Simply Shofars - A Natural Item with a Beautiful Sound
A shofar is a natural instrument made from a ram’s horn (ashkenazi shofar) or an African antelope yemenite shofar). In ancient times, it was blown during religious ceremonies as well as a signal for battle. Today, shofars are blown during the high holiday services, during Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur. Sometimes educators will bring a shofar into school to teach on the ancient traditions, and increasingly more and more Christians are using shofars during their worship times. Besides these regular uses, a shofar makes a great gift for bar or bat mitzvah, birthday, anniversary, marriage and more, because it helps reinforce Jewish heritage, and the values of Judaism, and many a home has a shofar on display.
Shofars in general measure from about 7″ to 52″, measured along the curve. The sound is affected by the length of the shofar along the curve, the size of the mouthpiece, thickness of the shofar, size of the twist/curve, and, of course, the person playing it. In general, the larger the shofar, the easier it is to blow, the deeper the sound you’ll get from it, and the more tones, but this does not always hold true and sometimes there are radical exceptions to the rule!
One thing to note is that many shofars have a distinctive odor, particularly the yemenite shofars which are more difficult to clean. If the smell is bothersome, it can be cleaned with a mixture of sand, vinegar and water, which should be shaken around inside, then rinsed and dried off. It is strongly recommended that no form of lacquer or other permanent substance be poured down the inside of the shofar, since this can cause irreversible damage.
A quality shofar will produce a good sound without an additional mouthpiece, and it is not recommended to put a mouthpiece into a shofar since it is a natural animal product and it’s sound and variance in tones are all part of its distinction. In addition, because it is a natural animal product, all shofars have some form of nicks, dents, and/or scratches; remember, it has been knocked around by an animal for a long time before you ever saw it! The only thing that is not acceptable is a crack going through to the inside of the mouthpiece, since this can stop it being played properly.
When you decide to purchase a shofar, make sure you buy it from a company that’s willing to provide customized service. For instance, you may want a very large, fully polished shofar that will be used primarily as a display, or you may want one that gives the most number of tones and/or highest volume for a synagogue. You may want the shofar for a young child, so it must be easy to blow and produce sound, or you may want one for yourself that has a specific tone to it.
A good shofar seller will work with their customers individually to find the perfect shofar for each person, and will even encourage them to call or email if they have any questions at all about their shofar purchase. Not all shofars are created equal and come from quality manufacturers, so don’t be shy to ask questions before you buy!
Adam Barnett works for Studio Shofar Judaica & Gifts, and hopes to help educate the judaica market to better understand judaica products in general. Visit his website to learn more about such items at http://www.studioshofar.com
The Mighty Mezzuzah on the Doorpost
A mezzuzah is a container that holds a kosher parchment, which is then affixed to the doorpost of Jewish homes. In order for the parchment to be kosher, it has to be hand-written by a sopher, a Jewish scribe, and it has to be in perfect condition; this is why the parchment is often more expensive than the mezzuzah case itself! Note, that the parchment is always sold separately - if there is a piece of paper that comes with the mezzuzah, the chances are it is not a kosher parchment!
The first line of the parchment says, “Hear O Israel, the LORD is our G-d, the L-RD is one!” This is found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. On the back of the parchment, three letters are written to represent the name of G-d, which is rendered Shaddai. These three letters are shin, dalet, and yud. When the parchment is inserted into the case it is rolled up so that the scripture references are on the inside and the outside letter shin is visible. A mezzuzah is normally attached to each of the doorframes of your house, and there is a dedication ceremony with a brief blessing when it is put up, especially the one on the front door.
The mezzuzah should be placed on the right-hand side of the door frame, slanted at the top towards the front door of the house. It is customary to touch the mezzuzah with your hand when entering the home and then kiss your hand; this is to express love and respect to G-d. As said before, in a religious Jewish house a mezzuzah will be on every doorframe in the home except for the bathroom.
Mezzuzahs come in all different sizes, from 2″ to 8″ tall. In Israel they are often very large, but in America they tend to be slightly smaller and more discrete. They can be made of brass, pewter, wood, ceramic, glass, stone, or any other material, as elaborate or simple as you want, decorated with children’s designs, gold and silver, jewels, or anything else that the artist has chosen to work with. A lot of mezzuzahs, just like much judaica in general, are made in India and China, but if you have the option, it really is better to buy mezzuzahs that are made in Israel. Not only will you support your brothers and sisters there, but you will also get a better quality product. After all, for an item that is going to be containing kosher scripture, what else would you want than something made with love and care in the land of Israel?! Having said that, there are of course many other mezzuzahs that are beautiful, and you can see a wide selection from Israel and elsewhere on the web.
Adam Barnett works for Studio Shofar Judaica & Gifts and hopes to help educate the judaica market to better understand judaica products in general. Visit us to learn more about mezzuzahs and other judaica items at http://www.studioshofar.com/mezzuzot.html
The Tales of the Tallit
A tallit (also known as a prayer shawl, especially by Christians) is a rectangle or square cloth with tzitzit (fringes) on each of the four corners and an atarah along the collar. It is worn in obedience to the biblical commandment to wear tzitzit found in Numbers 15:37-41. The passage reads:
“The L-RD also spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the L-RD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your G-d. I am the L-RD your G-d who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your G-d; I am the L-RD your G-d.’”
Historically, the tallit is a Jewish garment, with black stripes, worn by Jewish men only. However, the tradition has developed and more and more Jewish women also wear tallits now. In addition, tallits are no longer limited to plain black stripes. An interesting development recently has been the number of churches and Christians who have begun using tallits and prayer shawls in their services, prayer meetings, or in their personal devotional times. Read on to learn more!
A tallit can be made in a variety of fabrics, including wool, cotton, silk, polyester, rayon, dacron, and more, although that worn by a “cohen” or “levite” cannot be made of a mixed fabric. Some have a blue thread in the tzitzit called techelet, in accordance with the original biblical commandment, but even those that do not have the techelet can have it added by special request.
The traditional style to wear the tallit is to put it over the shoulders and draped down the back, then pull the two front corners up over the shoulders & down the front. Often tallit clips are used in the front to hold the traditional tallit in place. Contemporary tallits are often smaller, resembling shawls, and these just hang around the neck or across your shoulders and upper part of your back. Both types of tallit often now have contemporary designs rather than the traditional stripes, ranging from the Etz Chaim (tree of life), to multi-colored stripes, from a bold red background to Chagall’s windows, from the Jerusalem skyline to a flowers design, and more; the possibilities & options are almost endless.
When the tallit is put on it is customary to say a traditional blessing, known as a b’racha. This blessing, either in full or just the last part of it, is sometimes stitched or painted on the atarah (collar) of the tallit, but it does not have to be there in order for the tallit to be kosher. The b’racha for putting on the tallit is as follows:
“Baruch ata adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam, asher kidd’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hitatef b’tzitzit.”
“Blessed art thou, O L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us by thy commandments and has commanded us to put on the tzitzit.”
Tallits are worn during the morning prayer on weekdays, including Shabbat and other holy days, but are not normally worn during the afternoon or evening prayers. One exception to this is on Erev Yom Kippur at the Neilah service where it is customary to wear your tallit. The tallit can be worn by both men and women, although in Orthodoxy women do not generally wear one. While it is a commandment for an adult Jewish man to “don the tzitzit,” it is only “permissible” for an adult Jewish woman to do so, not commanded. It is, however, encouraged that a woman who wears a tallit would use a woman’s one rather than a man’s, and there are many many beautiful designs and fabrics now available specifically for women. In addition, it is not traditionally encouraged for someone who is not Jewish to wear a tallit, even though it is becoming more common for some Christians to wear the tallit, or prayer shawl, during their prayer or worship times. Whatever the case, it should be stressed that this is a holy garment and must be treated with respect and honor to the biblical commandments and the Jewish tradition of which it is an integral part.
If you are looking for a tallit or prayer shawl, you can find discount tallit warehouses online and shop from your armchair! A good online tallit shop will offer tallits and prayer shawls in a range of sizes, both traditional and contemporary styles for men, women, and bar/bat mitzvah children, in a variety of fabrics & designs. They will even include the techelet as a custom order if requested, and will work with you as an individual to find the perfect tallit for you!
Adam Barnett works for Studio Shofar Judaica & Gifts, and hopes to help educate the judaica market to better understand judaica products in general. Visit his website to learn more about such items at http://www.studioshofar.com
Kippahs - To Wear or Not to Wear!
The kippah is a Jewish head covering generally worn by a religious Jewish man. You may also see it referred to as a yarmulke. In Yiddish, a kippah is referred to as a koppel, and in English, as a skull cap. Wearing kippahs came into practice during medieval times as a way to show respect to God and it is interesting that while for most of the world it is respectful to take your hat or head covering off, in Judaism it is considered respectful to have your head covered! According to the Talmud (Kiddushin 31a), wearing the kippah is a reminder to the wearer that God is their higher authority, and helps create an awareness of God in their life at all times; hence, religious Jewish men and boys traditionally wear kippahs at all times, except during sleep. Even when wearing a hat, an orthodox Jewish man will wear a kippah underneath. For those who are not orthodox, the kippah may just be worn when going to synagogue, and some only wear a kippah when they visit Israel.
If you are a man, it is considered respectful to put on a kippah when attending a synagogue service, whether you are Jewish or not, but while it is not forbidden for a woman to wear a kippah, it is also not required. Having said that, increasingly, in Reformed, Egalitarian Conservative, and Reconstructionist Judaism, women are now starting to wear kippahs. Fortunately there are now many beautiful feminine kippahs available on the judaica market for women.
Interestingly, since the Torah does not command Jews to wear kippahs, it is unnecessary to say a blessing, or b’racha, before putting one on. Kippahs can be made out of any fabric, including velvet, cotton, satin, suede, leather, organza, silk, and felt. They can be made in any number of ways: crocheted, knitted, stitched, etc. They can have designs or symbols on them, and can be as elaborate or basic as you want. Some are hand-painted with sports symbols or Hebrew letters, others are trimmed with gold and silver, and there are many that are custom-designed. Ones for women are often made with lace or out of beads.
There are kippahs for joyous occasions called simcha kippahs (simcha means “joy”); for instance, it is customary to have customized kippahs made for a child’s bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah, a wedding, or other Jewish occasion. Even when a baby boy has his bris (circumcision), he wears a special kippah that ties under his chin.
Adam Barnett works for Studio Shofar Judaica & Gifts and hopes to help educate the judaica market to better understand judaica products in general. Visit his website http://www.studioshofar.com to learn more about kippahs and other judaica items at http://www.studioshofar.com/kipot.html
The Seven Branch Menorah - Symbol of the Jewish Faith
The 7-branch menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith. It is found mostly in temples and synagogues, often up front as an item by itself, and also as a design in stained glass windows, ceilings & wall murals, paintings, sculptures, and more. Interestingly, increasingly some churches also have seven branch menorahs in their sanctuaries to remind them of the menorah that once stood in the Temple in Jerusalem. Although, this should not be such a surprise bearing in mind the menorah’s place in the Hebrew scriptures and the role of the Old Testament in the life of the church & Christian.
In addition, menorahs are popular as display items in both Jewish & Christian homes, and can also be found in schools, museums, art galleries just to mention a few. Unlike the 9-branch hanukkah menorah, the 7-branch menorah has no Shamash (servant), and it has just seven branches; that is because the purpose of the 9-branch hanukkah menorah is to remember the miracle of the oil at hanukkah, whereas the 7-branch menorah is a symbol of the Jewish faith and was always present in the Temple when it stood in Jerusalem.
The 7-branch menorah is made according to the commandment in Exodus 25:31-40. Priests would light it every evening and clean it every morning. Jewish sages teach that this menorah was the vessel that G-d used to blend the spiritual life that is to come with the physical life of this world. Ultimately, the purpose of this menorah is not to illuminate the temple but to spread its light throughout the world. It is a symbol of the nation of Israel and it is a physical reminder of the commandment in Isaiah 42:6 to be a light to the nations. This commandment, given originally to the people of Israel, is often used by Christians to justify the requirement upon them to spread their faith and the gospel, hence, again, the significance of the menorah for them again.
The 7-branch menorah can be of any size. For example, one of the largest menorahs stands in front of the gates to the Knesset building in Jerusalem. It was erected as a reminder of the indestructibility of the Jewish people; a truth that has borne true time and time again despite persecution, wars, and even assimilation. It was the 7-branch menorah that was lit after the Maccabees had their victory and rededicated the Temple, and the oil they found that was only enough to burn for one day actually lasted for eight while more oil was being made and consecrated.
The seven branch menorahs found today can be lit with oil or candles (special glass oil containers with special wics are required for oil burning), and there are even some that are electric; in addition, they can be of any size, ranging from 4″ to over 4 feet. There are various styles of menorahs, with the more popular being the “Large Cups Menorah” which is considered closest to that found in the Temple long ago, the “12 Tribes Menorah” which carries the symbols of each of the 12 tribes of Israel, and various contemporary designs. Many of these menorahs are made in India, so ask before you buy because there is a big difference in quality, weight, and how they are made!
Adam Barnett works for Studio Shofar Judaica & Gifts, and hopes to help educate the judaica market to better understand judaica products in general. Visit us to learn more about seven branch menorahs and other judaica items at http://www.studioshofar.com/menorahs.html
Jews and Darfur: An Open Letter to the Jewish Community
Dear Friends:
Let me begin by apologizing in advance for what follows. It is not my intention to lecture anyone about anything. I am no tzaddik, to be sure, and I have no right to preach about righteousness to anyone, let alone members of a community who, in many cases, have a moral compass much truer than mine and whose commitment to Torah puts mine to shame. Having said that, I am unable to keep silent about the subject that follows, so here goes:
Over the past few weeks, much discourse (both public and private) has taken place within the Jewish community (among many other communities, I am sure) on the subject of Darfur. Much of what has been said and written has been quite eloquent concerning the unspeakable horrors facing the victims there, and many have exhorted the members of our community to participate in an April 30 rally in Washington, to urge prompt action upon the Bush Administration. To my great surprise, and, I am sorry to say, embarrassment, I have heard words from people to the effect of: “what do I care about these people?” or “they’re mostly Muslim and hate Jews…why should we help them?”
In the world in which I grew up (and, I daresay, this applies to many, if not all of us), it was a virtual article of faith to say that: “while the Jews burned, the world kept silent.” I, like most of my peers, accepted that statement as (you should excuse the expression) Gospel. In my opinion, if we do not stand up for Darfur, we lose the right to continue complaining about world apathy, past and present, for Jewish woes. In short, we forfeit the moral ‘high ground’ and, I believe, no longer can lecture an uncaring world.
This is such a basic article of the Jewish creed, that I am astonished that it needs to be pointed out by anyone, least of all, an am ha’aretz like myself. One of the three principles enunciated and ALWAYS quoted and attributed to Hillel is: “If I am only for myself, what am I?”
Now I know that it is only natural that people worry first about their family, next about their friends and community and only afterward about strangers and the world at large. But somewhere in the mix, we need to consider not only WHO the victims are, but the severity and scale of the suffering. And while I would certainly be the last person to suggest that helping finance a yeshiva is unimportant (I beg that you not interpret my words to, G-d forbid, say such a thing), the people of Darfur are, in my opinion, the victims of a holocaust.
Yes, I know it makes Jews very angry to see that loaded term used in ANY context other than THE HOLOCAUST—hence, I use a lower-case ‘h’. But in reality, we might ask ourselves, “Why is this NOT a holocaust?” It is, after all, precipitated by nothing other than racial/ethnic hatred, involves the wholesale murder of, potentially, millions of people, and in a brutal, gruesome manner that would do the Nazis proud.
Thus, I am hard-pressed to understand why people who are always responsive to charitable requests, and who usually, if not always, turn out for Jewish or Israeli causes, find Darfur unworthy of their efforts. I don’t know a single one of the victims or potential victims of these atrocities. I probably never will. I don’t have any personal emotional investment in their well-being, or even that of their innocent children. But I know, as surely as one can know anything, that our standing up for them is a kiddush hashem, and an obligation that we all share.
Those who do not think this horror deserving of their attention must, I think, consider carefully any future complaints against a world indifferent to Jewish suffering. And if our community, which (rightly) supports Jewish soup kitchens, UJA, Israel Bonds, and literally dozens of other wonderful and important causes and acts of chesed, does not turn out in DROVES for this event on April 30, then SHAME ON US!
Once again, please accept these words as an expression of strong personal feeling and not of criticism of anybody or of our community. The skilled and articulate leaders in our midst who are advocating participation in this event hardly need my help in promoting it. In reality, in any event, the justice of the cause should speak for itself. Please consider the foregoing in that light.
Sincerely,
Warren R. Graham
copyright 2006
Warren R. Graham is an attorney with the New York Law Firm of Cohen Tauber Spievack & Wagner LLP. He specializes in the field of Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights. Additional professional information on him may be found at http://www.ctswlaw.com.
E-mail: wgraham@ctswlaw.com
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