Q. As we spoke by phone, I blow the Shofar for a large group of members of a retirement home that tries to serve the religious needs of a mixed group where only about 20% are orthodox. In the floors where the patients are bed bound and they don’t attend the different services given in assembly rooms, Since they don’t want to disturb unnecessarily most patients, they permit only one blowing and it is done using a microphone that can be heard in all rooms.
Obviously, the orthodox patients, will ask the nurses not to turn on the sound in their rooms and mostly they can hear the sound of the mouth blown shofar in their rooms. However, that sound is mixed with the loudspeakers resonance. Since if I don’t blow a non-orthodox rabbi will take over, is it permitted for me to blow?
Although, I don’t intend or need the microphone sound system, yet some of the voice is anyway absorbed and repeated in the rooms that have their volume on, is that mixture of two types of shofar sound permitted? Can I follow the above, when I don’t want and need that microphone sound? One has to take into account that this is the only possibility that the directive of the home will permit, and all those patients will miss this great mitzva. What does the Rov recommend?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that using the sounds emitted by the microphone system should be avoided even when mixed with a direct Shofar voice. Besides, even when not intended, the use of a microphone un Yom Tov should be prohibited.
The Rov agrees that the only likely viable solution in such a setting to avoid disturbing others, is to blow the Shofar to the individuals that require it, when they are either secluded in a small closed room or closet or even covered by a blanket. Additional help may be needed to help numerous people.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit’a.