Must someone with a hearing aid hear the Shofar, and can they blow it for others?

 

Question

If I use a non-electric hearing aid and am able to hear the Shofar with its help, am I obligated in the mitzvah of hearing the Shofar, and may I also blow the Shofar for others? Additionally, if I use an electric hearing aid, do I fulfill my obligation by hearing the Shofar through it? If not, and I am able to hear without the electric hearing aid, must I remove it during the Shofar blowing to fulfill the mitzvah? Finally, if I cannot hear at all without the electric hearing aid, am I exempt from the mitzvah and unable to blow for others?

Answer

Hearing the Shofar through an electric hearing aid does not fulfill the mitzvah. Hence, if someone can hear naturally, they should remove the device during the blowing. If they cannot hear without it, they are exempt from the mitzvah and cannot blow for others. If they have already fulfilled their obligation, they may blow for others even while wearing the hearing aid.

Explanation

The mitzvah of hearing the Shofar requires that the listener actually hears the natural sound produced by the Shofar. Thus, a deaf person is exempt from the mitzvah of hearing the Shofar. Even if they are able to speak, they are not permitted to blow the Shofar for others, since they themselves are not obligated in the mitzvah due to their inability to hear.

Regarding hearing aids, the halacha differentiates between non-electric and electric devices.

Non-electric hearing aid: If a person can hear the Shofar with the assistance of a non-electric hearing aid (such as an acoustic, unpowered hearing tube, which amplifies sound without any electronics), they are obligated in the mitzvah and may also blow the Shofar for others. [In modern times, the closest equivalent would be a purely mechanical or analog hearing amplification device, such as an ear trumpet or similar passive hearing aid that does not use any batteries or electronic components.]

Electric hearing aid: Hearing the Shofar through an electric hearing aid does not fulfill the mitzvah. The reason for this is because a microphone is not the actual sound of the person but an electrical generated sound and hence one does not fulfill his obligation of Shofar with hearing an electric sound imitation. Thus, if one can hear without the hearing aid, they should remove it during the Shofar blowing to fulfill their obligation as otherwise it is considered as if he is hearing the sound of a Shofar and the sound of an echo in which we rule he does not fulfill his obligation as rules in 587:1. However, if they have already fulfilled their obligation, they may blow for others even while wearing the hearing aid. However, if they cannot hear without the electric hearing aid, they are exempt from the mitzvah and cannot blow for others.

Sources

Admur 588:7; Piskeiy Teshuvos 589:3; See regarding Megillah and other Mitzvos: Rebbe in Shulchan Menachem 3:319; Daas Torah 689 based on Halachos Ketanos; Mahraiy Engel Brachos 25; Minchas Elazar 2:67; Minchas Shlomo 1:9; Eretz Tzvi 1:23; Minchas Yitzchak 1:37 and 3:38; Yechaveh Daas 2:68; 3:54; Mishneh Halachos 4:85; Kinyan Torah 1:75; Igros Moshe 2:108; 4:126; Sheivet Halevi 5:84; Piskeiy Teshuvos 689:3; Shearim hametzuyanim 129:25

 

Scenario	Obligation in Mitzvah	May Blow for Others	Action Required	Explanation
Hearing Shofar with non-electric hearing aid	Obligated	Yes	May use non-electric aid	Non-electric aids amplify natural sound; mitzvah fulfilled
Hearing Shofar with electric hearing aid	Not obligated	No (unless already fulfilled obligation)	Remove aid if possible	Electric aids produce electronic imitation, not natural sound
Can hear without electric hearing aid	Obligated	Yes	Remove aid during blowing	Should hear natural Shofar sound to fulfill mitzvah
Cannot hear at all without electric hearing aid	Exempt	No	Exempt from mitzvah	Cannot fulfill mitzvah or blow for others
Already fulfilled obligation, wearing electric hearing aid	Obligation fulfilled	Yes	May blow for others	Permitted to blow for others after fulfilling own obligation