[Avodah] Blowing shofar with a mask on the end

[Saul Guberman]

On Fri, Aug 21, 2020 at 6:45 PM Micha Berger wrote:
>> 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 ...
> 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...

> 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.

I blow shofar for my shul. I have placed a surgical mask on the shofar
and blew the shofar for the Rav both on and off without him looking at
the shofar. He did not hear a real difference and I concurred. You can
get a different sound from the shofar depending on how you place it on
your lips and the amount of air used.

Rav Shulman of YU / YI Midwood suggests blowing under your tallit or at
a door without a mask on the shofar.