Pastor Lorraine Coconato of Leaves of Healing Tabernacle in Chatsworth, CA invited me to blow shofar during a recent prayer service at her church. She was delivering a sermon about shofar to her congregation, and wanted them to hear the shofar as well. I enjoy finding common ground with people of good will from all faiths, so I accepted her offer.
Afterwards, she said she had a shofar and was planning to put a metal mouthpiece on it to make it easier to blow. This is from a letter I wrote to her about our discussion:
I share the letter here in case it will help others who may be considering turning their shofar back into a keren - an ordinary horn.You mentioned that you had a horn that is being refit with a mouthpiece. The Jewish tradition is that a shofar should not have a mouthpiece attached to it; that the blower’s lips should be in direct contact with the horn. One can imagine a variety of spiritual explanations for this. For example, one should have as authentic experience as one can of the shofar, and a mouth piece acts as an intermediary. When we can consider the symbolism of the ram (lamb) in both of our faiths’, we can understand the importance of hearing the voice of the ram (lamb) without an intermediary.
If you are considering a mouthpiece in order to make the horn easier to blow, I may be able to make your shofar easier to blow. Often, a simple modification of the blowhole will make a big difference. Similarly, I may be able to show you techniques that will make the shofar easier to sound.
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I am grateful for the kind message I received from Pastor Lorraine:
Your skill and zeal for shofar blowing is amazing! It is a delight to unite with a Jewish brother who loves HaShem and desires to be His instrument!
THANK YOU, I have had times when I have had great success with my shofar and times of great frustration but this has encouraged me to prayerfully persist without resorting to a short cut.
ReplyDeleteI would like to modify the shofar, because I would like to attempt a warrior type of tone..right now it's just a solid rich lower tone. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you. Yeshua's blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteSherry
What type of tone does a warrior's horn make?
ReplyDeleteConsider David's battle against Goliath. The slight young man without battle experience or weapons did not fit the image of a warrior.
Some imagine that a warrior's must be blast and strong. Yet in Zechariah, we are told, "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit".
I have not studied the New Testament, yet know that a similar teaching by Paul says, "when I am weak, then I am strong".
Jewish teachings about shofar explain that the intention of the shofar sounder and the shofar hearer are more important than the actual sound. If I sound the shofar and you listen and we both have the intent of fulfilling a spiritual purpose, then the shofar's voice is powerful no matter the pitch, tone, or amplitude.
With the prayer in your heart is expressed through the shofar, rejoice in the strength of its baritone voice. Those who are listening will hear its call.