Page 56 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

Chayei Adam - K’lal 140 - The Laws of the Shofar

their widest point. This is so that the one blowing it will be able to hold it
between his four fingers and a little will be visible [protruding] from either side, so
that people won’t say he is just blowing into his hand. 13

]4[ If one didn’t remove the inner bone meaning the bone which protrudes
out of the animal's head and fills the hollow part of the horn, [then] one must
remove the inner bone. If he didn’t remove it but rather left it inside and drilled a
hole through it and then blew it, he fulfills his obligation, because the sound of
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the shofar was heard. The presence of the bone is not deemed a chatzitza,
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because a like species is not considered an chatzitza. If however, he removed
the inner bone and drilled a hole in it, he does not fulfill his obligation, as this
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bone is not called a shofar. Some say that if the bone was removed and a hole
was drilled in it and then returned to the outer shofar, it is posul. 17

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]5[ If one turned the shofar inside out like a shirt, or widened the smaller end
and narrowed the wide one, or even if he didn’t [modify it] and just placed his

םדו רשב
fingers slightly spread apart. The Tur however 14. Another object which interferes
disagrees and maintains that a regular tefach between the shofar and the air being blown
is sufficient. With the exception of the Ritva through it, is considered a chatzitza and is not
ט
who maintains otherwise, this measurement is valid, as is evident from siman 7, below, where
absolute (and not relative) and a giant may blowing through two shofars, one stuck inside
also blow such a shofar even though it will be the other, is invalid.
completely concealed in his closed fist. While
some rishonim understand that this is the 15. The gemara (Rosh Hashana 27b) rules
minimum size of a shofar as required by the that it is kosher, and although parts of the
Torah, the Rosh understands that it is only by inner bone remain attached on the inside, the
rabbinic decree. It is worth mentioning that shofar is nevertheless kosher as is because it is
י
the Rabeinu Gershom (Chulin 89a) maintains the same species as the shofar itself and is not
that a shofar must measure three tefachim, so a chatzitza between the shofar and the air
that a tefach will protrude from both ends passing through it. According to the Talmud
when held in his closed fist. Although the Yerushalmi, such shofars were used by the beis
poskim don’t mention this, the Mishna Berura din in Yavneh and in Ein Tav, and may be used
(656:2) maintains that a larger shofar is more l’chatchila. (Mishna Berura) See however
mehudar. Aruch Hashulchan who writes that the
אי

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