HIGH HOLY DAYS SALLY'S DESIGNS/BOUTIQUE HANDBAGS - CONTEMPORARY FASHIONS NEW YORK JEWELRY AND MORE 626-0886 The Shofar DIAMOND STUD Blower 29657 Orchard Lake At 13 Mile Road Inside Antonio's Salon Hours: Tues.-Sat. 10-6 Thurs. 10-8 EARRINGS - 3O% OFF • LEEMONS' FINE JEWELERS • 29310 Orchard Lake Road (Just South of 13 Mile Rood) Farmington Hills • 851-0160 • Mon.-Fri. 10-6 • Thurs. 10-8 • Sat. 10-5 • • Offer Good Until 10-3-87 • • • • THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE ON CABLE T.V. The public address will mark the Yortzeit of the Rebbe's mother Rebbetzin Chana. RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON rew5v) TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1987 9:30 P.M. CONTINENTAL CABLEVISION CHANNEL 11 ALSO CAN BE SEEN FREE OF CHARGE AT CONG. MISHKAN ISRAEL NUSACH H'ARI LUBAVITCHER CENTER 14000 WEST NINE MILE ROAD 166 FRIDAY, SEPT. 25, 1987 OAK PARK, MICHIGAN 48237 Shofar blowers are generally ordinary Jews who, for a short time during the High Holidays, assume semi-mystical status LEAH ABRAMOWITZ Special to the Jewish News T he central part of the Rosh Hashanah ser- vice, the section which inspires hushed awe and con- centration, is the shofar blow- ing ceremony. According to the rabbis, the shofar (ram's horn) has the ability to arouse . fear and trembling, as it says in the book of Amos, 3: "If a shofar is sounded in the city, will the people not tremble?" Who are the people with the responsible task of turning hearts to "teshuvah" (repentence) and kindling the determination to do better? The shofar blowers are generally ordinary Jews — tinkers, tailors, candlestick makers — who on the High Holidays suddenly assume semi-mystical status during the short time they are "cen- tral stage." Zev is a well-known doctor in Jerusalem whO has been blowing the shofar since the age of fifteen. "Now," he ad- mits, "I wouldn't have the chutzpah to blow in public at that age. It was a bit of schwitz (show off) then." Josh, an accountant-lawyer, began even earlier. "My father was a shofar blower. He had shofarot lying around the house. I must have been three or four when I started tooting into one." Zev and. Josh both begin practicing a month before Rosh Hashanah. At the mor- ning minyan from the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, it is a custom to blow the shofar daily to get the congregation attuned to and in the proper frame of mind for the Days of Awe. Shofar blowing is an art which requires much skill, good lungs, enough practice, but also mazel (luck). Zev ex- plains, "The first _ blow is critical. If it doesn't go smoothly, you're nervous the whole time." Josh, too, takes Leah Abramowitz is a writer who lives in Israel. the responsibility seriously. He doesn't want to disappoint the congregation. There is even an old wives' tale that if the shofar blowing goes well, they will all have a good year. In the service, extensive preparations precede the shofar blowing, to emphasize its awe-inspiring effect. In some congregations, the blower, the prompter and the reader immerse themselves in a mikvah before the actual blowing. Meanwhile, the wor- shippers study the meaning and significance of the tekiyot and endeavor to reach the cor- rect level of devotion. The rab- bi often gives an inspiring drasa (talk) to move the There is a legend that the very same angel that determines how the shofar blowing goes is also in charge of the success of Shabbat cholent. listeners to penitence and warn them of the strictures of the shofar. The congregation recites Psalm 47 seven times "to penetrate" theseven fir- maments of Heaven." While the blower recites a private prayer to be found worthy and to enlist divine assistance for his blowing, the congregation recites six other verses. The bracha is recited, as well as Shehechiyanu (the blessing of thanksgiving) and the blow- ing commences. There is a legend that the very same angel that deter- mines how the shofar blowing goes is also in charge of the success of Shabbat cholent. "How is it possible that one angel gets two such disparate jobs?" Josh asks with a smile. "How is it possible that one angel performs two tasks?" The answer is, he doesn't. "That's why on Shabbat we never blow the shofar," he sums up semi-seriously.