vol, 



^'■] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 293 



ancient rule after the destruction of the temple, though it was subject 

 to some moditication. * 



Mishna Ro.sh hashana, lY, provides that some person other than the 

 reader shall sound the shofar. t 



BIBLICAL PASSAGES. 



We will now proceed to examine the biblical passages with reference 

 to the shofar. Its use for religious exercise is prefaced by the [tresence 

 of its sound at the giving of the law. (Exodus, xix, 19; xx, IS.) 



Jt is mentione<l with other instruments as a fitting announcement of 

 the new moon. The solemn feasts were similarly annouiu'ed. New 

 Year's day was a "memorial of blowing," though it will be noticed that 

 the passages in the Pentateuch which refer to this day, both use the 

 word ^^teruah," ov blowing, without expressly mentioning the shofar 

 itself. 



''Speak to the children of Israel as follows: In the seventh month, 

 on the first day of the month, there shall be to you a Sabbath, a memorial 

 of blowing, a holy convocation" (Lev., xxiii, 24), while in another pas- 

 sage it is simply called " a day of blowing" (jSTumbers, xxix, 1). 



Special feasts or solemn assemblies for particular purposes were 

 announced by the blowing of the shofar. (Joel, ii, 15.) 



The great year of release, which occurred after the enumeration of 

 seven times seven years, was announced by the sounding of the shofar, 

 not at the beginning of the year, on New Year's day, as might be 

 expected, but ten days thereafter, on the Day of Atonement. (Leviticus, 



XXV, 9.) 



In Isaiah's vision of the great day of judgment the shofar is blown 



* "When tlit^ feast of the New Year happened on the Sahhath they used to sound 

 the shofar in the sanctuary, hut not out of it. After the destruction of the teni])le, 

 Rabbau Jochanan, son of Zaccai, ordained that they shoukl sound (on the.Sabbatli) in 

 every place where there is a tribunal of justice [I'eth Din). Kablii Eleazar says: 

 " He only issued this order in respect to Jaiunia," but they (the other saj^es) said 

 unto him, "it was the same for Jamnia as for any other place in which there is a 

 permanent tribunal of justice." 



"And in tliis respect also was Jerusalem privileged above .lauiuia, viz, that every 

 city from whence Jei'usalem could l>e seen and the sounding heard, which was near 

 enough, and to which it was allowed to go on the Sabbath, might sound; but in 

 Jamnia it was only permitted to sound before the tribunal of justice. — Miflnia liusk 

 hashaua, IV, 2. 



fit was not permitted for the purpose of sounding the shofar on the feast of 

 New Year, to go beyond the Sabbatical limits, to remove a heap of stones under 

 which a shofar is buried, mount a tree, ridoou any animal, or swim over the waters 

 to get a shofar, nor may he cut it with anything that may not be used, on account 

 of transgression against the Sabbatical rest, nor di8(d)ey on its account anj' nega- 

 tive precept of the law; but a person may, if he choose, ponr water or wine into the 

 shofar to improve its sound. Children should not be prevented from sounding, but 

 on the contrary it is lawful to be occupied in teaching them to sound."— Minhna 

 Bosh hashana, iv, 8. 



