Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 587 - Laws Relating to One who Sounds the Shofar in a Cistern

SECTION 587 Laws Relating to One who Sounds the Shofar in a Cistern. (1–5)

1 The sound of the shofar must be heard without the admixture of any other sound at all. If one heard the sound [of the shofar] together with another sound, he has not fulfilled his obligation.1 Therefore, [the following laws apply if] a person stands inside a large barrel, or in a cistern, or in a structure that is mainly underground,2 or in a cave, and sounds the shofar, and others standing outside hear [the shofar blasts].3 If they are certain that they heard the shofar, they have fulfilled their obligation.4 If not, they have not fulfilled it, because the sound [of the shofar] is affected by the dank air of the cistern or the underground structure before it goes outside. Hence, it is possible that all they heard was an echo.

It is desirable to be stringent in such an instance. Even if one is certain that what he heard was the sound of a shofar, he should not rely on his certainty but should hear the [shofar] blasts again from someone who is sounding the shofar outside a cistern. He should not, however, recite the blessings again unless he is certain that what he heard was the sound of the echo. [The rationale is that when] there is a doubt whether [one should recite] a blessing, the lenient ruling should be followed.5

(If the majority of a structure is above ground, even though it is partly below ground, it is considered as [an ordinary] building.6)

2 To whom does the above apply? To people standing outside7 the cistern.8 The person sounding the shofar and those standing with him in the cistern have fulfilled their obligation, for what they heard was certainly the sound of the shofar.

The above applies with regard to a cistern, or a structure that is mainly underground, or a cave. By contrast, since a large barrel echoes loudly, it is possible that what was heard by the person sounding the shofar and those standing with him was an echo. Accordingly, if they are certain that they heard the sound of the shofar, they have fulfilled their obligation; if [they are] not [certain], they have not fulfilled it.

3 If one began to sound the shofar in a cistern and [while doing so] ascended from the cistern and [outside it] completed the tekiah which he began while inside,9 he has fulfilled his obligation.10 For everything he heard, the part [in the cistern] and the part [outside it], was certainly the sound of the shofar. If, as he ascended, his ears were already above the edge of the cistern before he raised the shofar [to that height], he did not fulfill his obligation unless he is certain that what he heard at that moment was the sound of the shofar. Since it is not feasible that the ears of this individual and his shofar should both [reach that height] at exactly the same time, it is preferable that the shofar be raised above the edge of the cistern before his ears [reach that height], for then he will certainly hear the sound of the shofar, since [by that time] the shofar will be outside, in a place where there is no echo.

The people who were standing with him in the cistern while he began sounding the shofar fulfilled their obligation with his shofar blasts even though they did not ascend together with him. For when a person is in a cistern and the shofar is outside it, he certainly heard the sound of the shofar and not the sound of an echo, as explained above.

4 If one hears the sound of the shofar for part of a tekiah and hears an echo for part of it — e.g., he was standing outside the cistern, and the person sounding the shofar began sounding the shofar in the cistern and in the midst of the tekiah left it and completed [the tekiah] — [he has not fulfilled his obligation].11

[This same law applies] if one hears part of a shofar blast when he is not [yet] obligated, e.g., before daybreak, and part after daybreak. [It also applies] if one tells a person who is in the middle of casually sounding the shofar without the intent of having anyone fulfill his obligation: “Have the intent of enabling me to fulfill my obligation,” and [the person sounding the shofar] thereupon extends the tekiah for the required length of time.

In all these instances, since the tekiah is partly invalid, even though the valid part is extended for the required measure as defined in sec. 590[:4-7], one has not fulfilled his obligation — because [a tekiah] must be valid from beginning to end, even if it is very extended.

5 [The following laws apply if] a person sounds a shofar in a synagogue and there are people standing outside, at a slight distance. If they are not certain that they heard the sound of a shofar, they must hear [the shofar]¹¹ a second time, because they may [merely] have heard an echo. If, however, it is clear to them that what they heard was the sound of the shofar, they need not impose an [unnecessary] stringency upon themselves and [endeavor to] hear [the shofar] a second time.