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Shofar

18th century (?)
Not on view
This shofar is made of ram's horn that has been heated and worked to give it a distinctive, flattened profile. It bears a Hebrew inscription that is often found on shofarot:

תִּקְע֣וּ בַחֹ֣דֶשׁ שׁוֹפָ֑ר בַּ֜כֶּ֗סֶה לְי֣וֹם חַגֵּֽנוּ

"Tiku ba'chodesh shofar, ba'keseh l'yom chagainu",

The text can be literally translated as "Blow the shofar when the moon is covered", i.e. when the moon is small, on the 1st day of the month.



This is a reference to the 81st Psalm: “Blow at the new moon, a horn. At the full moon, for the day of our feast.” In modern synagogues and temples the shofar is mostly heard on Rosh Hoshanna and Yom Kippur.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Shofar
  • Date: 18th century (?)
  • Culture: Jewish
  • Medium: ram's horn
  • Dimensions: Height: 22 15/16 in. (58.2 cm)
    Diameter (Of bell, approximate): 2 3/8 in. (6 cm)
  • Classification: Aerophone-Lip Vibrated-horn
  • Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
  • Object Number: 89.4.2899
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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