Glossary
The entries selection comes from the book “Dictionary of Judaica” (2005), which was written by a group of authors led by Eva Kosáková . Entries were further processed by Jaroslav Kuntoš, Dana Veselská, Olga Sixtová, Michaela Scheibová and Lenka Uličná. The book can be purchased at our e-shop.
Shofar (Heb.)
A ritual musical instrument which is developed from the ancient pastoral horn and used in the synagogue during festive occasions and certain Jewish holidays. In the Czech lands, it is usually made from a goat’s horn, although the horns of other animals, expect that of a cow or calf, may be used. The regular shofar is usually made of polished horn which is flattened and given a turned up bell at the bottom. The mouthpiece is usually decorated with a simple bow-shaped carving; ornate horns are covered with decorated carvings and provided with engraved inscriptions. Modern shofars and those made in the Sephardic area retain the original curved shape of the horn. The shofar may be stored for safe-keeping in a case that is usually shaped like a shofar.
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