The letters of our thoughts are the ideas present in our mind before they come to realization . . . Thoughts that are, yet not felt . . . The words of the subconscious . . . of the soul . . .

These are the LETTERS OF MY THOUGHTS.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Jewish Music (Part 1?)



(Source)





The Alter Rebbe calls Niginah, Song, the pen of the soul . . .

The power of music, and the effect it has on the soul of the listener -as a result of it being the expression of the composers soul- is well known . . .

Even on a purely secular level this is clearly understood.

It has been noted that during screenings of Star Wars, must early critics thought rather poorly of what would go on to be one of the highest grossing films of all times; What was missing? John Williams' roaring sound track.



If so, we as religious Jews must ask ourselves at which points we draw the line of 'Jewish Music' . . .

In my mind there is no question that Chassidishe Nigunnim are on a level in and of their own -there is nothing better . . . as a Niggun, connected to the soul of a Tzadik -a rightoues person, a venerated Chossid, or with the unique qualities which led it to be taken by chassidim, can literally pull a person out of the spiritual abyss and bring him to the seventh heaven.



What of standard, 'Modern' Jewish music?

On one hand there is the 'bubblegum' Music of Avraham Fried, MBD and the like (that is, those songs they sing not sourced in traditional music) . . . Yet their tunes, when not wholly ripped from Non-Jewish sources, are based on them. Yet most consider their music fine.



. . The truth is, I don't have time to further develop this post.

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