It Has Arrived: New Hechsher for Jewish Music

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musci-hashgacha-hechsher[Update below.] You asked for it? You got it.

A new committee in Eretz Yisroel has been formed to provide hashgacha on Jewish music. It is not yet clear who will feel obligated to adhere to the guidelines of the new committee which will affix their seal to music that it deems appropriate Jewish music.

The committee, comprised of four individuals, will give its approbation to those music albums that they feel is appropriate for the every Jewish home and will enhance one’s connection to the Ribono Shel Olam.

musichechsherguidelines1-smallIt is not clear if lacking the new certification will automatically mean that a given album is not considered acceptable to the masses. However, obviously, say those in the Jewish music industry, this initiative needs the majority of people to honor it for it to have any noticeable effect. Whether this will happen is very uncertain.

Along with the announcement of the new music hashgacha, the committee released a list, in Hebrew and in English, of various guidelines regarding the playing of music, which instruments are permitted, and more. For example, the guidelines state that when singing a tune to words of a holy source, it should be sung carefully and with respect. The guidelines also discuss misbalances between rhythm and melody, and states that instrumentation should suit the meaning of the words of a song.

Other information in the guidelines include that percussion should be used sparingly, guitar and saxophone should not be used at all, and all forms of modern music, including pop, reggae, disco and rap, are forbidden.

The English guidelines can be seen by clicking here and here, and then click on the image to magnify it.

Note that this not a ban, but rather simply a hashgacha.

According to sources in Israel, there is a movement to counter this new effort, with organizers pushing for consumers not to purchase any albums that possess the new hashgacha.

Update: From our research and conversations, we have not yet found any of the gedolim publically supporting or giving their haskama on this endeavor at the present time. The committee may eventually announce who has supported this initiative, but at the present time they have not yet done so.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}


91 COMMENTS

  1. This is mamish gevaldig. The best way to guarantee that a music album will be successful is to ban it.

    One needs to be a criminal lawyer to be able to understand the english guidelines that you posted. They are so complicated and subjective.

  2. Different than a Hashgocha on food…where one needn’t taste the food to determine its kosher status, here someone needs to listen to each song to decide….

    So….who gets that job? What kind of issue is it if he (or she) hears a song this is determined to be “not worthy of the Hashgocha”? Is mikva enough? A visit to an audiologist for a deep cleaning….?

  3. According to the strict rules of this “””””hechsher””””” all music that we listen to will be assur. No more MBD Avraham Fried, Shwekey….

  4. Oh, get real! Who’s going to pay any attention to this “hechsher?” I can’t stand a lot of the current “music” so I just don’t listen to it.

    On the other hand, maybe it has a future in terms of “hechshering” music for chasanehs. Some of the stuff that gets played these days is definitely not conducive to the kedusha that should exist. Also – volume level guidelines would be very welcome!

  5. Judaism is like the Taliban these days. It seems like all we know how to do is assur things. Basically all they will accomplish is push people who can’t live by these extreme standards out of Yiddishkeit. This is NOT a step forward.

  6. some people – not the gedolim but others – wish to impose Issurim that people just can’t live by.
    People need music. Making these rules which will not allow us to listen to our favorite singers won’t work either. The generation will just disregard this.

  7. I’ve played the saxophone for many years, and to the best of my knowledge, it has never resulted in anything objectionable. Perhaps I’ve chased people away….

  8. What is it with the assuring lately? Every day another thing is assur! Why can’t they just let people live. Stop wasting time and effort and brain poweron foolishness and instead deal with the real issues at hand like abuse in our communities. We can’t bear another story of a father who was knows to be dangerous killing his daughter….

  9. Another ‘Askan-ban’ initiative to just destroy and alianate Jews. I’m surprized they didn’t assur ALL music

    and when something will turn up really bad, that really desereves a big ban, no one will take any ban seriously any more.

    Even if there could be such guide-lines to such a subjective manner, it should’ve been labled as a ‘suggestive’ (?????), not as Kosher vs. non-kosher.

  10. You people that think you know better are Benei Korach. You people have zero respect forthose who wish to enhance the level of kedusha in klal yisrael that seems to be going down the drain. You are so entrenched in your arogant ways, anything that seems too hard to deal with, its immediately riddiculed and laughed at.
    Every generation, there consists these big shots that think they know better and have that dont tell me what to do attidude.
    I gurantee you, all the comments that question this ishur, have something hidden in the closet that is not so Kosher.
    A true ben torah that understands whats at stake with the future of klal yosrael will not dare to utter these shameful comments. Shame on all you pathetic layabouts that have no respect for Torah and those that represent it.

  11. I dont take sides on these issues, Dont know enough torah for that. But I can assure you that from a marketing perspective they are hurting their cause in A BIG WAY.

  12. Boruch Hashem for this and we thank Mazav for reporting
    this wonderful development to crack down on the hefkeirus that is our music.
    BROUCH HASHEM!

  13. yes, i think i am better then the money/fame driven person who wrote this. if you want to call me korach you can. but hey this dude wasn’t appointed by Hashem to lead me, unless he also thinks he is a dibbuk.

  14. Please don’t think that whoever thinks this effort is rediculous and wrong, means that he doesn’t care for Kedushas Yisroel, and isn’t a “true Ben Torah”.

    There’s no boubt todays Jewish music is full of gentile ways of expression, and it’s up to us to tell our children about it, and to be sensetive to the midos and aditudes expressed in the music.

    But at the same time, the reality is that it’s the kind of thing which doesn’t have a clear line, and is a personal manor of taste, and whoever thinks you can make a general rule to fit all music and all ethnic coltures within Klal Yisroel – is truly ridiculous.

    The sevearaty of the problem doesn’t mean there’s an easy answer to it…

  15. First I think we should fix the problems we have with hashgachah on food and suspect shechita houses that pass neveilos and treifos as kosher.and then we should work on keeping our bochrim in yeshivas.and how about keeping people out of secular court.and how about protecting the children.what about the shidduch crisis .I say boycott any music that has this hechsher. vehamaven yuvin.

  16. I would like to nominate members of this ad hoc music koshering industry.
    May Hashem guard us all from charlatans who pervade our communities.

  17. I happen to agree with many of the themes of this “Hechsher”; some of the music and singers antics is a little over the top, but that doesn’t make it assur as if it were Chazer or Chalev. It makes it distasteful to some individuals. Therefore, these guidelines were couched as recommendations it would be fine. But to characterize it a “Hechsher” on Issur V’Heter is Leitzonus and Megale Panim B’Torah Shelo K’Halacha. Even the provision about the danger of loud music (which indeed can damage hearing) stating it can endanger life is nonsense. I assure you,this is not the work of the Gedolim as the article mentions. thsi sit he work of solitary individuals doing their own thing. otherwise matzav wouldn’t have us discussing it.

  18. If agreeing to and listening to all these hechsheirim makes one so holy that they can call another Jew bnei Korach then that is the biggest clearest proof that these things are a failure.
    Don’t trust every person to have your best interests at heart.

  19. I don’t know who these people are and i didn’t even read their guidelines but one thing i do know is that the jewish music trend has got to stop. Nebach on all you people out there getting nauseous from this idea. it just means that you are so desensitized to this shvartza music that you call jewish. Almost NONE of the music that has come out in the past few years does anything for any neshama other than to alienate it from its source. i am not saying to listen to regesh the whole day – there are beatiful songs that were once put out by singers but noone listens to them anymore. Each person has to ask himself and be honest if listening to the music is benefitting his soul or just passing the time in olam hazeh so he doesn’t have to think about anything more important.

    there are stunning chassidish tapes out there – lebedig but yiddish. i don’t know why they are not popular with the general crowd.

  20. I hold that this is a moiridikeh thing. Let’s finally bring kedusha into our music.
    the saxaphone guitar thing is wierd, but in general lomir zogen, let’s bring back the good old solid music.

  21. I recall the 50’s when someone listening to Jewish music listen to “Yiddishe theater”, Shoshana Demari, Theodore Bikel, etc. When Carlebach, The Rabbis’ sons. etc. appeared it brought about a whole change. The youth of those days were the ones that pioneered the idea that bochurim should sit and learn a few years after high school. They standardized the idea of learning in kollel after marriage for a few years.

  22. What if I don’t use the Hecsher? Most of to days music turns me off. However we need to replace what we will not be approving. Hopefully we could provide options and allow other opportunities to relax
    and appreciate life. Not everyone could learn 24/7 or be busy doing mitzvahs people need to relax and let go. Let us come up with the alternatives and give the okay.What ever that may be.

  23. To Eliezer
    you might perhaps be sanctimonious and hypocritical.

    What are you doing on the internet in the first place?

    You and your Taliban style can crawl back under the rock from which you came from.

  24. we jews r not here on this world to make a living ! if u try your going to fail ! so stop crying that no one let’s you live ! give it up yourself and start living with the torah ! dont wate hashem should take your hafkierus life from you ! the day will come !!!

  25. Matzav Editor:

    Why give credence to such absurdity? These askanim/akshanim are no better than Neturei Karta meshugaim. This has nothing to do with Yiddishkeit, and 100% to do with power and control. Ignore these incitors of Sinas Chinam and let Yidden dance well with happy Jewish songs regardless of the nigun.

  26. Ts usually the people who have no parnassah and live off of others that advocate not having a parnassah. There are frum toirehdig people like MBD Avraham Fried Baruch Levine and others who live off of their music. How dare anyone try and take away the parnossah of another yid. No Bracha comes from such misguided kanoyis!
    Instead of assuring everything in sight let’s strengthen ourselves in the real issues. Nobody is going off the derech from listening to todays Jewish music. They are going off from abuses of all kinds, from people not having ahavas yisroel and alienating others. From people not acting as they should….I can go on for a while. Halevai our biggest issue was guitar and saxophone in music!!!!!!!!

  27. When things are done by force, you win the fight, but lose the battle.
    Torah becomes an ol, instead of love and the next generation throws the ol off entirely. The saying,” to be a Jew is a hard life,” caused the next generation of Americans to throw off the ol of torah, and make for themselves what they believed was a better life.
    If we reached a time were everything has to be ussur we lost the war. We lost our ability to feel ruchnius and the goodness that Torah does for us. We
    live like robots, who are programed ahead of time, with no feelings, love, hope, and pride in torah. We loose our depth, and get tied down to materialistic decorations such as money, socially right, and external appearances. We loose our Pinchos’ and are left with Korach. We win the battle but lose the war.

  28. This is not the solution to any problem. It’s like stuffing a towel down the throat of a barfing man to stop him from throwing up-there, solved the problem!
    Secondly, to all the people that are the generation above me (mid 30s to 40s). The music that you listened to when you were young, was the same connected to the non-jewish music then that ours is today. So stop saying “today’s music is just noise blah blah blah” that is exactly what your music sounded then! Just ask my grandfather!

  29. I’m being honest to admit that even the so-called ‘wild’ singers have very beautiful songs that reach my neshoma.
    Just because a singer has a little extra energy doesn’t mean his songs are all garbage. Many of those songs are heartzige songs too.

  30. A hechsher on food can be applied because there are cut and dried halachos of issur vaheter and chumros and kulos. This music hechsher depends solely on the ‘Vaad Hakashrus’. Not a good idea. What’s next – a ‘second tier’ hashgocho for songs that dont reach the standard?
    Bad idea.

  31. I suppose next they will ban B-flat, or minor chords. Boruch hashem keyboards are already all black and white or they would ban the colored keys. Enough with the narishkeit.

  32. Again, don’t confuse the very problem with Jewish music today with this approach. I myself am very against todays music, I don’t stop telling my children about it, sometimes I make them listen to Rosenblatt and Modzitz… and at the same time I think this kind of uproach is CRAZY.

    The whole atitude that you can elevate Klal Yisroel this way is ridiculous

  33. glancing through the comments,the “Roiv” is clear:that means either as the genius ,”eliezer” sstated (scathing sarcasm intended),that they’re Chas v’sholom b’nei korach,orthat it’s simply logic.I contend it’s the latter.The fact that this generated so many comments shows it’s touched a nerve.my thanks to #28 for the link to you-tube;it’s certainly enlightening,and worth checking out.

  34. Well, even according to their guidelines.
    If this was my simcha, being that they wouldn’t be paying for it.
    They would have absolutely no right to tell me what to play

  35. I don’t get it. Unless they’re forcing people into this “hechsher”, why is it so bothersome that it exists? Each individual can still decide for himself.

    Just as a kashrus agency may have aditional guidelines other than just the contents of the food in order to give THEIR approval, so too these people. We have to decide whether we should or shouldn’t trust them.

    Don’t like the idea? Ignore it!

  36. Hey who gives them the right to “make a hechsher or rules on music” I see no Halachic basis for any of their rules. Is there a siman in halacha on what guitar chords are mutar and what instruments are mutar? Fools!

  37. From our research and conversations, we have not yet found any of the gedolim publically supporting or giving their haskama on this endeavor at the present time. The committee may eventually announce who has supported this initiative, but at the present time they have not yet done so.

    Guess what I wouldn’t believe a word they said. They don’t seem like very normal people.
    MATZAV EDITORS: unless you confirm with the Gedolim they quote I would take their words with a grain of salt. They don’t seem all there. Assuring guitar and saxophone? Gimme a break that’s ludicrous! Ever notice by a Chupah after he breaks the glass the band starts playing od yishama and its usually just a trumpet and saxophone and a keyboard. The saxophone really gives energy to the music and is mesameach everyone! I wouldn’t be surprised if when moshiach comes the Leviyim will be playing guitar. And saxophone in the bais hamikdosh.

  38. I just love the fact of everyone saying how they want jewish music the way it is supposed to be. Well then, chevra, put your money where your mouth is! The best selling albums by far are ones that have some songs with at least a “modern taam”, if not total wildness. If everyone would actually buy (not download or copy) those artists who put out true enjoyable and real jewish music, such as many of the chasidishe albums, regesh, dveykus, or even boruch levine and acheinu, then everyone would go where the money is, and put out yeshivishe music. that’s how you solve the problem.

  39. This great idea must be coming out of the Holy Koran, it cant be otherwise, as they are holier than everybody, & they claim to be the only ones that have the right connection to G-D exclusively

  40. Sorry i totally forgot the next thing is going to be which dances are kosher, so at every affair they will have a Dance Guide telling you exactly which way to twist & turn ,i just love it, as my religion will now be complete & perfect. without any outside impurities.

    I felt that something was missing, now finally i figured it all out, its the Koshe dances with the Kosher music & we are all going to be complete & holier than thou.

    Can you imagine how holy we are all going to be.

  41. This is what bothers me:

    1)why are we worried about the “dangers” of the saxaphone?!? How about cracking down on abuse? How about crack down on the drug problems?
    NAH, why bother… let’s deal with guitar effects!! Stupidity!

    2)Why does Matzav.com feel they can edit comments posted by readers?!? I just got off the phone with 3 prominent halachic authorites. All 3 are certain that this practice is Genevas Daas is its purest form. Misrepresenting the information posted by others is 100% assur. Lets deal with that problem first!!! Sorry if people out in the world do not agree with the moderators of this site. I say, shut down this site and stop the loshen hora, genevas daas, and bital zman!!

  42. Eliezer wrote:
    Every generation, there consists these big shots that think they know better and have that dont tell me what to do attidude.

    I assume you are talking about the “askonim”?

  43. Please no. Please no. Who’s doing this? Who decides what’s okay and what isn’t? This cannot possibly end well, for anyone. It’s hard enough for Jewish singers as it is.

  44. B’Ezras HaShem, I will elaborate in my next comment that there definitely is a major problem with the phenomenon of modern so-called “Jewish” music. Therefore, it would seem that this plan of a “hechsher” on Jewish music is a very excellent idea. At the same time though, it should be self understood that such projects need to be done according to the guidance and instructions of our Gedolay Torah. So it is imperative for the group giving this music Hechsher to show which Gedolay Torah are they associated with.

  45. There definitely is a major problem with the phenomenon of modern so-called “Jewish” music. Some of its songs, or parts of some of its songs, are outright clips of famous ditties of the secular musical world. Much of it is simply a ploy to be able to have some kind of — (supposedly) “kosher” — “rock n’roll.”

    Probably the best and cutest rebuke of this wrong tendancy is what I heard when I was once at Camp Aguda. The year was 1973; one of the camp directors then was a man named “Mr. Zishi Heschel.” He had an excellent talent for presenting Mussar in very amusing ways. (For example, one morning at Shacharis, he stood at the front of the shul facing the children, looking at all of us THROUGH THE LENS OF AN ACTUAL MOVIE CAMERA THAT HE WAS HOLDING! He thus stated to us: “In Shomaiyim, they are ‘filming’ your davening!”)

    At one of the Shabbos meals, he announced that he was presenting to us a new music group who was going to sing “JAPANESE Chassidic Music”! Then he blurted out: “KOL NIDERAY!! SWING IT BABY!!!!”

  46. (continuation of last comment)

    A few years after that, I was privileged to attend Yeshiva Gedola – Merkaz HaTorah – Tiferes Mordechai in Montreal, Quebec, when its rosh yeshiva was Rav Mordechai Weinberg, ZT’L. Rav Weinberg once spoke about this issue. He related the well known statement in the Gemora in Chagiga that states that one of the reasons why the Torah scholar Alisha Ben Avuya became an Apikoros – a heritic, was because Greek music was always being played in his house. Rav Weinberg explained that music is something that hits a person very deeply as it touches his emotions. So if the music is music that is made for bad purposes, then the person who listens to it and enjoys it is going to have his emotions directed in bad ways and is thus going to become corrupt.

    Then Rav Weinberg exclaimed that he does not care “who it is”; he does not care how ultra-frum-chareidi the music group supposedly is. That they sing what are obviously bad secular style melodies is quite wrong; that they try to make the bad melodies “good” by putting them to the words of a Posuk – Biblical verse, does not help; it is instead: “like a swine wearing a Striemmal” – “like a pig wearing a prayer hat”!

  47. (continuation of last comment)

    A number of years years after that, I was privileged to attend Yeshiva Torah Vodaas. I once attempted to discuss this issue with the Mashgiach, Rav Moshe Wolfson, Sh’lita. He though did not want to talk about it, for he felt that it is something that is totally obvious: “This is ‘table talk’!”

    He mentioned that there is such a thing that certain non-Jewish melodies were taken by certain very great Chassidic rebbes and made into wonderful songs for Avodas HaShem; however, we today are not big enough to do that! He further stated: “The music today is not ‘music’! It is ‘noise’!!”

  48. Can’t anyone decide for himself anymore? Why does everything in the frum world have to be done en masse? If someone feels the music is OK he can listen. If someone else feels the music is inappropriate, he can stop listening.
    It’s only someone’s opinion if something is inappropriate. It’s not a clear halacha. And believe it or not, sometimes people can make their own individual decisions. We don’t always have to conform to everybody else in order to be considered frum.
    Additionally, Jewish music was always taken from the outside culture. WHy do you think Sefardi music sounds different than Ashkenazi music? Because they adopted the music of the surrounding culture. THe music we think is so frum and “hartzig” sounds very much like traditional Russian music. It didn’t exactly come from the Leviim in the Bais Hamikdosh either!

  49. (A few months ago, I posted this remark at another Matzav article about music. As I just noted a certain point that this comment elaborates on, I will repeat it now here.)

    In this realm of Chassidic Rebbes using non-Jewish melodies, I will relate two famous examples from the Lubavitcher Chassidim.

    1.) The first Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Baal HaTanya, Rav Schnier Zalman of Liadi, ZT’L, lived during the events of Napolian’s attempt to conquer Europe. The French forces were initially successful in occupying western Russia and reaching Moscow. When they entered the city, they, understandably, made a massive parade down the main streets with their military bands playing appropriate marches. The Baal HaTanya heard this marching music, and even though he had been strongly opposed to Napolian’s campaign, he still recognized that these marching melodies that they were playing correctly conveyed the feeling of victory. So he took two of them and used them as part of our service of HaShem on the Yomim Noraim, when we have the real “victory” of life — the “conquest” of the Yetzer Hara – the “conquest” over our inclinations to do bad. So at the completion of the concluding Neilah service on Yom Kippur, the Lubavitcher Chassidim will sing and even march around the shul with one of these melodies, and on Simchas Torah, they will march around the shul carrying the Torah scrolls (called the “Hakafos”) with the other one of these melodies.

    2.) The last Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Scheerson, ZT’L (who was nifter just about 15 years ago), recognized that one of the famous French patriotic songs did actually correctly convey a feeling of reverence. Of course, the intent of the song was that of reverence that a person must have for his country. At the same time, the rebbe realized — and every nationalistic Frenchman will certainly fully agree with him — that this reverence must be even more so directed to the One to Whom all reverence is due! So the rebbe adapted the first two parts of this melody to the Piyut – hymn “HaAderes V’HaEmuna”: “HaAderes V’HaEmuna L’Chai HaOlamim” – “The honor and the faithfullness is due to the Life of all worlds!” So today, when Lubavitcher Chassidim sing this Piyut, they will often use this melody.

  50. The Rosh Yeshivas and Rav Wolfson shlita are on a different madregah than 99.999999% of the people who listen to todays music. The people who like it are moved by it and connect to it. I can honestly say that shwekeys songs and MBD and Avraham Frieds songs move me in a very Jewish spiritual way. I understand if some have an issue with Mattisyahu but most mainstream music is very enjoyable and Klall Yisrael needs the music outlet. I guarantee you if a situation occurs where we can no longer be allowed to enjoy music in a Kosher Oyfen we will see larger numbers of depression in Klall Yisrael! Baruch Hashem we have good kosher music! Everyone has the freedom of choice to decide which singers he will listen to. Making a Hechsher won’t work and it is belittling. We aren’t children! Stop trying to control every aspect of our lives! They will have to pay a din vcheshbon for trying to wreck singers parnossah. Its not a game.

  51. First of all, 80 comments is a record breaker!

    Second of all, I would like to mention my laughter at this absurd peice of rubbish displayed on this website. Let us bring in the tehilim for this is not what we should be making regulations on! How about all the other garbage that is flying around us, a nation of Hashem. “Bended notes”! Are you serious?? Are these people making sense? Do they think they will make a little dent in Jewish music? Please, get me a bag, I am throwing up!

  52. Oh my goodness, I was at a wedding and they played a B-flat and A-minor. I was so disturned. I went to a posak and asked if this is mutar! He was beside himself and went to ask a shailah.We finally got an answer. The B-flat may have distorted the word “Hashem” and the A-minor was totally assur all together. I went back to the chatan and kallah and told them about their problem. Immidiately, B-flat and A-minor were taken out of Jewish Orchestra instruments. One had to have a certain hashgacha on their instruments that garuanteed a B-flat and A-minor free piano. Soon after, I was at a Bar Mitzvah and listening to the music, there was a dip in the singers voice by the word “Chai”. I left the bar mitzvah fast so no more of this garbage music would fill my ears. So, I went to the same rabbaim and they assured this vocal use. Surgery was done on all singers who wanted kosher music supervision. This surgery included a vocal paralasys of the Optomonic vocal strand located all the way at the end of the larynx. For the real Mehadrin, removel of the chord would have to take place. At the chassidish weddings, removel of this vocal chord was required…..

    Ok, is this where we are going??

  53. It is interesting that Plato and other
    philosophers were critical of music.

    It seems that in the past similar debates raged. (Less so in America.) For example,
    Plato and Confucious did not simply say that
    all music is good and that the main issue is
    whether people enjoy the tune. They actually
    evaluated the impact melodies had on people.

    Of course, lyrics should always be decent.
    (Many modern songs are accompanied by
    lewd words.) It is indeed important for religious people—those who love Hebrew
    Scripture–the Holy Writ–to champion the cause of good and decent music that is
    appropriate for families.

  54. In my opinion, modern music at its worst
    is a reflection of the decadence of American
    subculture which has become steeped in
    egregious immorality.

    In reality, this is not a modern phenomenon; it
    is retrogressive. Thus, attempts to rid Jewish
    music of this secular chaff should be applauded.

    It is up to the consumer. Of course the more
    educated the better. For Orthodox Jews, the more Torah educated—the better for all.

  55. It is self appointed know it alls intent on imposing their tastes on others supposedly as to what as to what is right or a wrong way to worship that make me feel truly ashamed to call myself a Jew.

  56. It is also matter of consumer freedom.
    Traditional and Orthodox Jews should let
    musicians know what type of music they wish to hear.

    Since they’re paying the bill, they have
    every right to insist that musicians not play
    primitive and vulgar music.

    #88 From Sickened

    “It is self appointed know it alls
    intent on imposing their taste on others…”

    Hope you’re feeling better. Maybe if you
    stop listening to degenerate music you’ll
    recover.

    “What is right or wrong way to worship
    that make me feel truly ashamed to call
    myself a Jew.”

    This is not about the right way or wrong way to worship. This is about respect
    for the traditional values of Orthodox and
    religious people. Why are you ashamed to call
    yourself a Jew? That might be because of your
    inferiority complex.

  57. To Comment number 80 titled “To (me) Yisrael Feldman.”

    Before I wrote the couple of comments that I posted here about the problems of modern Jewish music, I first posted a remark in Comment number 74 in which I stressed the following point.

    Any project of a group making a “Hashgacha” on music must, I repeat MUST be done according to the guidelines and instructions given by our Gedolay Torah!!

    In my subsequent comments, I mentioned a few Gedolim who I heard give extremely sharp criticism on modern Jewish music. At the same time though, we need to ask: “would they say that setting up a board to give Hashgacha on music is the right way to deal with this problem?”

    (I do not know if it is possible to consult on this matter now with Rav Moshe Wolfson, Sh’lita. K’neged Aiyin Hara, he is now quite advanced in years; however, recently he has been very sick, and should have a Refua Sh’laima B’Karov!)

    At this point, we definately need to have this music Hashgacha group openly show us which Gedolay Torah they are associated with. If this is not possible, then we should go to our contemporary Gedolay Torah and show them the published literature about this music Hashgacha group and ask for their advice about it.

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