Q. Dear friend and colleague. A member of our shul donated more than twenty five years ago a beautiful shofar that we have constantly used. Two weeks ago, he offered a very nice similar shofar to replace the first one. Since they are very similar and have practically the same sound, should we replace the first one?

A. There is a certain level of holiness on objects on objects that have been used for a mitzva and thus should be disposed when not useful anymore as is done with a lulav and esrog after Sukos. Or an old taalis no more needed. (see Mishnah Berura 21: 6.see also Rav Y.S. Elyashiv (Ginzei ha-Kodesh 17:13). ) Besides the principle of not abandoning the first shofar and replacing it with one that is practically just as good but only new, there may be another issue involved.

I remembered a story I once read (Borchi Nafshi Shemos p. 317) about a famous Rosh Yeshiva of a great Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. He was totally dedicated to learning and teaching Torah every minute of his life. Yet most curiously, early every morning, this known Gaon, would fetch a water hose and water a large plant in the front of his home.

When questioned by one of his close students for the reason of taking so seriously the care of that large plant, he told the story. When the Germans invaded his town and went from house to house to deport and murder the Jewish population, we all tried to hide and escape. His parents and siblings were caught and murdered, but he was young and small and hid behind a large plant. When the Gestapo left, he ran to the fields and was protected by the partisans and survived. After the war, he was to be taken to Israel, yet right before he left, he went back to his old home and took a small branch with roots from that plant that saved his life and replanted it in Yerushalayim.

Just out of a feeling for saying thanks to that plant, the known Rosh Hayeshiva would spend a bit of his most precious time to water that plant every morning.

Should not the same be done with the old and still completely usable shofar and donate the new one to a shul that needs it? Although the mitzva of shofar is the sound, since it was very similar, Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a, agreed.

A lesson to be learned for all of us, when we deal with people that have helped us so much.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a