Polished Ram's Horn Shofar, 14 to 15 Inches (#C3)

Polished, which changes the object considerably. The ridges and rough grain of a natural ram's horn are buffed down until the surface runs smooth and reflective from mouthpiece to bell, so what you are holding is the same horn with a finished skin over it. At fourteen to fifteen inches, the C3 is the shortest of the polished numbers.

Some buyers want a polished shofar because it sits better on a shelf between yomim tovim; some want it because it wipes clean, which matters when several people blow the same horn over the course of a month. Tone follows from the length and the bore rather than the surface, so this one sounds like a fourteen-to-fifteen-inch horn: mid-range, controllable, and easy enough for most men to hold a note on.

From Israel, with a Rabbanut hechsher. A small shofar bag at 13 by 10 inches will take it, though the medium gives more room around the bell end.

• Malchut design #C3
• Measures 14"-15'' in size

Sold by Judaica Square, Lakewood NJ. Free shipping on orders over $75. Returns within 15 days.