Music - A Sukkot class

(1) The flute [was played sometimes on] five [days], and [sometimes on] six. This was the flute of the place of [water] drawing, which does overrides neither Shabbat nor holidays. They [the Sages] said: Anyone who has never seen the rejoicing at the place of [water] drawing, has never seen rejoicing in all his days.

(4) Pious people and men of [great] deeds would dance before them with lit torches in their hands, and says before them words of song and praise. And the Levites [would play] with lutes, and harps, and cymbals, and trumpets, and countless musical instruments, upon the fifteen steps which descent into the women's court, corresponding with the fifteen songs of ascents in the Psalms, that upon them the Levites would stand with their musical instruments and sing. ...

(20) Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who dwell in tents and amidst herds. (21) And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.

(5) After that, you [=Saul] are to go on to the Hill of God, where the Philistine prefects reside. There, as you enter the town, you will encounter a band of prophets coming down from the shrine, preceded by lyres, timbrels, flutes, and harps, and they will be prophesying.

David and the officers of the army set apart for service the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. The list of men who performed this work, according to their service, was:

(1) By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, sat and wept, as we thought of Zion. (2) There on the poplars we hung up our lyres, (3) for our captors asked us there for songs, our tormentors, for amusement, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” (4) How can we sing a song of the LORD on alien soil? (5) If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither; (6) let my tongue stick to my palate if I cease to think of you, if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory even at my happiest hour.

(2) Their function was to guard the Temple. Some of them acted as gatekeepers, to open the gates of the sanctuary and to shut its doors; while some served as singers, to chant during the daily offerings. Some [of the Levites] were singers who sang over the daily offering, as it is written, "[The Levi] shall serve by means of the name of the Lord his God" (Deut. 18:7). What kind of service is there which is done with the name of Hashem? Song. ...

(3) ... They did not 'say' song other than orally, without an instrument at all, for this is a service of the mouth. However, there were others standing there and playing musical instruments; some were Levites, and some lay Israelites of distinguished birth, ...

(5) 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 for praising the LORD “with instruments I [=King David] devised for singing praises.”

(27) Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD and the trumpets began also, together with the instruments of King David of Israel.

Similarly, the rabbis decreed that one may not play musical instruments of various kinds. It is forbidden to delight in any instruments and any implements that produce the sound of song, and it is forbidden to hear [=listen to] them on account of the Destruction. Even vocal song is forbidden when accompanying wine, as it is written, "do not drink wine with song" (Isaiah 24:9), Nevertheless, all Jews have adopted the practice of expressing words of praise or song(s) of thanksgiving to God, and similar songs over wine.

... And all of Israel is already accustomed to saying words of praise or songs of thanks and remembering the goodness of the Holy One blessed be He over wine. Similarly for the need of a Mitzvah, like for house of a Groom and Bride, all this is permitted. (Tosefot, Smag, and Hagehot Maymoni)

(23) Whenever the [evil] spirit of God came upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play it; Saul would find relief and feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

(2) ...Accordingly, man will not direct his attention merely to obtain bodily enjoyment, choosing of food and drink and the other things of life only the agreeable, but he will seek out the most useful, being indifferent whether it be agreeable or not. There are, indeed, times when the agreeable may be used from a curative point of view, as, for instance, when one suffers from loss of appetite, it may be stirred up by highly seasoned delicacies and agreeable, palatable food. Similarly, one who suffers from melancholia may rid himself of it by listening to singing and all kinds of instrumental music, by strolling through beautiful gardens and splendid buildings, by gazing upon beautiful pictures, and other things that enliven the mind, and dissipate gloomy moods. The purpose of all this is to restore the healthful condition of the body, but the real object in maintaining the body in good health is to acquire wisdom. ...