Role of Music in Jewish Worship

Recently, while learning Tanach, I came across the following verse in Shmuel Bet.

(ה) וְדָוִ֣ד ׀ וְכָל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מְשַֽׂחֲקִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל עֲצֵ֣י בְרוֹשִׁ֑ים וּבְכִנֹּר֤וֹת וּבִנְבָלִים֙ וּבְתֻפִּ֔ים וּבִמְנַֽעַנְעִ֖ים וּֽבְצֶלְצֶלִֽים׃

II Samuel 6:5

(5) Meanwhile, David and all the House of Israel danced before the LORD to [the sound of] all kinds of cypress wood [instruments], with lyres, harps, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals.

As today is Lag Ba'Omer, when music is once again permitted, this seemed an appropriate opportunity to explore the role of music in Jewish worship.

Background to the verse:

Following the death of the remaining members of Saul's family, the elders of all of the tribes of Israel unanimously proclaim David as their king.
David captures Jerusalem and begins the process of transforming the city into the national capital.
The Philistines, seeing David as a threat, attack David's army.
He vanquishes them in a series of battles, thereby avenging the death of King Shaul, and of his son, David's dear friend Jonathan.

Now David is in the process of bringing the Ark of Hashem, to install it in the national capital of Jerusalem, and make it the full national and spiritual centre of the nation.

מלבי"ם על שמואל ב ו׳:ה׳

(א) ו. ודוד וכו' וגם בזה לא עשו כראוי בשתים, א. שהיו משחקים דרך שחוק לא כשמחים ברעדה, ב. שלא היה על ידי כלי שיר המיוחדים לעבודה ולא על ידי הלוים המיועדים לזה רק כל בית ישראל כלו ובכל עצי ברושים רצה לומר בכל מיני כלי זמר:

Malbim on II Samuel 6:5

David [and his entourage] did not act appropriately. (1) The verse says that they were playing around in a raucous manner, rather than rejoicing in trembling, [as would be more appropriate for the occasion], and (2) the choice of musical instruments and of the musicians were not appropriate for service of God. Referring to the musicians, the verse says "all of the house of Israel"; instead, the musicians should have been Levites only. A wide range of musical instruments was deployed, indicated by the choice of words "with all kinds of cypress wood instruments"; instead, only those instruments appropriate for Divine service should have been used.

Which musical instruments were used for Divine service? We find reference to various musical instruments scattered throughout Tanach and Mishnah. Here are some examples.

דברי הימים א ט״ו:ט״ז

(טז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִיד֮ לְשָׂרֵ֣י הַלְוִיִּם֒ לְהַֽעֲמִ֗יד אֶת־אֲחֵיהֶם֙ הַמְשֹׁ֣רְרִ֔ים בִּכְלֵי־שִׁ֛יר נְבָלִ֥ים וְכִנֹּר֖וֹת וּמְצִלְתָּ֑יִם מַשְׁמִיעִ֥ים לְהָרִֽים־בְּק֖וֹל לְשִׂמְחָֽה׃ (פ)

I Chronicles 15:16

(16) David ordered the officers of the Levites to install their kinsmen, the singers, with musical instruments, harps, lyres, and cymbals, joyfully making their voices heard.

דברי הימים ב ה׳:י״א-י״ד

(יא) וַיְהִ֕י בְּצֵ֥את הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים מִן־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ כִּ֠י כָּל־הַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים הַֽנִּמְצְאִים֙ הִתְקַדָּ֔שׁוּ אֵ֖ין לִשְׁמ֥וֹר לְמַחְלְקֽוֹת׃ (יב) וְהַלְוִיִּ֣ם הַמְשֹׁרֲרִ֣ים לְכֻלָּ֡ם לְאָסָ֡ף לְהֵימָ֣ן לִֽ֠ידֻתוּן וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֨ם וְלַאֲחֵיהֶ֜ם מְלֻבָּשִׁ֣ים בּ֗וּץ בִּמְצִלְתַּ֙יִם֙ וּבִנְבָלִ֣ים וְכִנֹּר֔וֹת עֹמְדִ֖ים מִזְרָ֣ח לַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְעִמָּהֶ֤ם כֹּֽהֲנִים֙ לְמֵאָ֣ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֔ים מחצררים [מַחְצְרִ֖ים] בַּחֲצֹֽצְרֽוֹת׃ (יג) וַיְהִ֣י כְ֠אֶחָד למחצצרים [לַמְחַצְּרִ֨ים] וְלַמְשֹֽׁרֲרִ֜ים לְהַשְׁמִ֣יעַ קוֹל־אֶחָ֗ד לְהַלֵּ֣ל וּלְהֹדוֹת֮ לַיהוָה֒ וּכְהָרִ֣ים ק֠וֹל בַּחֲצֹצְר֨וֹת וּבִמְצִלְתַּ֜יִם וּבִכְלֵ֣י הַשִּׁ֗יר וּבְהַלֵּ֤ל לַיהוָה֙ כִּ֣י ט֔וֹב כִּ֥י לְעוֹלָ֖ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְהַבַּ֛יִת מָלֵ֥א עָנָ֖ן בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ (יד) וְלֹא־יָֽכְל֧וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים לַעֲמ֥וֹד לְשָׁרֵ֖ת מִפְּנֵ֣י הֶעָנָ֑ן כִּֽי־מָלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ (פ)

II Chronicles 5:11-14

(11) When the priests came out of the Sanctuary—all the priests present had sanctified themselves, without keeping to the set divisions— (12) all the Levite singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, their sons and their brothers, dressed in fine linen, holding cymbals, harps, and lyres, were standing to the east of the altar, and with them were 120 priests who blew trumpets. (13) The trumpeters and the singers joined in unison to praise and extol the LORD; and as the sound of the trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments, and the praise of the LORD, “For He is good, for His steadfast love is eternal,” grew louder, the House, the House of the LORD, was filled with a cloud. (14) The priests could not stay and perform the service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the House of God.

משנה ערכין ב׳:ג׳

(ג) אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מֵעֶשְׂרִים וְאַחַת תְּקִיעוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ וְלֹא מוֹסִיפִין עַל אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנֶה. אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מִשְּׁנֵי נְבָלִין וְלֹא מוֹסִיפִין עַל שִׁשָּׁה. אֵין פּוֹחֲתִין מִשְּׁנֵי חֲלִילִין וְלֹא מוֹסִיפִין עַל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר. וּבִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר יוֹם בַּשָּׁנָה הֶחָלִיל מַכֶּה לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. בִּשְׁחִיטַת פֶּסַח רִאשׁוֹן, וּבִשְׁחִיטַת פֶּסַח שֵׁנִי, וּבְיוֹם טוֹב רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל פֶּסַח, וּבְיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁל עֲצֶרֶת, וּבִשְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי הֶחָג, וְלֹא הָיָה מַכֶּה בְּאַבּוּב שֶׁל נְחשֶׁת אֶלָּא בְּאַבּוּב שֶׁל קָנֶה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקּוֹלוֹ עָרֵב. וְלֹא הָיָה מַחֲלִיק אֶלָּא בְאַבּוּב יְחִידִי, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַחֲלִיק יָפֶה:

Mishnah Arakhin 2:3

(3) There are never less than twenty-one blasts in the Temple and never more than forty-eight. There are never less than two harps, nor more than six. There are never less than two flutes, nor more than twelve. On twelve days in the year the flute was played before the altar: At the slaughtering of the first pesah, At the killing of the second pesah, On the first festival day of Pesah, On the festival day of Atzeret (Shavuot), And on the eight days of Sukkot. And they did not play on a pipe [abuv] of bronze but on a pipe of reed, because its tune is sweeter. Nor was anything but a single pipe used for closing a tune, because it makes a pleasant finale.

According to the musicologist and historian, A.Z. Idelsohn, the orchestra in the Beit HaMikdash consisted of eight instruments.

The Jerusalem Talmud provides some interesting details about the Temple instruments.

תלמוד ירושלמי סוכה ה׳:ו׳:ב׳-ז׳

... ר' חייה בר בא אמר היא נבל היא כינור נימין יתירות בין זה לזה. אמר רבי חייה בר אבא למה נקרא שמו נבל שהוא מלבין כמה מיני זמר. ר' חונה בשם רב יוסף על ידי עור שאינו עבוד ועל ידי נימין יתירות היה מלבין כמה מיני זמר.

Jerusalem Talmud Sukkah 5:6:2-7

R. Hiya Bar Abba said: the Nevel is the same as the Kinor, except that there are more strings in one (Nevel) than in the other (Kinor).

Furthermore, R. Hiya Bar Abba said: Why is it called a Nevel? Because [through the beauty of its sounds] it shames many kinds of musical instruments [that cannot make such beautiful sounds].

R. Huna in the name of R. Joseph: Because of its hide that is not processed, and because of its extra strings, it shames any number of other musical instruments.

חליל של מקדש של משה היה ושל קנה היה. נשבר ותיקנוה ולא היה קולו ערב כמות שהיה חזרו ונטלוהו וחזר לכמות שהיה.

The Halil that was in the Mikdash came down from the time of Moses, and was made of reed. It became broken and they repaired it, but its sound was not as sweet as it had been. They removed the plate and its sound became as pleasant as it had been before.

צלצל של מקדש של משה היה ושל נחושת היה נשבר ותיקנוהו ולא היה מצלצל כמות שהיה חזרו ונטלוהו וחזר לכמות שהיה.

The Tzitzel that was in the Mikdash came down from the time of Moses, and it was made of copper. It became broken and they repaired it, but its sound was not as pleasant as it had been. They removed the place which had been damaged and it was restored to its original condition.

מגריפה רב ושמואל חד אמר עשרה נקבים היו בה כל אחד ואחד היה מוציא מאה מיני זמר וחורנה אמר מאה נקבים היו בה כל אחד ואחד היה מוציא עשרה מיני זמר מדברי שניהם היתה מוציאה אלף מיני זמר

As to the musical instrument called the Magrephah: Rav and Shmuel, one said: it had ten openings, and each opening produced a hundred notes. The other said: it had a hundred openings, and each opening produced ten notes. In the view of both parties, it produced a thousand notes.

Translations from J. Neusner: Talmud from the Land of Israel, vol. 17: Sukkah p. 130

A.Z. Idelsohn notes the significant differences between the music of Israel, and that of her neighbours.

Images from Idelsohn, A.Z., (1967): Jewish Music in Its Historical Development, Schocken Books pp 5-6

מלכים א י״ח:כ״ו-כ״ח

(כו) וַ֠יִּקְחוּ אֶת־הַפָּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֣ן לָהֶם֮ וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֒ וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ בְשֵׁם־הַ֠בַּעַל מֵהַבֹּ֨קֶר וְעַד־הַצָּהֳרַ֤יִם לֵאמֹר֙ הַבַּ֣עַל עֲנֵ֔נוּ וְאֵ֥ין ק֖וֹל וְאֵ֣ין עֹנֶ֑ה וַֽיְפַסְּח֔וּ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (כז) וַיְהִ֨י בַֽצָּהֳרַ֜יִם וַיְהַתֵּ֧ל בָּהֶ֣ם אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ קִרְא֤וּ בְקוֹל־גָּדוֹל֙ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֣ים ה֔וּא כִּ֣י שִׂ֧יחַ וְכִֽי־שִׂ֛יג ל֖וֹ וְכִֽי־דֶ֣רֶךְ ל֑וֹ אוּלַ֛י יָשֵׁ֥ן ה֖וּא וְיִקָֽץ׃ (כח) וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ בְּק֣וֹל גָּד֔וֹל וַיִּתְגֹּֽדְדוּ֙ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם בַּחֲרָב֖וֹת וּבָֽרְמָחִ֑ים עַד־שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֖ם עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

I Kings 18:26-28

(26) They took the bull that was given them; they prepared it, and invoked Baal by name from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and none who responded; so they performed a hopping dance about the altar that had been set up. (27) When noon came, Elijah mocked them, saying, “Shout louder! After all, he is a god. But he may be in conversation, he may be detained, or he may be on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and will wake up.” (28) So they shouted louder, and gashed themselves with knives and spears, according to their practice, until the blood streamed over them.

Perhaps now with this brief introduction we can feel more intensely the power of the music coursing through our daily prayers.

תהילים ק״נ

(א) הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ הַֽלְלוּ־אֵ֥ל בְּקָדְשׁ֑וֹ הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בִּרְקִ֥יעַ עֻזּֽוֹ׃ (ב) הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בִגְבוּרֹתָ֑יו הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ כְּרֹ֣ב גֻּדְלֽוֹ׃ (ג) הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְּתֵ֣קַע שׁוֹפָ֑ר הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּנֵ֣בֶל וְכִנּֽוֹר׃ (ד) הַֽ֭לְלוּהוּ בְתֹ֣ף וּמָח֑וֹל הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּמִנִּ֥ים וְעוּגָֽב׃ (ה) הַֽלְל֥וּהוּ בְצִלְצְלֵי־שָׁ֑מַע הַֽ֝לְל֗וּהוּ בְּֽצִלְצְלֵ֥י תְרוּעָֽה׃ (ו) כֹּ֣ל הַ֭נְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּ֥ל יָ֗הּ הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

Psalms 150

(1) Hallelujah. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the sky, His stronghold. (2) Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him for His exceeding greatness. (3) Praise Him with blasts of the horn; praise Him with harp and lyre. (4) Praise Him with timbrel and dance; praise Him with lute and pipe. (5) Praise Him with resounding cymbals; praise Him with loud-clashing cymbals. (6) Let all that breathes praise the LORD. Hallelujah.