Q. I go every year to blow shofar for people that cannot come to shul because of health or age issues.
I go to a building where almost everyone on that floor is more or less frum.
Because of the issues of separation these days, I was wondering if I can knock on the doors of the apartments (about a dozen), and ask them to stay inside their apartments, but come close to the door.
Some have to stay in bed. I blow from the hall for everyone together. I don’t know if they all can hear me well or hear the beginning and end of the voices of the shofar. Since I’m afraid to enter the units for their sake and mine. is what I’m doing correct?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that since this are unusual critical times of need for those individuals, what you are doing is a great mitzva, as you show great care for others.
You may at the end announce and request that if someone didn’t hear everything properly, you can repeat for them.
On question 874, regarding a small shul that is on a main street, where it is common that the street noises like trucks going by or sirens are heard inside as well as sometimes small children crying or the A.C. making sounds. If those noises are an issue when hearing the shofarand if you have to repeat the shofar, we wrote:
“Remoh (O.H. 588: 3) rules that if two individuals blew the complete set of shofar sounds required on Rosh Hashono at the same time or even if one was blowing a trumpet instead of a shofar, the listener complies with the mitzva. Mishna Berura (ibid. 11) quoting Talmud Rosh Hashana (26a) explains that although usually we accept that two different voices or sounds cannot be heard simultaneously, when one of them is very pleasant and enjoyed as would be the story of Megilas Esther, you would pay attention to the preferred one and thus comply with the mitzva. In the case of the shofar since it comes only once a year it is also appreciated and liked more than any other sound and of course, noise.
However, Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a advises to minimize as much as possible any other distressing and conflicting sounds, that may disturb the kavana and intention of the people complying with this great and important mitzva.”
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a