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What sort of music is acceptable?


By Sarah Zadok

Question:

Music is an important part of life... It holds so many memories for each of us... So what is acceptable? Please help and guide me.

Answer:

I agree. Music is such an important part of life. It has the power to connect us to all kinds of places. It is important that we choose music which connects us to a "good place," as opposed to putting us in a state of mind that brings sadness or anger, or provokes negative thoughts and/or emotions.

Even better than a "good place" -- if you can connect to music that puts you in a "holy place," that is the ultimate.

There is a lot of good and holy music out there. Start by visiting our Jewish Music section -- it contains some articles about music, as well as plenty of audio files with quality Jewish and chassidic music and melodies:

Blessings,

Sarah Zadok
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By Sarah Zadok   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Sarah Zadok is a childbirth educator, doula, freelance writer and regular contributor to TheJewishWoman.org. .She lives in the Golan Heights, Israel with her husband and five children.
All names of persons and locations or other identifying features referenced in these questions have been omitted or changed to preserve the anonymity of the questioners.

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Jan 20, 2010
Why should we shelter ourselves from the truths of the world by only listening to music that brings us to a "good place"? Many musical artists have very profound things to say and express that can sometimes be dark...sometimes when I'm in a dark mood, these types of music help as something to connect to. I love the symphonies of Shostakovich, Messaien's Quartet for the End of Time, and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring to name a few. I think these are just as much gifts from G-D as "positive" music is.
Posted By Anonymous, Boston, MA

Posted: Sep 1, 2009
musica
MATISYAHU ROCKS!!! My favorite song on Youth album is "Dispatch The Troops"
Posted By Evan Jeck, Philadelphia, PA

Posted: Sep 2, 2008
For Simon
There is no prohibition whatsoever against listening to any music, as long as it is not associated with foreign worship (such as church music) or overtly lewd.

Everything a Jew does must have a higher purpose, listening to music included. Some music is easier than other music to elevate into that purpose. It's up to each person, according to his situation, to determine what he can elevate and what he cannot.

Personally, I play Bach and Torrega on my classical guitar.
Posted By Tzvi Freeman, Thornhill, Canada

Posted: Aug 18, 2008
types of music
To continue this, is it permissible to listen to western classical orchestral and instrumental music? I am (or at least, was) a classical musician but I find that there is little (not, I accept, none!) "classical" (read real) music available in the Jewish world - mostly folk type and relatively unsophisticated vocal material.
Posted By Simon, London, UK



 


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