Non- Jewish Music

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  • #614395
    STYLE123
    Member

    all the teachers are always saying its bad to listen to non-jewish music can someone please explain why

    #1046373
    #1046374
    eek
    Member

    Music can be assur for a few different reasons.

    1. Avodah Zara- It is assur to listen to music (even classical music) written for the sole purpose of worship of other gods. Church music for example.

    2. Hirhurim- It is assur to listen to (most modern) music whose main theme is lewd discussion of relationships. It is a terrible thing to be influenced by those values which are so antithetical to our holy Torah. The Torah believes that these issues should not be discussed so publicly and in a way that portrays these matters as simply self- pleasure. It lacks any form of busha and takes away from the kedusha possible to achieve by using these tayvas at the proper time. Listening to this type of thinking definitely causes us to spend time thinking about these issues which is assur and it is also tremendously distracting as it tends to take over people’s entire mind.

    3. What’s the problem with other music? I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily the best use of one’s time, but I don’t see the problem.

    edited

    #1046375
    besalel
    Participant

    style123, much has been written and said about this topic by people here and teachers and rebbes alike.

    Here is what I know to be true: 1) there was a gezira against listening to any live music after churbun habayis which may no longer apply today especially with jewish lyric songs. 2) songs with lyrics which are provocative or immoral are obviously wrong to listen to just like any other provocative or immoral speech. would you sit with a friend and use bad language and talk about lowlife activities? no! so why listen to it on the radio? 3) finally, putting lyrics aside, there is NO SUCH THING as music which is Jewish and music which is not Jewish. ALL music. Ever. In the history of mankind. always. was based on all the music that existed prior to that time and which influenced the artist. There is literally not a single song you have every heard in your life which was not influenced by nonjewish music. reversed: every song you have ever heard was influenced by nonjewish music. Every Jewish song you have ever heard was either a direct rip off of not jewish music (like avraham fried and mordechai ben david) or was heavily influenced by not jewish music like chazzunus. so if you hold the churban ban no longer applies and the lyrics are not trief and you find beauty in the song it is my humble opinion that you have an obligation to listen to it – jewish or not – and that depriving yourself of such music makes you a lesser human being.

    #1046376
    MachaaMaker
    Member

    Besalel- why would the gezeira after the Churban have anything to do with Jewish lyrics or not?

    #1046377
    besalel
    Participant

    Mm: if I understand the argument I read correctly it’s the idea that there was no gzeira against doing something that gives praise to HaShem and brings you closer which is accomplished through Jewish lyric songs. But some extend it even to stam music because being besimcheh is also a mitzve but that’s kind of like swallowing the the rule through the exception.

    #1046378
    STYLE123
    Member

    YW Moderator-100- thanks, im new here and didnt realize it was earlier discussed

    #1046379

    Mostly everything has a thread already and welcome!

    #1046380
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    1. Avodah Zara- It is assur to listen to music (even classical music) written for the sole purpose of worship of other gods. Church music for exampl

    ANd make sure you dont sing Maoz Tzur to the traditional tune, Its Midevil germanic church music

    #1046381

    No, ZD, we’ve been through this before. The origin of the famous tune for Maoz Tzur is a folk song.

    #1046382
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    We can disagree on that.

    A chabad niggun is La Marsailles, Ive heard them sing it and Ive heard the story why it is. The Lubavicher Rebbe had a visitor from France and wanted to make him welcome, so he sang La Marsailles to him at a fabregin

    #1046383
    haifagirl
    Participant

    I’m Jewish and I’m writing a symphony. Does that make it “Jewish music”?

    #1046384
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    I’m Jewish and I’m writing a symphony. Does that make it “Jewish music”?

    Felix Mendelsohn was Jewish. So is David Lee Roth, I doubt them being jewish makes their music jewish music

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