Masked Shofar | Imamother

amother

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 10:52 am

Our shul put a mask over the shofar, since it is blowing air out, and there could be germs. I thought we were unique, but I checked with a friend, and her shul did the same.

Just wondering how widespread this was.

(For those who will attack, please be assured that this was discussed at length with poseks who said it was fine.)

amother

Coral

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 10:59 am

Dh told me he saw that as well during Elul. Don't know what they did in our shul on Rosh Hashana though because we're in bidud ... Speechless

amother

Puce

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:01 am

Our shul did not. However the 3 potential baalei tokeah checked their antibodies on Friday. And took a rapid Covid-19 test. The one with the highest level antibodies and negative test was the baal Tokeah.
But as an aside, when I read the post title, I'm getting a very good mystery novel vibe The Masked Shofar Very Happy

ShishKabob

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:01 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Didn't hear of this one yet.
How were the sounds? regular or muted?

amother

Wheat

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:08 am

Many shuls blew toward a window. Ours had a plexiglass.

Iymnok

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:14 am

DH blew uncovered. He also didn’t put it through a hole in a mask. He was concerned about the halachic aspect since it might alter the sound. It was outside and everyone gave him extra space.

CiCi

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:18 am

And you dont think this is going too far?! Unless you are joking...if not then boy are people obssessed with coronavirus...

amother

Mint

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:25 am

CiCi wrote:

And you dont think this is going too far?! Unless you are joking...if not then boy are people obssessed with coronavirus...

Seems from the responses on this thread that this was a widespread concern...

As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his car phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on 280. Please be careful!"

"Hell," said Herman, "It's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!"

Elfrida

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:25 am

CiCi wrote:

And you dont think this is going too far?! Unless you are joking...if not then boy are people obssessed with coronavirus...

This was actually advice publicized by a number of Rabbanim in America.

In England they were required to stand at least three metres from anyone else, and next to an open window.

Interestingly, in Israel there were no formal guidelines, but most of our minyanim were outside anyway.

shabbatiscoming

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:29 am

CiCi wrote:

And you dont think this is going too far?! Unless you are joking...if not then boy are people obssessed with coronavirus...

This was nobody obsessed with corona but obsessed with LIFE.

I would think that if so many people did this, it was wide spread and mentioned by community leaders.
I cant remember who it was, but there was a rav of a shul somewhere who actually had a video of this so that others could know all of the ins and outs of this.

amother

Sienna

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:31 am

It’s the ou’s recommendation. Our shul did it, too. BH.

amother

Apricot

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:34 am

CiCi wrote:

And you dont think this is going too far?! Unless you are joking...if not then boy are people obssessed with coronavirus...

This was OU s opinion on how to do it.

amother

Linen

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 11:56 am

Our shul had a short indoor minyan where shofar was masked, and a regular outdoor tent minyan where the baal tekia stood at a distance. Everyone at both minyanim wore masks to daven.

ExtraCredit

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 12:00 pm

I hope the Baal tokeia also wore a mask, not just the shofar! Silent

soap suds

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 12:02 pm

Iymnok wrote:

DH blew uncovered. He also didn’t put it through a hole in a mask. He was concerned about the halachic aspect since it might alter the sound. It was outside and everyone gave him extra space.

How does that help anything? If he's blowing through the hole, why would it matter whether the rest of his mouth is covered or uncovered?

amother

Turquoise

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 12:03 pm

At our shul he just stood at the back fire exit door and blew the shofar into the fresh air, so there were zero concerns. We turned around and faced backwards and everyone could see him and hear him 100% clearly but any germs were directed outside.

ExtraCredit

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 12:03 pm

soap suds wrote:

How does that help anything? If he's blowing through the hole, why would it matter whether the rest of his mouth is covered or uncovered?

She said he didn’t put it through the hole? How’s that for confusion?

soap suds

Mon, Sep 21 2020, 12:05 pm

ExtraCredit wrote:

She said he didn’t put it through the hole? How’s that for confusion?

I know she said that. But that made it seem like others were doing it. Hence my question.