BLOGS
www.shofarguide.com/ Published by Cantor Arthur Finkle, a noted scholar on all things shofar.
www.thegreatshofar.com/blog/ Published by a shofar vendor, it contains good content.
GENERAL REFERENCE
http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shofar Wikipedia - a fun free for all.
Jewish Music Web Center http://www.jmwc.org/
Teruah - A blog about Jewish Music
http://teruah-jewishmusic.blogspot.com
SHOFAR MAKERS
Art-ic Circle - Shofar So Good: I have not purchased horns from them, but their photos suggest meticulous craftsmanship. Specializing in exotic horns. Note: Their standard policy is to coat the inside of the horns, a practice not in keeping with Jewish law. http://www.shofarsogood.com/
2009-11-28
2009-11-21
Shofar Tee Shirts
The wide variety of tee shirts with shofar-related themes provides insight into how shofar is viewed in the popular imagination.
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| First, this is the anti-shofar shirt (The mitzvah is to hear). |
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| International Federation of Shofar Blowers. The design is really quite clever. In the innermost ring around the image of the ram are the words Tekiah, Shevarim, and Teruah - each followed by a graphic motif indicating the relative duration and count of each blast. An edging around the outermost circle is formed by criss-cross shofarot. The ribbon device at the bottom is a kudu horn. And at the bottom of the seal it says, "Local Order 613," a reminder of the 613 commandments in the Torah. |
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| From Skulls Unlimited, where you can purchase oesteological specimens of horns. A sheep horn is on the front, just over the belly. |
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| A nod to Nike's "Just Do It" slogan and swoop. |
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| I Heart Shofars Consider "shofarot" for the next version. |
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| Shofar Girl; where is Shofar Boy? |
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| Toot Toot Shofar |
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| Judaism is a Blast It certainly is. |
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| This is perhaps my favorite shirt. Inside the flames, stylized Hebrew letters, I see the burning prayers of the shofar blasts. www.zazzle.com. [Update: The benefit of having a website is that my children knew which shirt to get me for my recent birthday. Many thanks to A, A, A, A & J.] |
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| My Other Horn is a Shofar Also available as a greeting card with the slogan, "I Gave at the Synagogue" I am concerned that this may mislead some to believe that horns are harvested from living animals. They are not! |
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| Got Shofars? |
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| A parody of the "Got Milk? advertising campaign. This is the shirt Isaac wore on his walk with Abraham. www.zazzle.com |
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| www.cafepress.com/+aboriginalz_tribal_ram_yellow_tshirt,96162632 |
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| Jewish Wake Up Call |
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| Shofar, Sho Good! The same slogan is also available with other graphics. |
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| Shofar in Black |
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| The question we all ask during Elul, "Are You Ready" |
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| I Stand with Israel |
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| Isaiah 62:1, For Zion's sake, I will not be Silent. |
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| More Isaiah |
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| Shofar Hero Click here for more about Shofar Hero. |
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| When I Blow the Shofar Everybody Listens. |
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| Shofar Blowing Maven |
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| Champion |
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| My Temple Hss the Best Shofar Blower Two Jews, Three Opinions |
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| Shofar Playing Freak |
Shofar Maniac: Interesting grammar of "is better listen to me"
Shofar Maniac:
Will You Be Ready?
The back has 1 Corinthians 15:51 "... at the last trumpet ... the dead will be raised ... "
The text above the image reads, "May the sound of the shofar awaken us to the truth that Yeshua is Messiah of the world." Why is this listed on www.zazzle.com under Home > Religion > Judaism?
Blow my Shofar: The vendor explains, "In olden times, the shofar was made from the horn of a Ram, or other kosher animal, and was blown to call people together at the New Moon, for feasts, prayers, and for Rosh Hashanah. In this sense, this could be viewed as your party t-shirt, inviting friends to congregate.
"In modern times, people you really like, and people you really disliked are often verbally offered the opportunity to blow your... trumpet, let's say. Hence, this could be your 'I REALLY like/dislike you tshirt'"
More of the same. Of course, kavanah - intention - is everything. If I wore it to teach shofar, it would not be appealing to purient interest. (It is also nice to know it comes in children's sizes.)
The starburst may have inspired me, for I suddenly know how to make this slogan on a tee shirt acceptable to even the most Torah observant Jew. Take a page from our Christian tee shirt makers who frequently put a Bible verse on their shirts. If this had the caption, "Numbers 29:1 - You shall observe it as a day when the horn is sounded.", the spiritual intent of the "Blow Me" slogan becomes crystal clear.
Shofar Teacher: All teachers look for students. Specifying "girl" students may be an assult on the halacha that say that women's blast are less worthy than an man's. More likely it is another reference to the phallic allusions of the horn.
Shofar - the band - describes its music as "Power=Pop Rock with a strong message." The cross motif in their logo suggests the source of their power. I love the "S" from two shofarot.
Is saying "You can't handle the shofar" like telling someone, "you can't handle the truth"? Maybe I just can't handle the innuendo.
This one has a primitive look to it.
Artwork from Roman era showing Temple implements, including shofarot.
For baby's first Rosh Hashanah. Also available as a bib for when baby pukes up its first apples and honey.
What sort of scary creature lives in the shofar? After seeing this, baby's older siblings might think the voice of the shofar comes from a little animal that screams when the shofar blower bites its tail.
Future Shofar Blower: The vendor suggests, "Those wails you hear now are just practice for the future shofar blowing career of your precious little one." They have another bib stating, "I'm not crying, I am davvening." Both a form of prayer.
From LetThereBeTees.com I found at http://www.yoyenta.com/?p=955 where they coment, "Does not (and should not) come in adult sizes." I could have used it the shirt this past Rosh Hashanah when I fell asleep in shul.
L'shana Tova, artwork by Alphonse Levy.
Happy New Year: Solves the problem of what to wear to shul this year. What is the shofar blower holding, his ticket to High Holy Day services?
If this was really for the "World's Best Shofar Blower", why would they have to sell it in a variety of sizes?
Get Chai on Rosh Hashanah
You had me at the first blow. I guess this means someone had a complete experience of teshuvah even before hearing shevarim. Impressive.
Psalms 86:6. "With trumpets And the sound of the shofar, shout for joy before the king Adoni!"
Nice Jewish Girls Know How to Blow. One of my favorites. Strong graphics. And a clear political statement that the shofar blows of a woman are also acceptable.
![Shofar [RETIRED]](http://www.crookedmonkey.com/images/blow-shofar-300.jpg)
Sorry Boys, I only Blow Shofars
Are those eighth notes above the shofar? Maybe it's a different minhag than mine.
My Shofar is Bigger than Yours http://jewtees.com/?p=14 The websites slogan ins, "If you wear it, it is no dream."
Perhaps this one belongs in the "my shofar is bigger than your's" category.
I Never Toot My Own Horn
Yom Teruah
Only So Far... I guess things like tefillah, tezdakah, and teshuvah help too.
Get blown away
With so many shofar tee shirts proclaiming the battle cry, it's nice to see one with a dove of peace. From www.zazzle.com.
http://www.shalomshirts.com/Blow-My-Shofar-T-shirt.html
NOT PICTURED: Are You Ready for the Trumpet Call, with a shofar blower in levitical robes superimposed over the crosses at Calvary.
Both above from www.zazzle.com. The Yom Kippur image is clipart from the US Dept of Defense.
Joel 2:1 From www.zazzle.com.
The lack of a face, the dark jacket and clove, the assymetrical layout, and the way the shofar is being carried like a spear or rifle, makes this a very threatening image. Perhaps it appeals to people who understand the shofar as a weapon in a struggle against evil. From www.zazzle.com.
From www.zazzle.com.
Me and My Shofar Will Conquer the World. The right attitude of humility for the ba'al tekiah. Not.
I Want You For Playing Shofar: This could be a recruitment poster. Or, it could be a "Wanted" poster, an indictment.
Only my Shofar Makes Me Happy: Observing mitzvot is, indeed, a path to happiness.
Shofar's Vices: I have no idea what this means. Please contact me if you know.
I Trust in My Shofar Only: What about, "I trust in God".
Living, Loving, Playing the Shofar: Chai, Ahava, Tekiah
If I Look Quiet, is only..." Again, the funny grammar.
My Shofar is My Boyfriend: As it is written by our sages, "Get a Life".
Here are two with contrasting messages:
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| The Hebrew says "Blow Shofar when Moon is Hidden," a line from Psalm 81. The text is very small and written "upside down". www.zazzle.com/shofar_tshirt-235682790182514845 |
In a future post, I hope to offer some insight into what these shirts say about shofar and our culture.
IF YOU KNOW OF OTHER SHIRTS, PLEASE SEND THEM TO ME.
Finally, my favorite, courtesy of a Design Your Own Tee Shirt Program:
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