Shofar in Elul

Am I obligated to blow the shofar at home during the month of Elul if I did not hear it in shul?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

For the benefit of our readers, let’s begin with some words of introduction.

The month of Elul is the month immediately preceding the month of Tishrei, which is the month where Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are observed. As such, the month of Elul is used as a time of repentance and preparation for the days of judgment.

One the most prominent customs during the month of Elul is the blowing of the shofar every day after the morning service (except on Shabbat). In most congregations, the shofar is blown in “Rosh Hashana style,” namely, a tekiah (one long blast), a shevarim (three shorter blasts), and a teruah (nine really short blasts), and one final long single blast.

There are a number of reasons this daily shofar blowing. One reason is that the shofar is said to arouse a sense of repentance and awe for the coming holy days. Another reason is to remember that after the sin of the Golden Calf, Moshe went back up to Mt. Sinai to seek forgiveness for the Jewish people. We are told that he ascended on the 1st of Elul and his ascent was accompanied with shofar blasts. There are other reasons, as well.

To answer your question: hearing the shofar in the month of Elul has the status of a custom, not law. Indeed, in most Sefardic congregations the shofar is not blown at all during the month of Elul. As such, one who missed the shofar blowing in the synagogue is not required to make up the blowing at home or later in the day (unlike on Rosh Hashana where one who missed the synagogue shofar blowing is nevertheless required to hear it sometime before sunset).