High Quality Authentic Ram's Horn Shofars - All About These Instruments

A shofar may be a horn made up of the horn of a ram. Since ancient times, the Shofar has been in use when it was used in battles or during religious ceremonies. Even today, the African antelope Yemenite shofar is used to mark the end of the Yom Kippur and during Rosh Hashanah.

Shofar is a traditional and religious instrument, which is played at all auspicious Jewish religious ceremonies. The Shofar sound is very noticeable, and you can recognize the notes from a significant distance.

When is it played?

The Jewish New Year is named Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah is celebrated with a feast where all consume symbolic food. This is followed by ten days of repentance. Yom Kippur marks the end of repentance. Prayers are offered to god as it is the Day of Judgment. The blowing of the rams horn shofar is symbolic as it reminds the Jews that God is the King.

Shofars find a mention in the Hebrew Bible. According to the Exodus, the Israelites had trembled in awe when there was a blast of Shofar from the thick cloud on Mount Sinai.

Kinds of sounds

The Shofar makes four different kinds of sounds. The Yemenite Shofar is so ancient that it was used even during Biblical times! The four kinds of sounds made by the Shofar are Teruah, Tekiah, Tekoah Gedolah, and Shevarim. The Teruah sounds like an alarm, and the Shofar is played with short notes played over nine times, at times even more. The Tekiah resembles the sound made during a blast, and it is played continuously. There are no gaps in between playing the Shofar when making the Tekiah sound. The Tekiah Gedolah is probably one of the most distinct sounds made by a Yemenite Shofar, and it is characterized by a blasting sound played for a very long duration. To create the Tekiah Gedolah sound, you need plenty of practice. The last sound is called the Shevarim and is characterized by three calls and resembles the sound made from a sigh. The proper sequence of sounds made from a Shofar as Tekiah, Shevarim, Teruah, and Tekiah Gedolah.

How to make a Shofar

Kosher animals are used to make the Shofar. Typical animals include gazelle, ram, and antelope. The most common is the ram, and hence such Shofars are also called ram's horn Shofar. The primary prerequisite to making a Shofar is that the animal's horn should not be constructed of bone. Instead, it should be made of cartilage. To make your own ram's horn Shofar, you need to boil it in water for many hours, followed by extensive cleaning of cartilage from horn insides. Then the ram's horn Shofar should be cut and drilled to make sure the appropriate texture and shape are there. Lastly, the Yemenite Shofar is carved using special knives to make intricate carvings on the surface. The mouthpiece of the Shofar should also be shaped appropriately to ensure it can be played easily.

Buying a Shofar

If you plan to buy a Shofar, there are a few things you should keep in mind. You can easily buy a Shofar online as there are many websites these days selling authentic Yemenite Shofars. If you see claims that the Shofars have no smell and can be perfectly tuned, you know it is a scam. Shofars can never be tuned, and they will always have a distinct smell because they have been made from the horns of an animal. You can only change the notes in a Shofar by changing the mouthpiece. It might take many years for the ram's horn Shofar to lose the distinct smell on it. It is an honest idea to select the larger Shofars as they're easier to play.

Make sure to test the Shofar before you buy it. Make sure to take your own time selecting the perfect Yemenite Shofar, as these last you a very long time, so you want the very best! Make sure to purchase Yemenite Shofar from a trusted and reputed company online. Visit Us