Exotic Shofars:
Halachic Considerations
Based on ZooTorah.org article by
Rabbi Natan Slifkin
Michael Kosowsky, Avi Geller, Dahlia Gruen, and Marissa Schwartz
Kosher Animal:
Does it matter?
• The Ramah says that the animal whose horn is used for
a shofar must be kosher. He bases this ruling on the
Ran.
• The Magen Avraham says that this is not an issue
because only kosher animals have horns, as stated in
the Mishna.
• Some commentators, such as the Pri Chadash, disagree
with the Mishna, believing based on observations that
some non-kosher animals do have horns.
• Most likely, the only non-kosher animal to have horns is
the rhinoceros. However, shofrot from rhinoceroses
would practically not be sold.
• In conclusion, the issue of a shofar coming from a nonkosher animal is not really a problem, because
pragmatically such a shofar would never be available.
Hollowness
•
•
There are two kinds of shofrot. One kind, from
animals such as the sheep, antelope, and
cattle, can be hollowed easily. However, the
second kind of shofar requires a drilling
process to hollow them. Would this be
permitted?
The Shulchan Aroch says that this second kind
of shofar would not be permitted, likely for two
reasons:
1. The word shofar might imply something which is beautiful
and prepared for use in its natural state.
2. The word shofar might imply something which is hollow in
its natural state.
Straight vs. Curved
• The Mishna records two opinions about the required
Point
of interest:
shape of the shofar
of Rosh
Hashana. One opinion says
that the shofar should be straight, from an ibex. The
opinion
holds that
the shofar
shouldibex,
come from
Theother
word
Ya’al,
which
means
hasa an
ram, and thus be curved.
etymological route that relates to its
• The Gemara records reasons that one would prefer a
straight or curved
A straight shofar
suggests and
behavior.
The shofar.
ibex climbs
beautifully
rising up to God on this significant day, while a curved
high,
thebowing
Hebrew
one and
suggests
down toverb
Him inmeaning
submission. “to go
• Theisbottom
line from
explanations
of the discussion
up”
La’alot.
Thus,
the animal
whichofso
shofar’s shape in the Talmud: a curved shofar is
amazingly
“goes
came to
be known
preferred, but
if one isup”
not available,
a straight
one may as
be used.
the Ya’al!
Issues of particular animals
due to the straight/curved debate
• The Gemsbok is straight, one reason it
may not be permissible. But we’ll come
back to this interesting animal soon…
• The Ibex and Eland are likewise not very
curved, so they may not be preferable if a
curved shofar is available.
Problems with the Process
• The process to straighten a shofar may be
problematic. To straighten the shofar, one
has to heat the horn, remove the keratin,
redo the shape, and drill a hole in it.
• Several authorities find severe problems
with this process.
•
Rabbi Yosef Kapach
Point
of
Interest
Rabbi Yosef Kapach, an esteemed Yeminite
•Rabbi
Yosef
Kapach
from 1917-2000.
authority,
argues
thatlived
the straightening
process
was one of the leaders of the
is not•He
okay.
Yemenite
Jewish
community.
• The Mishna
says
that the
shofar must be “Kafuf”
•He first
in Yemen
and laterHowever,
in Israel.
(curved),
and lived
not “Pashut”
(straight).
for his translations
of the
based•He
on isanknown
ibex, whose
horn has a slight
curvature,
works“Pashut”
of Maimonides
includes
and
a slight
other curvature.
Rabbinic
writings.
• As Meiri
explains, in relation to a ram’s
extremely curved horn, the horn of an ibex
appears straight, even though it is slightly
curved.
Rabbi Kapach
•
•
Rabbi Kapach also argues that the
straightening process is not okay. He
argues that one is forbidden to change
the shape of the shofar.
Rabbi Kapach brings in two proofs:
1. Rav Saadiah Gaon who claims that changing the
shape of the shofar makes the shofar invalid.
2. The Talmud that states, “it [the shofar] is required
that it be in the way that it is carried [by the
animal].”
What does the Talmud prohibit?
• The Talmud indicates that all major
changes to the shofar are forbidden.
However, simply straightening or drilling a
hole in the shofar should not be a problem.
• Rabbi Sternbuch adds that Yeminite
shofrot are preferred, and considered a
hiddur, because of the natural sounds that
they produce.
Ram
• As the Talmud states, the reason for a ram is
Akeidat Yitzchak.
• Rambam adds that one must use sheep.
• The Tur adds that it is preferable to use a ram,
but he emphasizes the word “bent,” being the
main credential for a shofar.
• However, if you do not have a ram, it is
preferable to use a goat, because goats and
rams are referred to by the same terminology in
the Torah.
Yeminite Shofar
• Most Yeminites use the horn of the Kudu.
• A problem arises: how do the Yeminites use the
Kudu horn if Maimonides, who they almost
always follow, explicitly says that only a sheep
horn is valid?
• Some Yeminites answered: the Kudu horn is
better than that of the sheep because it is more
beautiful and good sounding. They also believed
that the Kudu is actually enough like the sheep
to make its use permissible.
Attributes of a “Re’em” Shofar
•
There are three pasukim about the
Re’em. They list these various attributes
of the Re’em’s horns:
1. They are magnificent and beautiful.
2. They are pointed straight upwards.
3. They have extreme strength.
‫אֲ בּוסֶ ָך‬-‫ עַ ל‬,‫יָלִּין‬-‫הֲ י ֹאבֶה ֵרים עָ בְּדֶ ָך; אִּ ם‬.
‫י ְּשַ דֵ ד עֲ מָ קִּ ים ַאחֲ ֶריָך‬-‫ בְּתֶ לֶם עֲ ב ֹתֹו; אִּ ם‬,‫ ֵרים‬-‫הֲ תִּ קְּ ׁשָ ר‬.
(‫ ַרב כ ֹחֹו )איוב‬-‫ כִּי‬,‫בֹו‬-‫הֲ תִּ בְּטַ ח‬
(‫)תהילים‬
‫וַתָ ֶרם ִּכ ְּר ֵאים ַק ְּרנִּי‬
(‫)דברים‬
‫ ו ְַּק ְּרנֵי ְּר ֵאם‬,‫בְּכֹור ׁשֹורֹו הָ דָ ר לֹו‬
‫ַק ְּרנָיו‬
What animal is a Re’em?
•
•
Radak says that a Re’em is a unicorn, and is
therefore not permissible to be a Shofar.
Most scholars maintain that the Re’em is one
of the following two animals:
1. Aurochs (became extinct in 1627). It is the ancestor of the
modern-day “cattle,” and much resembles an ox.
2. Some say that Re’em horns are actually quite weak. Rav
Sa’adiah Gaon, therefore, says that the Re’em is an oryx. A
gemsbok is a type of oryx.
Possible disqualification of Re’em
• Tosfot says that Re’em horns are like
antlers, which are not permissible.
• Re’em is mentioned in the Torah without
the word Shofar, so they may be
disqualified.
• According to these opinions, a Gemsbok
shofar, which is a kind of Re’em, would be
invalid for use as a shofar.
By: Rabbi Natan Slifkin
Shofar Type
Examples
Kosher Status
Cattle
Cattle (“Longhorn
Shofar”)
Disqualified
Solid Horn
Deer Antlers
Disqualified
Re’em
Gemsbok/Oryx
(Probably)
Probably Disqualified
Straight Horn
Ibex, Eland
Most Opinions: Kosher
if no other is available.
Rambam: Disqualified
Partially Straightened
Ram’s Horn
Many Commonly Sold
Shofars
Acc. To Rav Kapach,
only kosher post-facto
Curved Horns of Most
Species
Kudu (Yemenite
Shofar)
Most Opinions: kosher
Bi’dieved
Rambam: Disqualified
Ram’s Horn, Fully
Curved.
“Rambam Shofar”
Rav Kapach: preferred
Rav Sternbuch: Hiddur
THE END
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BASED ON AN ARTICLE BY
RABBI NATAN SLIFKIN
WWW.ZOOTORAH.ORG
PRESENTATION BY:
AVI GELLER
DAHLIA GRUEN
MICHAEL KOSOWSKY
MARISSA SCHWARTZ
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