[shoh-fer; Seph. Heb. shaw-fahr; Ashk. Heb. shoh-fuh
r, shoh-fahr] 
[Seph. -frawt; Ashk. -frohs, -frohs] , Judaism. | a ram's horn blown as a wind instrument, sounded in Biblical times chiefly to communicate signals in battle and announce certain religious occasions and in modern times chiefly at synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. |
| sho·far (shō'fär', -fər) n. pl. sho·fars or sho·froth (shō-frōt', -frōs') Judaism A trumpet made of a ram's horn, blown by the ancient Hebrews during religious ceremonies and as a signal in battle, now sounded in the synagogue during Rosh Hashanah and at the end of Yom Kippur. [Hebrew šôpār, ram's horn, shofar; akin to Akkadian sappāru, šappāru, fallow deer, and sappartu, tip of an animal's horn, from Sumerian šegbar, fallow deer.] |
shofar
a ritual musical instrument, made from the horn of a ram or other animal, used on important Jewish public and religious occasions. In biblical times the shofar sounded the Sabbath, announced the New Moon, and proclaimed the anointing of a new king. This latter custom has been preserved in modern Israel at the swearing in of the president of the state
Learn more about shofar with a free trial on Britannica.com.
