Celebrating our First Quarter Century, 5742-5767 (1982-2007)
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New Borns: RB Jerusalem Embassy Initiative Embryos: |
LISTENING TO THE SHOFAR AND CONDUCTING
A FESTIVE MEAL ON ROSH HASHANAH by Yehoshua Friedman
KOCHAV HASHACHAR, September 11, 1998: NANCY JANUARY ASKS: Can a Ben Noach blow a shofar (ram's horn) for himself on Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year) if he is unable to hear a Jew blow it? I learned that a Jew fulfills the mitzvah (commandment) of hearing the shofar blown only if he hears a live shofar blast. Listening to a tape recording of the blowing of the shofar is an unacceptable substitute.What is the halachah (law) with regard to a Ben Noach? Must he also hear the shofar blown live? Or is listening to a tape recording an acceptablesubstitute? Also, what about participating in a festive meal on Rosh HaShanah? We would like to gather as many Bnai Noach together as possible on special days but this is difficult to do without some festivities. YEHOSHUA FRIEDMAN ANSWERS: A Ben Noach is under no halachic (legal) obligation to listen to the shofar blast or participate in a festive meal on Rosh HaShanah. Do what you believe is constructive spiritually for you and your community. If what you do is clearly not done according to the Jewish practice, this may be just as well, precisely because it will be clearly distinguished from what Jews do. On the other hand, if it is possible for you to hear a "halachic" shofar blown by a Jew, it would be preferable because then you are tuning into the community of Israel of which you are a satellite, so to speak. A festive meal is not prohibited. I did not mean to go so far. I was just trying to explore the "spirit" of the Bnai Noach connection to Rosh HaShanah. I do not believe that there is any real problem in celebrating a festive meal, so long as the meal reflects the spiritual character of the Jewish New Year. Shabbat Shalom, Yehoshua Friedman |