Ask The Rabbi 
14 September 1996 
Issue #119 (Parshas Rosh Hashanah)
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This Issue Contains: 
1.  Shofar Scents
2.  Anonymous Kneeling
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Michael R. Leavitt  <Mleavitt@his.com> wrote:

>Dear Rabbi,
>
>I just got a beautiful shofar from a friend returning from Israel. It 
>sounds great, but it has one problem. It smells.  But really bad.  There 
>were probably some marrow pieces left inside.  My question is simple:  
>"How do you clean a shofar?"

* * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Michael R. Leavitt 

	To answer your question, my wife spoke to Mrs. Sarah Glaser, author 
of Life Saver! -- The Jewish Homemaker's Survival Kit (Targum/Feldheim).  
She recommends vinegar or baking soda for removing odors.  Pour synthetic 
vinegar into the shofar.  Or dissolve baking soda in water, and pour into 
the shofar.  Rinse and repeat.  If necessary, let sit overnight in the 
vinegar/baking soda solution.

	Eliminating a strong odor is important, because such an odor might 
lessen the honor of the mitzvah, violating the principle that "mitzvot 
should not be contemptible in your eyes."  And if the odor is as bad as you 
say, it's forbidden to say a blessing in its presence.

	But remember, the inside of the shofar needn't compete with perfumes 
such as Eau d'Elegance or Chanel.  Most shofars retain a slight, lingering 
reminiscence of their humble origin, the ram.

	When Isaac blessed Jacob, Isaac said, `My son's fragrance is like the 
fragrance of the field blessed by Hashem.'  Of course, Jacob was wearing 
animal skins on his hands and neck.  Perhaps the power of Jacob's mitzvah 
turned a bad smell into a good one. May Hashem accept our mitzvah of shofar 
this year, and may all our deeds be sweet-smelling!

Sources:
o  Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 79:8-9
o  Mishna Berurah 79:29,31 and 586:90
o  Bereishit 27:27, Rashi

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Sarah Leah wrote via the InterNet:

>Dear Rabbi,
>
>I need a reference in Talmud.  Is there a place where it says that one may 
>kneel if one has a paper between the knee and the floor?
>
>The issue of kneeling has become a source of conflict for some of us in 
>the 12 Step Programs-AA, etc.).  Kneeling is not required for any reason 
>in the 12-Step Program, but it's sort of a tradition to kneel during the 
>3rd step which says "We made a decision to turn our will and our lives 
>over to the care of God, as we understand Him..."
>
>Thank you so much for this service.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Sarah Leah,

	The Torah forbids prostrating yourself flat out on a stone floor, as 
was the way of the ancient idol worshippers. Our Sages extended this 
prohibition to include kneeling.

	The Shulchan Aruch says that if you put an intervening substance 
between your knees and the stone floor, then it's permitted to kneel.

	On Yom Kippur, we get on our knees and bow down with our faces to the 
floor.  Many synagogues, especially in Israel, have stone or tile floors, 
so people bring small towels to bow down upon.  I was once in a synagogue 
where they passed out used computer paper to kneel on!

Sources:
o  Leviticus 26:1
o  Maimonides, Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 6:6-8
o  Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 131:8
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