Exploring the legacy of the rationalist Rishonim (medieval Torah scholars), and various other notes, by Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin, director of The Biblical Museum of Natural History in Beit Shemesh. The views expressed here are those of the author, not the institution.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Shofars for Shavuos
Today's page of Daf Yomi, Rosh HaShana 26, discusses different types of animal horns that are used for shofar. If you'd like to better understand this topic, you can read my illustrated monograph, Exotic Shofars: Halachic Considerations, which you can freely download at this link. If you're not learning Daf Yomi, it can be interesting study material for Shavuos. Chag sameach!
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Thank you R' Slifkin, I found that very interesting.
ReplyDeleteSo basically the most mehudar shofar is that of a argali, most likely the marco polo argali? Do you have any plans to get such a shofar made? It would be fascinating to see. Surely someone would be interested enough to fulfil this chumrah to be willing to stump up the cash.
This website:
http://www.wildworldadventures.com/services/asia/
seems to offer hunts for around $30,000
Good yom tov
Nice piece, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteR' Slifkin do you have a 'rationalist approach' to the over-size fruit brought back by the me'raglim?
Which part needs an explanation?
Deleteכג וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד-נַחַל אֶשְׁכֹּל, וַיִּכְרְתוּ מִשָּׁם זְמוֹרָה וְאֶשְׁכּוֹל עֲנָבִים אֶחָד, וַיִּשָּׂאֻהוּ בַמּוֹט, בִּשְׁנָיִם; וּמִן-הָרִמֹּנִים, וּמִן-הַתְּאֵנִים. 23
And they came unto the valley of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it upon a pole between two; they took also of the pomegranates, and of the figs.--
Here is a picture from wikipedia of a grape cluster (more maybe more than one; how do you count?) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canopy_(grape)#mediaviewer/File:Wine_grapes08.jpg. What would be the best way to carry that while preserving the cluster?
I vaguely remember a discussion of this before, but can't find it now.