Project Genesis




The Power of Music

Question: What are the potential negative powers of music?

Answer: It’s well known that the Vilna Gaon (a great 18th Century Rabbi) taught that one of the essential wisdoms required for understanding Kaballah in its depths is knowledge of the wisdom of music.

To give full disclosure, I don’t know anything about Kaballah, and my knowledge of music doesn’t extend far past my knowing that I enjoy it. But the Vilna Gaon’s teaching should wake us all up to realizing that there’s more to music than catchy tunes. Let’s investigate some places where music comes up in the Torah and try figuring out what it’s about.

At first glance, the Torah sounds very pro-music.

The Tribe of Levi is commanded to supply singers and musicians for the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash (Tabernacle & Temple), providing moving musical accompaniment while their cousins, the Kohens (the priestly class), bring the communal offerings.

Young King David, in his pre-king years, had a part-time job strumming the harp to cheer up his precursor, King Saul, who was suffering from depression.

On the intermediate days of Succos, our greatest Sages would dance enthusiastically in the Temple courtyard, expressing their joy through music and song.

Even the limited restrictions our Sages placed on performing music since the destruction of the Second Temple prove how powerful a force they understood music to be, capable of creating so much simcha. It’s just that in our sad exile, it is not appropriate to express joy without limits. (We reserve that great expression for the Messianic Era.)

Throughout the Torah, the Jewish People sing songs of gratitude to Hashem at our most moving moments, such as the Song at the Sea (after the big split). Indeed, according to many commentaries, the entire Torah is called a song, expressing G-d’s expert conducting of world history. According to the ancient text, Perek Shira, every component of creation harmonizes in symphony, exalting our Creator.

So music appears to be great for uplifting us at times of Divine Service, dashing depression and expressing heartfelt appreciation to our Creator.

In short, music is magnificent when applied towards a positive purpose.

But, like all good things, it loses its tone when used negatively or, sometimes, even neutrally.

It’s no secret that many of our young today experiment listening to rock music. My teacher in Eretz Yisrael, Rabbi Avigdor Brazil, once revealed in a lecture that the uplifting energy people feel when they listen to this music is nothing other than the excitement of their souls awakened, yearning to break free. Only problem is, people who listen to this kind of stimulating music rarely satisfy their souls afterwards by studying Torah and doing other mitzvahs – the real objects for which stirred souls long. This music only awakens a craving, teasing souls with excitement, but then leaving them unfulfilled; sometimes even more down than before.

On another note, the lyrics of many contemporary songs espouse ideas which no mature person could be proud to express as his or her own (were they actually to listen to their words, which, fortunately, doesn’t happen too often). The dean of my Rabbinical College once noted that if a person who prays regularly from a prayer book were to stop one day and really focus on the words, he’d be astounded by what he’s saying – in a positive way. I’m afraid the same insight can be applied, in the opposite way, to a lot of contemporary music.

Sadly, even some Jewish music today sounds a little off key. Although the lyrics are usually beyond reproach (taken straight from the Torah or the Prayer Book), their inspiring message is often blanked out by the background beat. I once heard an astute criterion for judging Jewish music: if the melody helps you contemplate and feel the words more, then the music is appropriate. But if the melody or beat is dominant, drawing one’s mind away or drowning out the inspiring lyrics, then something is out of tune.

So let’s face the music. There’s tremendous positive potential here, which we must utilize in the proper way. Like everything significant in the world, there are good things we can gain from music if we play it right and not such good things if we don’t conduct ourselves correctly. This doesn’t require a kabbalist to comprehend; it’s common Torah sense.

Rabbi Shlomo Shulman

2 Follow-ups »

  1. I hate to sound contrarian, but when you state that the lyrics to contemporary songs “espouse ideas which no mature person could be proud to express as his or her own” or that the lyrics of contemporary pop/rock music can make someone feel negative—it makes me wonder what your familiarity with popular music is. Obviously, I think you’d agree that a teenpop diva sounds different than a hardrocker. Both sound much different than a reggae artist singing about returning to Zion. Just as there are many kinds of literature (from Danielle Steel’s romance novels to Philip Roth) and there are many kinds of film, there are many different artists and albums. So I imagine you aren’t talking about all kinds of secular music. If you are, can you explain what defining characteristic spans all music that incriminates all of it? If not, can you explain which artists you’re specifically referring to?

    Here are the words you are taking issue on:

    “On another note, the lyrics of many contemporary songs espouse ideas which no mature person could be proud to express as his or her own (were they actually to listen to their words, which, fortunately, doesn’t happen too often). The dean of my Rabbinical College once noted that if a person who prays regularly from a prayer book were to stop one day and really focus on the words, he’d be astounded by what hes saying in a positive way. I’m afraid the same insight can be applied, in the opposite way, to a lot of contemporary music.??

    As you can see, you left out the beginning of the sentence where I began “the lyrics of many contemporary songs espouse ideas…??. Thus when you later wrote, “So I imagine you aren’t talking about all kinds of secular music??, you don’t even have to imagine—that’s exactly what I wrote. Many contemporary songs express negative themes, either overtly or sometimes even covertly.

    But, between me and you, being that you reacted so strongly when you thought you read someone putting down all modern music, it seems this is an issue close to your heart. If you’re really seeking clarity about something so personal to you, you should discuss it with a wise person who knows you well. If you’re just trying to make a point, no problem. Feel free to comment anytime. I honestly appreciate it.

    Pirkei Avos gives a general rule: “distance yourself from a bad neighbor and do not befriend a wicked person…?? (taught by Nitai HaArbeili). Everything around us affects us, all the more so those things we choose to place around us. Some things are fine and some clearly aren’t, but in between lies a range in which it is often difficult to draw the line and sometimes too easy to fool ourselves. Music possesses an incredible power to move a person. Let’s make sure it’s in the right direction.

    Take care,
    Shlomo Shulman

    Comment by ATR — February 26, 2007 @ 4:14 pm

  2. It’s well known that the Vilna Gaon (a great 18th Century Rabbi) taught that one of the essential wisdoms required for understanding Kaballah in its depths is knowledge of the wisdom of music.

    where can I find this?

    Thank you,
    Simcha

    To my friend Simcha, This view of the GR”A is recorded by his student, Rav Yisrael m’Shklov, in his introduction to his sefer on the laws of living in Eretz Yisrael: Pa’as HaShulchan. This introduction is the source of a lot of important first hand information we have about the GR”A from a source who knew him personally. You can find the whole sefer, with its hakdama, scanned in online here: http://www.hebrewbooks.org/37666. The quote is from page zayin (7) in this edition at the top of the right column (which you can view online here: http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=37666&st=&pgnum=7 ). The depths of this teaching of the GR”A are far far beyond me, but I’ll translate it roughly here to give us a general idea (full disclosure: my translation of some of these deep terms may be way off): “He (the GR”A) said all wisdoms are needed for our holy Torah and all are included in it—and he knew all of them to their furthest ends. He mentioned them: Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry and Music. He praised it (Music) very much. He used to say that most of the Ta’amei (reasons or cantilation marks of the) Torah and the secrets of the songs of the Levi’im and the secrets of the Tikunei Zohar are impossible to know without it. Through it (music) people can pass away in soul ecstasy from its pleasantness and it can bring the dead back to life with its secrets which are hidden in Torah. He said many nigunim and many measures were brought by Moshe Rabbeinu from Har Sinai and all the rest are composites…” Hatzlacha Rabba! Shlomo ShulmanMaimonides Society at Yale, CT

    Comment by ATR — March 4, 2011 @ 12:20 pm

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