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Shofar Laws The time of shofar blowing is serene and solemn. Our thoughts wander to infinity. Yet we need to concentrate on the blessings. A central religious duty on Rosh Hashanah is to listen to the shofar (usually, while standing). A minimum of nine notes should be heard. Individuals who are unable to attend synagogue services often have the shofar blown for them privately. Before the blowing ceremony, Psalm 47 ("... sound the shofar to God with a cry of joy") is traditionally recited seven times. It recalls the shofar blasts and also the seven circuits that brought down the walls of Jericho. The shofar blower (ba'al tekiah) then says the blessings "...who has commanded us to hear the sound of the shofar," and "...who has granted us life and sustenance and permitted us to reach this season" ("Shehecheyanu..."), to which the congregation answers "Amen." If Rosh Hashanah falls on the Sabbath, the shofar is not blown ("lest one carry [the shofar] from one domain to the other" - Talmud, Rosh Hashanah, 29b).