Q. Someone who has been a Baal Tokea for many years but now due to age and health issues finds it a bit difficult to continue. should he still make an effort to be the Baal Tokea if he can still do it well?
A. It seems it would depend on what exactly is the mitzva of blowing Shofar. Most Poskim maintain that, as the brocho mentions, it is ‘Lishmoa Kol Shofar’ or listening to the voice of the Shofar. Therefore, it would not matter much if one is blowing or not.
However, some Poskim maintain that the mitzva is blowing also (Minchas Chinuch (Mitzva 85) quoting Yom Terua and others. In their opinion it would be better to do the mitzva oneself instead of having someone else be his agent and doing it for him, as we say ‘Mitzva Bo Yoser Mibeshlucho.’
One may add that even if the mitzva is listening to the voice of the Shofar, it is preferred to be as involved directly as is possible.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is similar.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a