How to Make Homemade Shofars
A shofar is made from a horn, traditionally a ram horn, but antelope, gazelle and goat horns can also be used. A shofar is itself a horn and is used during the traditionally Jewish high holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Often referenced in the Torah and the Bible, a shofar is blown on specific occasions to inspire believers to think about their behavior and their relationship with God. Purchasing a shofar can be very expensive. Making a homemade shofar is a much more affordable option, even if it is somewhat labor intensive.
Things You'll Need
- Large pot to boil water in
- Ram's horn (or horn of another kosher animal, such as an antelope, gazelle or goat)
- Ice pick or other long, sharp tool
- Soft wire
- Hacksaw
- Drill
- Knife
Instructions
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1
Boil the horn in water for between two and five hours. Adding washing soda or detergent to the water will help make cleaning the horn easier later on.
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2
Pull the cartilage out of the horn while it's boiling. After a half hour or so, you should be able to remove the cartilage using an ice pick or other long and sharp tool.
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3
Dry the horn completely.
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4
Thread a soft wire into the length of the hollow part of the horn to measure its length.
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5
Align the wire against the outside of the horn and mark about 1 inch past the end of the hollow section.
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6
Cut the horn perpendicularly at the 1 inch mark. Use a coping saw or hacksaw to make the cut.
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Drill a 1/8-inch hole into the newly sawed-off end until the hole connects with the beginning of the horn's hollow area.
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Enlarge the narrow hole you just drilled. Use a knife or dremel to increase the mouthpiece size until it resembles a bell-shaped mouthpiece like that found on a trumpet.
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Smooth the inner and outer surface of the mouthpiece after it's been carved to fit the mouth of the primary shofar user. Don't shine the area, though. Allow it to stay rough and uneven, which is the traditional look.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't paint or add any other outside materials to your shofar to decorate it. Jewish tradition does, however, allow you to make carvings in the side of the shofar.
Contact your local synagogue if you have questions about the shofar-making process. Many synagogues will hold shofar workshops during the high holiday months of August and September.
References
- Photo Credit Black Ram image by Andrew Breeden from Fotolia.com
