Musings On Music And The Jews
Claudia and I really liked the following “Musings” on Music, written by one of our listeners, Brook, who happens to be a Yentl - a woman who loves the study of the Torah. She is a Messianic Jew, who loves her people, and loves the history and teachings.
This is REALLY quite good, as are all of her Musings, and well worth your time to read, giving you great insight into the Jewish mindset and the reasons behind some of the Biblical passages.
My love of music has led me into an informal study of music and singing in Jewish tradition. As you know, all prayers and blessings in Judaism are sung in Hebrew…they are never spoken…and the tunes are thousands of years old. Even readings from the Torah are sung…again to tunes that are ancient.
The Jews have a real love for music and find expression the best with the harp. There are 2 kinds of harps, a kinnor which has 8 strings and is commonly referred to as King David’s harp and a nevel which is a lap harp that has 22 strings and half levers to really change the tones.
The Jewish Sages tell us that when Messiah comes, he will add 2 more strings to the kinnor and change the octave to a dectave (think that is what it would be called). Right now, 10 string kinnors are being built in Jerusalem by the House of Harrari (American Jews who made aliyah to Israel…they are master harp builders and have restored the ancient kinnor and nevel) as the religious Jews believe Messiah is coming very soon.
The 22 strings on the nevel correspond to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet and each string is named after a letter.
Jewish tradition tells us that when G-d created everything, He did so while playing a 22 string nevel and that He sang everything into existence.
It is interesting that in the book of Revelation, John writes that G-d has given all the inhabitants of heaven a harp.
The Jewish prophets and prophetesses also sang their prophecies…they did not speak them or just write them down. Jewish tradition states that the prophet would sit quietly and strum upon a kinnor or a nevel and wait upon G-d. The prophet would then feel the presence of a hand upon his/her shoulder…would open his/her mouth…and sing the words that G-d had placed in his/her mouth.
In the days of the Second Temple, there were many visitors from other lands who came to Jerusalem to see the wonder of the Temple and to conduct trade. Some writings from these mostly Greek and Roman visitors remain which shed some light on to the everyday life of the Second Temple era Jew. They record that virtually every Jew had a small kinnor that was tied to a belt about their waist…that they sang all the time…work songs…prayers…blessings…etc. One traveler stated that when one got within a certain distance of Jerusalem (think it was several miles if I remember correctly) that you could hear the harp music coming from the city and surrounding areas.
In the Second Temple, there was a great nevel…it was placed upon a stand in one of the courtyards and the breezes would move along the strings and the nevel would play beautiful tunes. The Jews thought it was G-d playing the nevel.
When the Jews were led into Babylonian captivity at the end of the First Temple period, they hung their harps in the branches of the trees as they would no longer sing the songs of their land. Think this is referenced in either Jeremiah or Lamentations?
Personally, I think Messiah sung the Sermon on the Mount. The way that “sermon” goes is very much structured like a song. Ever see the movie The Robe? There is a scene in it where Marcellus, the Roman Centurion who crucified Jesus, is having a discussion with a woman in Cana who is crippled. But she plays a kinnor and sings for the people in the town. I thought it interesting that she sang the words of Jesus while strumming the kinnor.
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June 18th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Hello! My name is Anders Branderud and I am from Sweden. I read your post.
Who then was the historical “Jesus”?
The Qumran scroll 4Q MMT makes it crystal clear that at the beginning of the 1st century C.E., not only that Torah was the center of the life of every religious Jew but that the Oral Law was the core of Torah for every religious Jew – including Ribi Yәhoshua and the Nәtzarim!
Did you know that the original “Matthew” was written in Hebrew and it’s called Hebrew Matityahu. It speaks about an Orthodox Jewish leader.
The historical Ribi Yehoshua were a Pharisee.
I am a follower of Ribi Yehoshua – Mashiakh – who practiced Torah including Halakhah with all his heart.
He was born in Betlehem 7 B.C.E . His faher name was Yoseiph and mother’s name was Mir′ yâm. He had twelve followers. He tought in the Jewish batei-haknesset (synagogues). Thousands of Jews were interested in His Torah-teachings. The “Temple” Sadducees (non-priests who bought their priest-ship in the “Temple” from the Romans, because they were assimilated Hellenist and genealogically non-priests acting as priests in the “Temple”; they were known by most 1st-century Jews as “Wicked Priests.” decided to crucify him. So they did - together with the Romans. His followers were called Netzarim (meaning offshoots [of a olive tree]) and they continued to pray with the other Jews in the synagogues.
Christianity does not teach the teachings of Ribi Yehoshua. Ribi Yehoshuas teachings were pro-Torah.
If you want to learn more click at our website http://www.netzarim.co.il — than click at the lick “Christians”; click at my photo to read about what made my switch religion from Christianity to Orthodox Judaism.
Anders Branderud
Follower of Ribi Yehoshua in Orthodox Judaism
June 18th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Shalom and shalom Anders…
I have enjoyed many a lively discussion with your Paqid. I trust he is hale and well.
—Racha’el bas Avner
June 20th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Thank you for sharing this Brook and Pat.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
What is the Gittith mentioned in the notes at the beginning of Psalms 8, 81, and 84?
June 20th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Shalom and shalom Bill..
We do not know for sure what the Gitis was…but following are several explanations given by the Jewish Sages:
1. The Gitis is a special type of musical instrument which was meant to accompany particular songs or psalms. We do not know what the Gitis looked like…could have been a stringed instrument…a tambourine style instrument…drum…horn.
2. Meiri states that the name Gitis may refer to an instrument that was designed by the musical experts of Gat aka Gath.
3. Radak stated that David may have composed this particular Psalm while he was in Gat.
4. Ibn Ezra stated that this psalm may be called Gitis because David wrote this psalm and then gave it to the family of Ovid Edom the Giti, who was a Levite, to be performed.
June 21st, 2008 at 12:19 am
Peace to you also. And thank you for the enlightening reply.
I assumed it was a musical instrument, but my translation just says “according to the Gittith” whereas other Psalms are translated “with stringed instruments.” So, you can’t necessarily infer that it is an instrument.
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
Shalom and shalom Bill…
The Gitis could be an instrument but may not be a stringed instrument since other Psalms have the designation for stringed instruments. The Gitis could be a tambourine, horn or drum. Or…not an instrument at all.
July 7th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Would you happen to know what the 22 notes and the corresponding Hebrew letters were on the 22 string harp?
July 7th, 2008 at 2:56 am
Shalom and shalom Joan,
The House of Harrari are presently creating the Atara Nevel harps. The following link will take you to a page on their website where there is a discussion on the strings corresponding with the Hebrew Alphabet. I am uncertain on the octave range for these harps…but…I know that the Harraris are very good at responding to email and I am certain they would welcome such a request for information from you. The Harraris are unique in that the harps they create are made by Mr. Harrari, a Levite, and that they are faithful recreations of the harps used in the Second Temple period. Anyways…here is the link that will answer part of your query:
http://www.harrariharps.com/files/alefbet.php
Hope this helps…