How the spiritual sound of the shofar shapes the Jewish new year - a Jewish studies scholar explains

"An animal horn - typically a ram's horn - used as a wind instrument, the shofar is featured over 70 times in the Torah."

"Rosh Hashana, which literally means the "head," or start, of the year."

"Rabbis say the shofar's sounds cause God to move from his "throne of judgement" to his "throne of mercy.""

An animal horn, typically a ram's horn, serves as the shofar, a wind instrument mentioned over 70 times in the Torah and used for calls to action and royal coronations. Rosh Hashana, literally the "head" or start of the year, marks the Jewish new year, commemorates humanity's creation, and proclaims divine sovereignty. The holiday begins a ten-day period of reflection culminating in Yom Kippur, whose final moments are also marked by the shofar. According to the Talmud, three divine books are opened on Rosh Hashana, inscribing the righteous, the wicked, and the undecided. Shofar blasts are believed to move God from his "throne of judgement" to his "throne of mercy" and to pierce human hearts, prompting repentance.

Read at The Conversation