Tips for Picking Your First Shofar

Yom Teruah is right around the corner. This year, it begins the evening of September 15, 2023.

The Day of Shouting/Blasts (literally translated) or Feast of Trumpets may have you looking for your very first shofar.

“In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; it is a day of blowing the shofar for you.” Bamidbar (Numbers) 29:1

The two most mainstream types of Shofarim are Yemenite and ram's horns.

Ram's horn: These smaller shofarim are more popular in Sephardi and Ashkenazi communities are the type you see during high holy day services. They have a baritone sound.

Yemenite Shofars: These are made from kudus, a type of antelope found in East Africa. They were popularized by the Yemenite Jewish community. The sound is loud and commanding.

Buying your first shofar may leave you with a lot of question marks hanging over your head as you stare at the bin or aisle full of horns of all sizes and colors, not knowing which one to choose. So we called in the experts to help.

Holy Land Marketplace is an 18 year-old non-denominational, non-profit based in the United States. It is run mostly by volunteers with the goal to demonstrate Christian and messianic support for Israeli businesses. The proceeds from purchases go toward helping Israeli vendors expand their businesses and supporting Jewish families in the holy land.

Naturally, we're big fans.

You've probably seen them around Instagram. Cruising the photos of their gorgeous wares feels like stepping into a Biblical times open air marketplace. It warms our hearts knowing Israeli business owners and families are being helped through their platform.

When we were thinking about who to ask for tips for those picking out their first shofar, it was a no brainer!

Introducing, Holy Land Marketplace!

Our Question: What are 2-3 things a person should look for in a shofar when shopping? Their Answer: When ordering a shofar and having it shipped to you it’s best to call the company you’re purchasing from and make sure the shofars have been tested (someone has blown them and they know that they can be blown).

Also ask to make sure someone tests it before it’s shipped to you. Question: Is there a common mistake people make when buying shofarim? Answer: A common mistake we see is people getting discouraged that they can’t blow the shofar perfectly right away. Like any instrument it takes practice and sometimes a little guidance. There are tons of videos on YouTube that can help a new shofar owner learn to blow their shofar.

Question: Which of your shofarim is your favorite?

Answer: Our 43”-47” Yemenite shofars are excellent and a great place to start. My personal favorite would have to be any embellished shofar, which unfortunately are out of stock right now. The craftsmanship is so gorgeous that we have a hard time keeping them in stock.

Listen to a Yemenite Shofar:

Yemenite Shofar - X-Large (35" - 38")

Silver & Gold Plated Yemenite Shofar 53 1/2" (out of stock, but still beautiful to view)

Question: Can you buy a shofar without breaking the bank?

Here is an economical shofar from their website if you're looking to get started.

Ram's Horn Shofar - (Kosher) 8" - 10" $44.77

And we had to share this one because it is so unique! It's called a Gemsbok Shofar. Gemsbok oryx shofarim are made from a specific type of antelope in southern Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula. They have an extremely unique, beautiful sound.

If you're feeling intimidated about blowing a shofar for the first time, you're not alone. There are a plethora of videos on YouTube that can help or you can ask a cantor, rabbi, or someone in your congregation for assistance.

We hope this helped!

Happy shofar shopping and Shana Tova, friends. A big thank you to Holy Land Marketplace for answering our questions and all of the amazing work they do for the Jewish community and Israel. Todah rabah!

For more info about Holy Land Marketplace, you can view their website here: https://holylandmarketplace.com/about-holyland-marketplace/