Traditionally, the horn of a ram is used to make a shofar although there is no universal interpretation of Talmudic Law which mandates the use of a ram’s horn. However, there are specific prohibitions against the use of metals such as bronze to construct a shofar. Likewise, there is no restriction placed on the size or shape of a shofar although long, straight shofars are traditionally used for community ritual events and smaller shofars are usually kept in private homes.

The use of the shofar horn is frequently mentioned in the canonical Jewish scriptures and is first mentioned in Exodus 19, when it is said to have been heard coming from the cloud atop Mount Sinai. In addition to its ceremonial use, the shofar horn was also sounded as a general alert during times of warfare and to announce the anointing of a king during the United and Divided Monarchy Periods. From about the time of Kings David and Solomon, the shofar was utilized as an instrument (along with the trumpet and harp) to accompany the singing of the Psalms for both ceremonial and entertainment purposes.

Historically, the shofar horn has come to be intimately associated with Judaism. During the repressions of Judaism that accompanied the Byzantine, Ottoman and British occupations of Jerusalem, Jews were forbidden to blow the shofar at the site of the surviving Western (“Wailing”) Wall of Herod’s Temple. At various times, both Christian and Islamic regimes throughout Europe and the Middle East have criminalized the sounding of the shofar to announce the arrival of the Holy Days. Thus, the first “modern” or “legal” sounding of the shofar in the vicinity of the Temple occurred following the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. Some Messianic Jewish communities, such as “Jews For Jesus,” have incorporated the shofar into Christian rituals.

According to the Talmud, any free (non-slave) male member of the synagogue who is not otherwise disqualified may be appointed to the role of “Ba’al T’qiah” (shofar sounder). In some congregations, a woman may blow the shofar to ceremonially summon the other women to worship. As can be imagined, this ritual role is considered a great honor and is reserved to those held in great respect by the congregation.
There are a number of businesses that offer shofars for sale, both online and in traditional retail outlets located in most major cities. Such shofars may be custom-ordered to any desired degree of ornateness so long as the shofar itself meets traditional customs. Practically all shofars are handmade by craftsmen who have learned the family trade and are thus dedicated to maintaining Jewish tradition. Many families will purchase a shofar to be presented as a gift to their synagogue or to a respected Rabbi.

After sunset one should avoid saying what day of the Omer it is before reciting the blessing. This means that if someone asks you what day of the Omer are we counting today you should respond with “yesterday we counted x days.” If you do answer with just the number, i.e. “22″ then you may still count the Omer with a blessing.

The counting of the Omer, as we have already stated, takes place at night. If one forgets to count the Omer at night one may count during the day without the blessing and then continue to count on subsequent nights with a blessing. However, if one forgets to count at night and in the following day, one must count the rest of the Omer without a blessing too. In the case of someone who is in doubt as to whether he counted the previous night and did not count during the day, he may continue counting with a blessing. If one is within the half hour before twilight, one should not count eat until one has counted the Omer.

If one is in Synagogue for evening prayers, the cantor recites the blessing out loud and counts the Omer after which so does the congregation. This is all done while standing. The blessing over the Omer is as follows,

“Blessed are you, L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the counting of the Omer.”

Every night of the Omer the Omer is counted according to the number of days followed by a summary of the weeks and days that have passed up until now. For example, on the twenty-third day one would say, “Today is twenty-three days, which is three weeks and two days of the Omer.”

After counting the number of days, a short prayer is recited beseeching G-d to allow us to once again serve Him in the Temple. After this, a psalm is recited, as well as a powerful Kabbalistic prayer called Ana B’Koach and a final prayer that refers to the unique Kabbalistic characteristics of the same day, asking G-d to help us refine these characteristics in ourselves.

There are three basic sounds of the Shofar- Tekiah, Shevarim and Teruah.

In the Bible (Torah in Hebrew), the Jewish New Year, which is known in our days as Rosh Hashanah is called Yom Teruah. The Sages in the Talmud discussed the Teruah sound and agreed that it refers to a blast that resembles crying. There was a difference of opinions as to whether the crying was of the melancholy moaning kind or of the uncontrolled staccato sound. As a result, both possibilities were honored and today the Shevarim, made up of three medium length sounds and akin to sighing, as well as the Teruah, connoting uncontrollable crying and made up of nine short sounds, and a combination of the two known as the Shevarim-Teruah are sounded.

Directly before and immediately after these sounds is the Tekiah which is a long, simple blast that alludes to many things- it can be regarded as a summons to gather together, as a wakeup call, as a way to greet the King and a sound of rejoicing.

The inconsistency between the crying sounds of the Teruah and Shevarim and the joyful sounds of the Tekiah are quite apparent and this paradox teaches an important aspect of Rosh Hashanah. On the one hand, Rosh Hashanah is a very joyful day on which we praise G-d through heartfelt prayers and crown Him as King of the Universe. On the other hand, it is also a very serious day of reflection when each soul comes before G-d to be judged and our lives and future are very literally on the line.

The arrangement of the Shofar blasts on Rosh Hashanah reflects this reality. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk said, “There is nothing more complete than a broken heart.” Rosh Hashanah is the time of opening our hearts as we express our desires to correct our ways and to draw close to G-d.  These powerful emotions are enveloped by the Tekiah; the hope, trust and joy that it represents.

During this period of time in the time of the great sage Rabbi Akiva, 24,000 of his students were killed in a plague due to their lack of respect and love for fellow human beings. Therefore, it is customary to observe certain mourning customs in the Omer period, such as not getting married, cutting one’s hair or wearing new clothes. On Lag B’Omer the disciples of Rabbi Akiva stopped dying. In addition, this was the day that the holy sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai returned his soul to his Maker and on that day many of his teachings on the hidden part of the Torah were revealed. For these reasons, Lag B’Omer is a day of celebration.

There is a custom for Jewish children to play with mock bows and arrows on Lag B’Omer. The reason given for this is that they serve as a reminder of the revolt of the Jewish people that was led by Bar Kochba against the Romans in 135 CE. The revolt took place sixty-five years after the Second Temple was destroyed and initially the Jews succeeded against the might of Rome both physically and spiritually.

Physically an independent was established by the Jews, under the leadership of Shimon Bar Kochba. The country lasted about five years, minted its own coins and established a formidable stronghold in the city of Beitar.

Spiritually, Rabbi Akiva endorsed the revolt, proclaiming Bar Kochba to be the Messiah. If this was the case then seemingly Bar Kochba really had the ability to be the Messiah. However, Bar Kochba erroneously accused Rabbi Elazar of betraying Beitar and executed him. As a result, Rabbi Akiva immediately withdrew his support as did the other Rabbis.

Bar Kochba was known henceforth as Bar Kosiva, which translates to mean “the son of the lie.” He then tried to push on ahead even without the support of the Rabbis and to challenge the Roman legions. He was defeated in the end by the Romans, Jews were massacred and the independent Jewish state faded, not to be seen again for over two-thousand years.

We learnt that this sanctification of the Sabbath day is done over a cup of wine from the Sages. It was also due to the Sages that Kiddush is recited on Sabbath in the day before the daytime meal (in addition to the Kiddush done on Friday night at the beginning of the evening Sabbath meal).

Jewish people are forbidden to eat or drink before hearing Kiddush. The prohibition to eat or drink begins at sundown on Friday night and in the case of the Sabbath day, begins after the Shacharit prayer in the morning. Kiddush is traditionally recited over wine or grape juice but if neither of those are available then it is permissible to recite Kiddush over Challah- the two festive loaves of bread that are made especially for the Sabbath day.

In ancient times when the majority of non-Jewish people were pagan, it was wide-spread practice to use wine as a libation for idols. It is forbidden in Judaism to derive any benefit from an object that was used as an offering for an idol and the Rabbis therefore forbade any wine that was handled by a non-Jew  out of fear that the wine could have been offered by the non-Jew to his deity. This is also the case regarding grape juice. If the wine or grape juice were cooked (Mevushal in Hebrew) then this rule does not apply as cooking renders the wine unfit for libation.

In the event that someone has taken a sip from a cup of wine, it is forbidden to use leftovers of that wine for Kiddush as it is considered tainted. One can overcome this problem by pouring in any amount of untainted wine- even a miniscule amount.

The Kiddush cup is often a special cup that is set aside solely for use on the Sabbath and festivals. It is considered disrespectful to use a cup that is chipped and broken.

The Torah Scroll is made from many sheets of parchment that are sewn together to make one long scroll. Every individual page in a Torah scroll has forty-two lines and the entire scroll must be written by a specially trained scribe- called a Sofer in Hebrew. The Sofer writes the entire Torah Scroll by hand, using a quill and specially prepared ink. In order to be able to write a Torah scroll, the Sofer must know over 4,000 laws. It usually takes a Sofer about a year to write a Torah scroll and the Sofer must work meticulously because even a single missing or misshapen letter invalidates the use of the entire Torah Scroll.

It is mind-boggling to think that the Torah Scroll used in the Jewish House of Prayer- also known as the Synagogue- is written in exactly the same way that the Torah was written by Moses for the very first time 3,300 years ago. The Torah Scroll is read from at least four times a week in Synagogues all over the world. The Torah Scroll is divided into weekly portions and a different portion is read every Saturday which is the Jewish day of rest. Additionally, the Torah is read from on Mondays and Thursdays in Synagogue.

The Torah Scroll is made up of sewn-together pieces of parchment. In addition, there are two wooden shafts attached to either end of the Torah Scroll around which it is rolled. The shafts extend beyond the top and bottom of the scroll and are also used as handles with which to hold the Torah Scroll. The Torah also has a belt that is used to tie it under the velvet covering which secures it. In the case of a non-Kosher Torah Scroll, the belt is tied on top of the covering so as to serve as an ostensible reminder. The Torah is also covered with a special mantle that protects and beatifies it. The Torah Scroll is often adorned with a special silver crown to represent our love and veneration for it.

The Omer is the period of time that falls between the festivals of Pesach and Shavuot. An Omer is actually a unit of measure. In the time of the Temple, on the second day of Pesach an omer of barley was cut and brought to the Temple as an offering- this offering was referred to as the Omer.

What is the Biblical source for the Omer?

In the book of Leviticus we find written,

“You shall count for yourselves…from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you bring the Omer of the waving…seven Sabbaths, they shall be complete. Until the day after the seventh Sabbath you shall count, fifty days…” (23:15-16).

Additionally it is written in the book of Deuteronomy,

“You shall count for yourselves seven weeks; from when the sickle is first put to the standing crop shall you begin counting seven weeks. Then you will observe the festival of Shavuot for the L-rd your G-d.” (16:9-10)

How do we mark the Omer today?

Every night, from the second night of Pesach until the night before Shavuot, a blessing is recited and the count of the Omer is stated in both weeks and days. For example, on the sixteenth day of the Omer we say, “Today is sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the Omer.”

What is the Omer meant to remind us?

The Omer serves as a reminder of the link between the festivals of Pesach (which commemorates the Exodus) and Shavuot (which commemorates the giving of the Torah). We are reminded that our redemption from slavery was incomplete until we received the Torah.

Why is the Omer considered a time of partial mourning?

During the Omer, weddings, parties and dinners with dancing are not held and haircuts are not permitted. This is due to the fact that during this time in the period of Rabbi Akiva, there was a plague that wiped out thousands of his disciples.

What is Lag B’Omer?

Lag B’Omer is the 33^rd day of the Omer, which falls on the eighteenth day of the month of Iyar and it is a minor holiday which commemorates a break in the devastating plague in the time of Rabbi Akiva. The mourning practices are lifted on Lag B’Omer.

Why was there a difference of opinion regarding when the counting of the Omer begins?

The Pharisees believed in both the Oral and Written Torah and due to the fact that the Oral Torah fixed that the word “Shabbat” in Leviticus 23:15 refers to the first day of Pesach, the counting begins on the second night of Pesach. This is the view held by most Jews today. The Sadducees rejected the idea of an Oral Torah and believed that the aforementioned “Shabbat” refers to the Shabbat day. Therefore, they would begin counting the Omer on a Saturday night during Pesach. The Sadducees no longer exist and only a small sect, called the Karaites, follow this view.

• The Scroll of Ruth

Ruth is probably the most famous convert to Judaism and her story is recounted in the Scroll of Ruth. One of the main reasons given for why the Scroll of Ruth is read on the festival of Shavuot is that the revelation at Sinai was a kind of mass conversion of the Jewish people.

• Dairy Foods

The custom of eating dairy foods on Shavuot is quite an unusual one in Judaism, as a religion that views the eating of meat as an integral part of celebrating festivals. A number of reasons are provided for this custom;

• Once the Jews accepted upon themselves the Torah, they became obligated in its laws, which included the kosher dietary laws. However, since they had yet to learn the intricate laws of animal slaughter, they chose to eat dairy.
• The receiving of the Torah from G-d was a kind of rebirth of the Jewish people and we therefore celebrate this status by consuming baby food; that is to say, milk and milk products.
• The Hebrew word for milk, Chalav, has the numerical value of forty, which symbolizes the number of days that Moses was on Mount Sinai, before he descended with the Torah.

• Tikkun Leil Shavuot

According to Midrashic legends, the Jewish people were scolded for sleeping the night before they received the Torah. It is relayed that G-d had to awake them with the sound of the Shofar and thunder and lightning. Therefore, sixteenth century Kabbalists in Tzfat, Israel, created Tikkun Leil Shavuot, which contains readings from the Bible, Talmud and Kabbalah and would be read all night long as a way of repairing the mistake of the Jewish people on the eve of receiving the Torah.

• Greenery

Another Shavuot tradition is to decorate the Synagogue and home with greenery and flowers. According to the Midrash, Mount Sinai flowered miraculously in anticipation of the Torah’s arrival and the decorations symbolize this miracle. Additionally, according to Jewish Mysticism, G-d dulled mans’ senses as a punishment for the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden- the only sense left intact was scent. When G-d gave the Torah, He renewed the world and began repairing the breach by tugging on the sensual thread of scent, the only one that had never been severed.

The source for the Second Passover is in the book of Numbers in the ninth chapter, when two weeks before the first anniversary of the Exodus, on the first of Nissan, G-d speaks to Moses. It is related that G-d tells Moses that the fourteenth of Iyar will be Pesach Sheni in order to give those who had been ritually impure on Pesach a chance to bring up the Passover offering. It is relayed that the people who had been ritually impure approached Moses and Aaron and said that they felt it was unfair that they should be deprived of offering up the Passover offering. Moses took counsel with G-d, who told him that from now on, anyone who was ritually impure on the first Passover will have the chance to offer up the Passover offering a month later and shall eat it with Matzah and bitter herbs in the same way that it is eaten on Passover.

There is a beautiful message behind Pesach Sheni; a message of the power of return. The sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950) said that it I never too late to correct a past failing. Even if one missed a certain opportunity to fulfill an aspect of his or her’s life mission, due to being disconnected from G-d, there is always a Second Passover when one can make up what s/he missed.

Teshuvah is a Hebrew word that is often miss-translated as repentance, when in fact it is so much more than just turning over a new leaf and being forgiven for past wrong-doings- it is the power of being able to redefine the past. When a negative deed or experience is re-experienced in a way that completely transforms it’s significance, this is Teshuvah. One’s contact with darkness can cause one to strive for things he would never have strived for without that experience- negative experiences are literally turned inside-out.

• In Yemen, there was a custom to use the Lulav, Aravot and Hadassim (three of the four species used on the festival of Sukkot that occurs six months before the festival of Pesach) as fuel for the oven when baking Shmura Matzah (a special type of Matzah, the unleavened bread eaten on Pesach, that is carefully watched from the minute it is harvested until it is baked to make sure that it doesn’t come in to contact with any moisture). Additionally, Jews from Morocco, Syria and Baghdad would use the Lulav for both burning the leavened bread (as is customary before the start of the Pesach festival) and for baking Matzah.

• Hassidic Jews and Moroccan Jews wear a kittel at Seder night. A Kittel is a white robe that serves as a burial shroud for male Jews. There are a number of reasons given for this custom but on the simplest level, white is a symbol of joy at a time of festivals and weddings.

• Hungarian Jews would decorate their Seder tables with gold and silver. The explanation given for this custom is that this is in remembrance of the gold and silver that the Israelites received from the Egyptians on leaving Egypt.

• Yemenite Jews would often leave their doors open on Seder night as they believed that the redemption would come on that night and they left the door open so as to allow them to exit swiftly in order to greet the Messiah.

• Libyan and Tunisian Jews would not allow strangers into their houses on the first two days of Pesach. There are different explanations provided for this custom. One explanation is that this custom originates from times when the Jewish people would observe Pesach in secret and would therefore not allow strangers to enter their houses out of fear that informers would enter and spy on them.  On the other hand, there are those who say that this custom was due to the fact that the Paschal lamb was to be eaten only by those who joined a specific paschal group.