 there were in Israel three companies that Schofarot ( so the plural) manufactured.