GershwinÕs Place in the Bait HaMikdash
Rabbi Bernie Fox
(Sefer BeMidbar 10:10)
1. The commandment to create
trumpets and their functions
In Parshat BeHa'alotecha, Hashem
commands Moshe to fashion two trumpets of beaten silver. The parasha explains that these
trumpets had a number of functions.
They were to be used to signal the nation to assemble. They signaled the camp to commence its
journey to its next
destination. These trumpets were to be sounded at times of war or
affliction. The above passage explains that they were also sounded on
festivals, new months and times of rejoicing when the sacrifices for that
occasion were offered. In all of these instances the trumpets were sounded to
alert the people or to awaken their awareness. Their sounding was a call for
action. This action may have been
the movement of the camp or its assembly.
At a time of war or danger, the trumpets directed the people to call out
to Hashem. On the festivals and joyous occasions they summon the people to
direct their thoughts to Hashem at the time that their sacrifices were offered.[1]
Trumpets were also used in the Mishcan
and in the Bait HaMikdash on a daily basis. They were among the
instruments that accompanied the leveyim when they sang songs of
praise. When the communal
sacrifices were offered, the leveyim – the levites – would
sing songs of praise to Hashem and their singing was accompanied by instruments.
These included trumpets. What does
the use of music – vocal and instrumental – in the service of the Mishcan
and Bait HaMikdash indicate about the Torah's attitude toward music and
as a source of religious inspiration?
After that you shall come to the hill of G-d, where is the garrison of
the Philistines; and it shall come to pass, when you come there to the city,
that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a
psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be
seeking prophesy. (Sefer Shemuel I
10:5)
2. Music and prophecy
Before addressing this issue, it is
appropriate to note another context in which music plays an important role.
Maimonides explains that prophecy is received only by those who are
transcendent in their wisdom, character, and behavior. However, even one who is
exceptional in all of these ways is not yet prepared for prophecy. A proper
state of mind is also essential to the prophetic experience.
This principle is illustrated by the
life of Yaakov. During all of the years that Yaakov believed that his beloved
son Yosef was dead, he did not experience prophecy. Maimonides explains that
this is because Yaakov was unable to escape his deep sorrow over the loss of
Yosef. Only when he learned that Yosef was alive was his sorrow shed and
replaced by happiness and contentment. Maimonides explains Yaakov's experience
reflects an important principle regarding prophecy. Prophecy requires a specific state of
mind. It can be experienced only by
a person who is content and happy. One who is burdened with sorrow and torment
cannot achieve prophecy.[2]
Maimonides explains that those
transcendent individuals who aspired to achieve prophecy, would utilize the
influence of music in order to secure their objective. What was the function of
the music? It helped them achieve
the requisite state of mind. Music helped them achieve the state of contentment
and joy that is requisite to achieving prophecy.
Maimonides cites the above passage as
an illustration of this principle. Shemuel tells Shaul that during his upcoming
journey he will encounter a group of students who are seeking a prophetic
experience. The pasuk
describes the various musical instruments that they will have in their company.
Why does the passage mention that these aspirants for prophecy will travel with
musical instruments? Maimonides
responds that those seeking prophecy used musical instruments as an aid in achieving
prophecy.[3]
The message that emerges from this
discussion is that the Torah recognizes the capacity of music to impact one's
mood and state of mind. It can help us achieve joy and a sense of well-being.
Presumably, melodies can evoke other states as well. In the context of the prophetic experience,
music is not used as a source of religious inspiration. It is used to create a mood or state of
mind.
3. The function of music in
Temple service
As noted above, music was a part of
the daily service in the Bait HaMikdash. The leveyim sang songs
of praise as the communal sacrifices were offered. They were accompanied by
musical instruments. It is notable that the instruments were used during the
service only in the accompaniment of the leveyim. The leveyim sang their songs of
praise and they were accompanied by the instruments.[4] This indicates that the instruments were
included to supplement and enhance the singing of the leveyim.[5] It added an instrumental
element to their vocal presentation of their songs of praise. In other words,
the essential element of the music in the service was the content of the song
of praise. Instruments and melody were used to more effectively communicate the
message of the songs.
The use of music in the service in the
Bait HaMikdash contrasts with its use by the aspiring prophet. The
prophet did not use music for religious inspiration. He used it to evoke the
mood consistent with the prophetic experience. The music in the Temple service
was intended to accomplish much more than create a mood. It was intended to
reinforce and better transmit the message vocally communicated by the songs of
the leveyim. The central element of the music was the ideas expressed in
the songs; the music served to communicate these ideas.[6]
It emerges from this discussion of the
service in the Bait HaMikdash, that music alone was not used as a source
of religious inspiration.
Inspiration was to be derived from the message of the songs of the leveyim.
Music was used to facilitate the message of the songs.
4. Synagogue melodies
This observation has a number of
practical applications. We do not
use musical instruments in our synagogue services but we do use tunes to
enhance our prayers. If we assume
that the service in the Bait HaMikdash is a model for how we should use
these melodies, then the tunes selected must be consistent with and reinforce
the message of the prayers. The chazzan
– the cantor – should not select his tunes based solely upon their
beauty. He must understand the prayers and select melodies and create
compositions that reflect and reinforce the content of the prayers.
Let us consider a simple example. The Kedushah
of the Musaf service on Shabbat is a responsive prayer that is commonly
recited to some melody. The chazzan and the congregation sing their
respective lines using the melody initiated by the chazzan. What is the
theme of the Kedushah? What is its mood? When we recite the Kedushah we
are emulating the angels who declare the sanctity of Hashem. Earlier in the service – in the
blessings preceding the Shema – we describe their mood at the
moment that the angels declare His sanctity. They utter their declaration in
awe. When we recite the Kedushah
we, who are not as close to Hashem as His angels, should feel a deep sense of
awe and humility. If the melody
selected by the chazzan is to reinforce the mood and message of the Kedushah
it cannot be chosen based solely upon its beauty. It should inspire the reverence and
humility that is the very essence of the prayer.
Another issue that emerges from this
analysis is that our melodies should be scrupulously faithful to the proper
pronunciation of the words and the punctuation of the phrases. The melody must be selected and applied
with care. Each word must be
pronounced with its proper accent. Accent cannot be sacrificed in order to
preserve the rhythm of the melody.
Each sentence and phrase must be properly punctuated. The punctuation
should not be altered to accommodate the melody.
In summary, it is appropriate to enhance
our prayers with melodies. Our melodies should reinforce and communicate the
message of our prayers. Because this is their purpose, each melody should be
consistent with the theme and mood of the prayer it accompanies and it should
preserve the proper pronunciation and punctuation of the material.
[1] Rabbaynu Avraham ibn Ezra, Commentary on Sefer
BeMidbar, 10:8-10.
[2] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Commentary
on the Mishne, Mesechet Avot, Introduction, chapter 7.
[3] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne
Torah, Hilchot Yesodai HaTorah 7:4.
[4] For a description of the musical element of the
service see Rabbaynu Menachem MeÕeri, Bait HaBechirah, Mesechet Succah,
chapter 5, comments on first mishne.
[5] Rabbaynu Shlomo ben Yitzchak (Rashi), Commentary on
the Talmud, Mesechet Succah 50b.
[6] As a young teenager, I had the opportunity to
participate in the choir of Cantor Phillip Brummer. His only expectation of me was that I
not sing and just stand quietly among those who did the singing. Often, I understood the words only
vaguely. But his melodies
communicated to me, with remarkable accuracy, the theme and mood of each of the
prayers. The experience also
provided me with the unique opportunity to observe Cantor Brummer as he sang
and chanted the liturgy surrounded by his choir. His expression changed from joy to awe,
and to that of a humble petitioner as he progressed though the liturgy. As a young person, it was a very special
intimate encounter with a soulful prayer experience. It inspired within me a love for music
and an appreciation of the power of prayer.