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The gemara (Rosh Hashanna 29b) rules that blowing a shofar is not forbidden on Rosh Hashanna which falls on Shabbat as a forbidden labor (חכמה ואינה מלאכה). It isn't even rabinically forbidden like musical instruments because it can't be fixed. So why can't I blow a shofar tomorrow to practice?

(NB question asked on a Friday)

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  • "It isn't even rabinically forbidden like musical instruments because it can't be fixed." Does the Gemara say this?
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 16:15
  • My observation. I put it after the citation so people wouldn't think it's part of the gemara.
    – Yitzchak
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 16:16
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    Your observation of what? It seems to be against normative Halacha.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 16:19
  • My understanding, and this is just a comment, is the reason we don't blow shofar on Rosh Hashana when it falls on Shabbos is because if the shofar blower forgot to bring his shofar to shul on Friday, he would be forced to carry his shofar to shul on Shabbos which would be a violation of shabbos, so to prevent this from happening, it was ruled not to blow shofar on Rosh Hashana when it fell on shabbos. What I am suggesting is the two situations in the question are different and the reasoning is different. Perhaps rephrase the question?
    – Dennis
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 16:24
  • I'm just saying I dont know where your claim that there is no issue of musical instruments comes from
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Sep 4, 2015 at 16:30

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Rashi in Mas. Shabbat 114b says that blowing the shofar is a Shvut.

לפי שאין דוחין שבות להתיר. תקיעת שופר שבות הוא

Tosafos in Mas. Shabbat 3b seems to be puzzled by the same question you are asking:

התירו לו לרדותה. ואע''ג דאמרינן בר''ה בפרק י''ט (ד' כט: ושם) כל מלאכת עבודה לא תעשו וגו' יצאו תקיעת שופר ורדיית הפת שחכמה היא ואינה מלאכה מ''מ מדרבנן אסורה כדאמר בכל כתבי הקדש (לקמן קיז: ושם) ולא ירדה במרדה אלא בסכין וכן תקיעת שופר אסור מדרבנן דתנן בפ''ב דר''ה (ד' לג.) אין מעכבין התינוקות מלתקוע משום חינוך הא נשים מעכבין‏

And he also answers it's a deRabanan, proving it from the Gemara in Rosh Hashana.

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