Should I stop listening to Matisyahu?

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  • #603795
    crisp
    Member

    Seeing as Matisyahu is not the same person as he was when I bought his previous albums, should I stop listening to him, I only like listening to frum jewish singers. What do people think?

    #983721
    yissi
    Participant

    Refuah Shelaimah!

    #983722

    In my opinion it is probably not the biggest aveira … if for whatever reason he gives you a feeling of simcha (menuchas hanefesh?) Honestly, I have never heard his music but I am too old for that:) On the other hand, you say that you like listening to frum jewish singers only so you are on a madreiga to easily phase out something that could negatively influence you out of your life and … finished. That would be the best… but if you don’t do it all at once… that is ok too. Just dont encourage anyone else to listen to him. We live in a difficult crazy world and we should insulate ourselves from it as MUCH as we can within normal limits. Still, it is not the WORST terrible aveira. Pony sheitels and tight clothing that is too short is MUCH worse. Blabbing constantly in shul… very bad… etc. etc.

    #983724
    haifagirl
    Participant

    You should stop listening to him because that noise he makes is quite unpleasant.

    #983725

    Oh, you mean Matisyahu S.L.A.P. ?

    Swings

    Like

    A

    Pendulum

    ;-(

    #983726
    YW fan
    Participant

    NO!!!

    #983727
    mythoughts
    Participant

    Listen only to his first albums not his latest.

    #983728

    What defines a Jewish singer?

    According to Matisyahu he is still singing about religion and self discovery. His lyrics will be very similar to what he had already been singing.

    If you thought his music was Jewish enough before then it still is now.

    Why should the beard make his music anymore “kosher”

    When Jewish singer sings goyish songs is that still Jewish music because he has a beard?

    #983729
    BTGuy
    Participant

    I can only speak about the cd’s “Youth” and “Light”.

    They are beautiful in both musical composition and style, as well as in lyrics. The Ahavas Yisrael is inspiring, and dont take that lightly.

    Should yidden avoid reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? Listening to Beethoven? Looking at paintings by the masters? Show hate and rejection to kids from frum families who are “staying at a friends house for Shabbos” only to go into the city together and smoke and drink and go to clubs, and worse? Just turn your back on them? Like they are not there?

    Matisyahu is obviously going through something that we dont know about. And he may not totally be at fault. Dan lechaf zcheus.

    He is not espousing things like nateuri karta. I dont know what he is going through. But the tone of not listening to him as though it is a way of showing him or yourself you are critical of him, seems petty.

    #983730

    BTguy, “And he may not totally be at fault”

    We ALL have our challenges, big and small. If you want to meet with people who have no challenges, visit your local cemetery.

    Kol Haolam Kulo Gesher Tzar Meod….

    Whatever challenges hes facing, others have gone thorough those and worse and stayed stable.

    He was a role model and source of pride for many impressionable, young, and not so young BT’s and FFBs. For him to be swinging like a pendulum is definitely not having the right effect on their spirituality, Im sure, and he is very well aware of that!

    #983731
    Shticky Guy
    Participant

    Matisyahu – what are you doing with his cds?

    Are you ALSO suffering from Doublepostititis?

    #983732

    lol-shticky

    #983733

    lol-shticky

    #983734
    BTGuy
    Participant

    Hello Medium Size Shadchen.

    I hear your point, but not all of us have been able to successfully beat all our challenges; big and small, although I hope we do. I am glad you have, though.

    And I am glad you are not taking a harsh stance on someone you never even met or have any clue as to the complexities or goings on in their private life. That shows kindness and wisdom on your part.

    Otherwise, you may have ruled he is just a bad man.

    #983735
    BTGuy
    Participant

    Well, Medium Shize Shadchen.

    After reading more of your post, I have to say that as one who was inspired to go further, in part, by Matiyahu’s ahavas Yisrael, which he put forth in such a beautifully creative and artistic way, his message and influence and inspiration is in no way diminished one iota. As a man, I dare say he is a precious and sensitive soul.

    I owe him tremendous hakaras hatov, and much of the kavana in my davening should be a zcheus to him, as well.

    I cannot count how many times in the past year, when davening became rote, or I was looking at my watch, that I thought about the depth and emotion of specific songs of his, and subsequently moved into deep, heartfelt prayer to our Creator.

    Those that never liked him anyway are finding this time a golden opportunity to be critical, yet they may be the ones who contributed to his current soul-searching.

    But I welcome you to share an attitude that is not a turn off, but one that inspires, as what Matisyahu’s music does even now, during his personal struggle, and I hope, temporary fall.

    #983736

    I think the litmus test should be to check his website, the instant you start seeing tourdates for shows on Friday night..thats when you can all start saying “I told you so”

    #983737
    etzhar
    Participant

    crisis.. i think you should take that comment back. it is motzei shem rah. There are no shabbos concerts!

    #983738
    WIY
    Member

    crisp

    He is having a show this Shabbos or should I say Saturday.

    House of Blues Atlantic City

    801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401

    Sat, Jul 21, 2012 07:00 PM

    You decide if you want to listen to music that is written by a Mechalel Shabbos, who has taken off his Yarmulka makes concerts during the 3 weeks and 9 days and who knows what is coming next.

    Actually he is also having a concert on TISHA BAAV with the disgusting lowlife menuval Snoop Dogg.

    #983739
    ovadiayosefrocks
    Participant

    The guys now is just like any not frum singer and therefore it is proper for us frum jews not to listen to him.

    #983740
    Toi
    Participant

    why do we have to wait until one publicly declares his throwing off of the yoke of heaven in the worst forms to decide that his music may not be appropriate for our holy neshamos?

    #983741
    MDG
    Participant

    I don’t think I’ll stop listening to him.

    But wait, I never plan to start.

    #983742

    @WIY

    I said shows on Friday night.

    He is currently on tour with at least one other band right now so he would not be going on stage until much later in the night. He also used to do this back when he was wearing the costume and beard. He also toured during the 3 weeks/9 days back then too.

    Have you been to any of his shows recently to know for sure that he does not have his head covered in some manner?

    Ill repeat my original statement. The second he schedules performances for after candlelighting on Friday nights…that’s when you can all write him off..until then you should check out the interview he did with Aish.com

    #983743
    BTGuy
    Participant

    Update:

    Since my last postings, I have a different view now.

    I was a very big fan, and was greatly inspired by M, and even to this day, when I am tired and had a long day on Shabbos or its hot in shul while davening, his songs come to mind and motivate me to try a little harder.

    Having said that, it seems to me he has concerts on Motzei Shabbos. So, maybe he is doing Shabbos in the hotel.

    But he seems to also have concerts during the Three Weeks.

    I am not going to hate on him. But A LOT of the wind has gone out of my sail about him as an inspiring Jewish artist.

    I am disappointed. How can he have professed to know and feel so much, and then retract? To me, there is no going back, chas veshalom, and certainly not justifying it with a new view of things.

    Okay…so then I start to think he did it to ‘some’ degree as shtick to become famous.

    But, at this point, I am getting off the Matisyahu bus as I have other things to worry about. And we, as Jews, have just lost a truly truly truly great Gadol Hador!

    In being on topic with the thread; goodbye Matisyahu. You are always welcome back home!! Hatzlacha!

    #983744
    Sam2
    Participant

    WIY: What’s wrong with listening to music composed by a Mechalel Shabbos? You should treat his music the same as any music by any other not-Frum or not-Jewish artist. If that’s not what you listen to, fine. But it’s not Assur. It’s not necessarily even discouraged (so long as it’s appropriate, obviously).

    #983745
    choppy
    Participant

    Music affects the neshoma. Someone who discarded Yiddishkeit is not someone whose music you should listen to.

    #983746

    Who even says he’s a mechalel Shabbos? Aren’t we mechuyav to be dan l’kaf z’chus that he doesn’t perform until after tzeis?

    And what’s wrong with him performing during the nine days? He’s not doing it for fun, he’s doing it for money.

    #983747
    Sam2
    Participant

    DY: Don’t the Poskim say that even if it’s Parnassah it’s Assur in the 9 days?

    #983748

    Sam2,

    I will double check. (You are likely referring to the Biur Halacha in 551, quoting the Derech Chaim’s pshat in the PM”G. I seem to remember that some argue, though.)

    #983749

    I’m not sure why the Biur Halacha needed to quote the Derech Hachaim; in the PM”G it seems clear that he assers after R”C.

    I found, though, in R’ Simcha Bunim Cohen’s sefer, that the Maharam Shick understood that the PM”G was mattir even after R”C.

    http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=1495&st=&pgnum=251 (third paragraph down)

    R’ Cohen brings other mareh m’komos to be meikil as well.

    So, although we may wish to be machmir, it’s not something for which we can consider him an avaryan.

    #983750
    bpt
    Participant

    “you should check out the interview he did with Aish.com”

    I just read it. Evasive of the core question (are you still frum?), but his answers are right up there with the “jews at heart”. Lots of “feeling and inspiration” but nothing to indicate true Orthodoxy.

    Here’s the short list:

    Are you shomer shabbos?

    Do you daven 3 x a day (I ask this as / to a male)

    Do you / your spouse obey the halacha that governs marriage?

    I (and all orthodox men) can answer YES to all of the above.

    Can he?

    When the answer is yes, I’ll come back on board. Which is not to negate his past. But until he comes to his religios senses, we need to part ways.

    Hope to see you soon Mattisyahu!

    #983751
    WIY
    Member

    Wow look what I just found!

    “How are you navigating your current level of Jewish observance on the road?

    [two of the three daily prayer services]. And I would like to say brachos [blessings]

    Excerpted from here:

    http://www.timesofisrael.com/meet-the-new-reformed-matisyahu/

    #983753
    ovadiayosefrocks
    Participant

    Plus he is having a concert on Tisha Ba’v -today….Google you will see…

    #983754
    bachur07008
    Participant

    This is really a small part of a much bigger question. what is goyishe music what music is metameh the lev and what will shtarken your lev. yidisheh niggunim (not “jewish music”) have a tremendous koach to uplift the soul. goyishe niggunim are exactly the oppisite these songs can mammash bring you down to the dephts. the message brought out in the tune is whatever the composer had in mind when he mrote the tune. i dont want to say loshon hora or get into specifics but each person has to judje in his mind what the daas of the composer was for each song you listen to,

    #983755

    Hello…… Is his house kosher? Does he eat in non-Kosher restaurants? He hasnt clarified, I doubt by accident. I dont care what his personal health concerns are. What a sales pitch to idiots!

    So that’s that.

    #983756
    WIY
    Member

    Mods I really dont think there is much left to add to this thread that wont be and hasnt been discussed in previous music related threads.

    Can you please close it?

    #983757
    ThePurpleOne
    Member

    yiddishemishpacha- wats wrong w pony sheitals?

    as far as matisyahu goes it all depends on what u wanna do, noone else can tell u an answer.. itsa ll in ur opinion. i personally feel that hes a jew and shomer shabbos and ill keep on listening to his music!!

    #983758
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    He may be going through personal troubles, but his music’s great!

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