Page 62 - Chayei Adam LAYOUT sivan 5782

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

place where he puts his mouth should not be coated, and [this is] provided its
sound isn’t modified because of the coating, in which case it would be posul.

]10[ Therefore, those who decorate the shofar with colorful pictures, are not
conducting themselves appropriately for perhaps this will affect its sound a little
32
bit. One may, however, decorate the shofar by carving pictures into it. 33
34
]11[ Ideally, one should not blow a shofar that has a hole, even if the
minimum size of a shofar remains intact between [the hole] and his mouth,
because its sound is blemished and one should bring nice things to Hashem’s
35
door. If one cannot find a shofar without a hole, it is valid, provided he didn’t
seal up the hole, since all sounds of a shofar are valid, even if there wasn’t a
complete size of a shofar [remaining without a hole]. 36

37
]12[ If, however, he sealed the hole, if most of the shofar was not intact, it is
invalid regardless, even if he filled the hole with a like species and the sound

םדו רשב
mouth. The Rosh however rejects this shofar where the validity of the shofar
approach and explains the entire edge of the depends on a combination of factors including
mouthpiece of the shofar is considered ‘the the material used to seal it and how its sound
place he puts his mouth’ and is posul because is impacted. If, however, the hole was not
the gold serves as a chatzitza between his sealed, it should follow that that shofar is
mouth and the shofar (Taz) and the outside kosher (certainly if the hole is small ). This is
דכ
אכ
of the entire length of the shofar is not, but in fact explicit in the Talmud Yerushalmi and
depends on whether or not the gold coating quoted by the major rishonim (Rosh, Tosfos
affects its sound. The Shulchan Aruch cites Ran, Rashba, Ramban, Rabeinu Yeruchem) who
בכ
both explanations. cite it without comment, implying that this is
גכ
the halacha. However, the Rosh in a teshuva
32. Ramban as quoted by the Tur. writes that it is posul if the hole is not sealed,
presumably because its sound is modified
הכ
33. Darkei Moshe. It is not worse than through the hole. The Kol Bo adds that, even
thinning out the thickness of the shofar, as if the sound isn’t modified, it is posul since the
above siman 6 (Mishna Berura). shofar appears damaged. See also Biur HaGra
who maintains that although the shofar may
34. See below that the gemara (Rosh be used since any sound produced by a shofar
Hashana 27b) discusses sealing up a hole in a is valid, he cites a Rokeach who quotes a

62