Blessing for Torah Study
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la'asok b’divrei Torah. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, charging us to engage with words of Torah.
Beginning with Our Own Torah
1) Think of or imagine a moment when you were impressed by an instrument. What was that instrument? Why did you feel impressed?
2) Can musical instruments be sacred?
The Many Varieties of Musical Instruments
And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre (kinor) and the pipe (ugav).
(1) Hallelujah.
Praise God in His sanctuary;
praise Him in the sky, His stronghold. (2) Praise Him for His mighty acts;
praise Him for His exceeding greatness. (3) Praise Him with blasts (tekah) of the horn (shofar);
praise Him with harp (nevel) and lyre (kinnor). (4) Praise Him with timbrel (tof) and dance (machol);
praise Him with lute (minim) and pipe (ugav). (5) Praise Him with resounding cymbals (tzil-tzilei shama);
praise Him with loud-clashing cymbals (tzil-tzilei truah). (6) Let all that breathes praise the LORD.
Hallelujah.
"The Instruments of the Bible," by Ryan Malone, Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archeology
Biblical writers included little detail about the construction and sound qualities of these instruments. “Here and there an adjective, such as ‘sweet,’ ‘pleasant,’ ‘solemn’ and the like, is all we learn about their sonorities,” Alfred Sendrey wrote in Music of Ancient Israel. He shed more light on this dilemma: “The chroniclers restrict themselves mainly to mentioning the names of the instruments. But with the lapse of time even this primary knowledge was dimmed to such an extent that already the early rabbinic writers were in doubt whether some of the names referred to a stringed instrument or a wind instrument...."
"Definitions" - Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
Percussion (e.g. drums)
- Tzelzelim = Cymbals; “whirring” or “buzzing"
- Tof = Hand-drum; timbrel; tambourine; "held and struck with hand, especially by dancing women, often with other musical instruments as a sign of merriment, gladness" (BDB)
Wind (e.g. flute)
- Shofar = Horn; in Assyrian, a species of wild goat; mostly as used in war, rarely, and chiefly late, as sacred instrument
- Ugav = Pipe; long flute; sensuous, appealing tones
String (e.g. harp)
- Nevel = Portable harp; lute; guitar (with bulging resonance-body at lower end); played at feasts and religious ceremonies, probably less simple, cheap and common than kinor (often named with nevel)—as mark of luxury, revelry
- Minim = Lute; string (of harp); probably loan-word from Aramaic
- Kinnor = Lyre; "Harp of David"; "national instrument of the Jewish people"; stringed instrument used for popular music as well as sacred music; at banquets as a token of merriment; murmuring sound of bowels and heart, in pity; used also in praising God, usually as accompaniment of song with nevel, especially before the ark and in sanctuary; "similar to the Syrian and Arabic-Persian words for 'lotus, and archaeological discoveries confirm that harp-like instruments have been made of lotus wood....Most likely, the word kinnor implied a stringed instrument that varied in size depending on the context—much like we use the term piano today (whether spinets, uprights, or baby grands). Spanning such a range of Bible history, it is highly unlikely that it was one set design or even the same number of strings in each iteration" ("The Instruments of the Bible," Ryan Malone)
What role did musical instruments play?
(5) Meanwhile, David and all the House of Israel danced before the LORD to [the sound of] all kinds of cypress wood [instruments], with lyres , harps, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals (kinnorot, nivalim, tufim, mina'anim, and tzeltzelim).
(כ) וַתִּקַּח֩ מִרְיָ֨ם הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה אֲח֧וֹת אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַתֹּ֖ף בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַתֵּצֶ֤אןָ כׇֽל־הַנָּשִׁים֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יהָ בְּתֻפִּ֖ים וּבִמְחֹלֹֽת׃ (כא) וַתַּ֥עַן לָהֶ֖ם מִרְיָ֑ם שִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽה׳ כִּֽי־גָאֹ֣ה גָּאָ֔ה ס֥וּס וְרֹכְב֖וֹ רָמָ֥ה בַיָּֽם׃ {ס}
(19) For the horses of Pharaoh, with his chariots and riders, went into the sea; and ה׳ turned back on them the waters of the sea; but the Israelites marched on dry ground in the midst of the sea. (20) Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, picked up a hand-drum (tof) and all the women went out after her in dance with hand-drums (tufim). (21) And Miriam chanted for them: Sing to ה׳, for He has triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.
רַבִּי רְאוּבֵן אוֹמֵר: הַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הָרֹאשׁ. אֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָרוֹעֶה תּוֹעֶה הַצֹּאן תּוֹעִין אַחֲרָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל חַטֹּאת יָרָבְעָם בֶּן נְבָט אֲשֶׁר חָטָא וַאֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל״. וְאֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָרוֹעֶה טוֹב הַצֹּאן הוֹלְכִים אַחֲרָיו וְהוֹלְכִין בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה, וּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם רוֹעֶה נֶאֱמָן הָיָה וְהִתְחִיל לְשׁוֹרֵר וּלְזַמֵּר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהָלְכוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״. רָאֲתָה מִרְיָם, הִתְחִילָה לְשׁוֹרֵר וּלְזַמֵּר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהָלְכוּ כָּל הַנָּשִׁים אַחֲרֶיהָ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה אֲחוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַתֹּף בְּיָדָהּ״. וְכִי מִנַּיִן הָיָה לָהֶם תֻּפִּים וּמְחוֹלוֹת? אֶלָּא לְעוֹלָם הַצַּדִּיקִים יוֹדְעִין וּמִתְפַּיְּיסִין וּמַבְטִיחִין שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים וּגְבוּרוֹת. עַד יְצִיאָתָן מִמִּצְרַיִם הִתְקִינוּ לָהֶם תֻּפִּים וּמְחוֹלוֹת.
Rabbi Reuben said: The entire body follows the head.... When the shepherd is good, all follow after him.... Miriam began to sing and to utter praises, before the Holy One, blessed be He, and all the women followed her...Whence did they have timbrels and chorus in the wilderness? But the righteous always know and conciliate (God), and are assured that the Omnipresent, blessed be He, performs for them miracles and mighty deeds. Before (the time of) their departure from Egypt they prepared for themselves timbrels and chorus.
Spirit of Instruments
[Elisha said], "Now then, get me a musician.”
As the musician played, GOD’s hand came upon him...
(6) The priests stood at their watches; the Levites with the instruments (kli-shir) for the LORD’s music that King David had made to praise the LORD, “For His steadfast love is eternal,” by means of the psalms of David that they knew. The priests opposite them blew trumpets (machtzirim) while all Israel were standing.
(1) For the leader; a Of David. A michtam; when he fled from Saul into a cave. (2) Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for I seek refuge in You,
I seek refuge in the shadow of Your wings,
until danger passes. (3) I call to God Most High,
to God who is good to me. (4) He will reach down from heaven and deliver me:
God will send down His steadfast love;
my persecutor reviles. Selah.
(5) As for me, I lie down among man-eating lions
whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongue is a sharp sword. (6) Exalt Yourself over the heavens, O God,
let Your glory be over all the earth! (7) They prepared a net for my feet to ensnare me;
they dug a pit for me,
but they fell into it. Selah.
(8) My heart is firm, O God;
my heart is firm;
I will sing, I will chant a hymn. (9) Awake, O my soul!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will wake the dawn. (10) I will praise You among the peoples, O Lord;
I will sing a hymn to You among the nations; (11) for Your faithfulness is as high as heaven;
Your steadfastness reaches to the sky. (12) Exalt Yourself over the heavens, O God,
let Your glory be over all the earth!
בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ לֹא הָיָה הַשַּׁחַר בָּא וְדָוִד יָשֵׁן, וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד (תהלים נז, ט): עוּרָה כְבוֹדִי עוּרָה הַנֵּבֶל וְכִנּוֹר אָעִירָה שָּׁחַר, אִיתְעַר יְקָרִי מִן קֳדָם יְקָרֵיהּ דְּבוֹרְאִי, יְקָרִי לֵית כְּלוּם קֳדָם יְקָרֵיהּ דְּבוֹרְאִי. אָעִירָה שָּׁחַר אֲנָא מְעוֹרֵר שַׁחֲרָא וְלֵית שַׁחֲרָא מְעוֹרֵר לִי.
רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר מְנַחֵם אָמַר כִּנּוֹר הָיָה נָתוּן תַּחַת מְרַאֲשׁוֹתָיו וְהָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמְנַגֵּן בּוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי כִּנּוֹר תָּלוּי לְמַעְלָה מִמִּטָּתוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה רוּחַ צְפוֹנִית מְנַשֶּׁבֶת בּוֹ וְהָיָה מְנַגֵּן מֵאֵלָיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (מלכים ב ג, טו): וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן, וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן בַּמְנַגֵּן אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן, הַכִּנּוֹר מֵאֵלָיו הָיָה מְנַגֵּן, וּכְשֶׁהָיָה דָּוִד שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלוֹ הָיָה עוֹמֵד וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹמְעִים קוֹלוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים וּמַה דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה אָנוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, מִיָּד הָיוּ עוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה.
Rabbi Levi said: A lyre (kinor) was suspended over David’s bed. When midnight arrived, the north wind would come and the lyre (kinor) would play on its own. That is what is written: “It was as the instrument played” (II Kings 3:15). It is not written here “It was as he played the instrument,” but rather: “It was as the instrument played,” the instrument played on its own. When David would hear its sound, he would arise and engage in Torah study. [People] would say: If David king of Israel is engaging in Torah study, all the more so for us. They immediately would begin engaging in Torah study.
Photo Citations (in order of appearance)
General Research Division, The New York Public Library. "Continuazione dei medesimi [top]; e quadro di Amenôf I [Amenhotep II], capo della dinastia XVII [bottom]." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1832 - 1844. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-4841-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
Biran, Avraham. "The Dancer from Dan," Near Eastern Archaeology; Chicago, Vol. 66, Iss. 3, (Sep 2003): 128,132, https://www.proquest.com/openview/d173ead282a5244bcca3b38a7c1c6875/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=34556