6081 – So Near and Far Shofar

A. On question 4447 we wrote:

Q. A group of neighbours, women with small children, decided to join together in one of the houses to daven together on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and share the cost of a common helper to take care of the children. They want to know if one of them can blow the shofar for the children, if there are some children that have already reached an age when they understand the mitzva. Is that permitted?

A. Kovetz Halochos (p. 127) rules that a woman cannot blow the shofar for a boy who should be already hearing it, as he has reached the age of understanding the meaning of the mitzva (about six plus years), and it is part of his Chinuch or obligated education. However, Mate Efraim (589: 8) seems to be lenient.

Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that although women can join together in the above situation, they should each daven separately and not try to join in a Tefila recited by all together, as it will likely lead to the type of davening done by Non-Orthodox congregations.

By the same token, one of their men should attend at some point and blow the shofar for all, including the above children.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a and Horav Dovid Bartfeld consulting, Horav Hagaon Rav Yitzchak Berkowitz Shlit’a