Why Jews Blow a Ram's Horn On the New Year

Question: Is there a reason we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, and why don’t we use a trumpet or some other instrument? I know it’s traditional, but is there a reason that the shofar is so special?

Answer: Well, I don’t want to toot the shofar’s horn too much, but it really is pretty special. Allow me to explain.

In the Torah, we’re given a commandment that on the first day of the seventh month (Tishrei) “you shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts.” (Leviticus 23:24) These loud blasts, or teruah, were understood by the rabbis to allude to the blasts of t...