[Avodah] Blowing shofar with a mask on the end

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 07:33:33AM +0300, Marty Bluke via Avodah wrote:
> https://www.timesofisrael.com/put-a-face-mask-on-your-shofar-so-it-wont-blast-virus-to-worshipers-experts/

> What are the halachic implications of putting a mask on the end of the
> shofar? Does it affect the sound?

As Zev already posted, the OU considers it permissible if the mask does
not affect the sound.

But I don't know how they are publishing a single answer without
specifying which kind(s) of masks they experimented with.

The typical shul can judge for itself whether the mask changes the sound
of the shofar. (Although maybe if you have a piano tuner or someone else
with sensitive hearing in the minyan, you need them to say they don't
hear a difference if they personally wish to be yotzei.)

But it's unlikely that every shul has the resources to measure the
resulting potential virus spray given their choice of mask / cloth to use.

Some of the other solutions -- such as pointing the shofar away from
the congregation and toward a nearby window -- may be more safer choices.

Chodesh Tov!
:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 The purely righteous do not complain about evil,
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   but add justice, don't complain about heresy,
Author: Widen Your Tent      but add faith, don't complain about ignorance,
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF    but add wisdom.     - R AY Kook, Arpelei Tohar