Jewish Musicism

Local News

Written by Doni Joszef

Thursday, 21 June 2007 19:00

Take out iPod. Plug in earphones. Scroll through playlists.
"Jewish music" or "English music"?! Hmmm.
Consciousness enters "dilemma mode."
"English music?! Shtus! Krum! Treif! Vilde Chayas! Feh!"
So. Jewish music it is.
The state-of-mind illustrated above seems to be quite prevalent.

There is a concrete divide between the worlds of "Jewish Music" and "Secular Music," and when presented with the two options, many of us tend to cling to art that touches us in a deeply meaningful way. We want to be moved, inspired, and excited. The art of music can open the heart in a uniquely Divine way. Music has a key to the inner chambers of our souls. This truth does not have to be proved or developed-personal experience with the power of music speaks for itself. Indeed, Rebbe Akiva compares the Kodesh HaKedoshim to the book of Shir HaShirim-"Song of Songs" (Mishnah, Yadayim 3:5 ). We can explain the comparison to teach us-just as the Kodesh HaKedoshim was the innermost domain of the Beis HaMikdash, so does the power of shir-song-dwell in our innermost essence. And, so, we look to fill this inner realm with the song that taps into that personal spot. The tastes, styles, and genres of music vary-each appealing to a different personality-but they all have a common spark of creativity that triggers something within.

An accumulated jumble of thoughts and feelings that have gradually developed over the past several years led me to write this article. Like a progressively expanding snowball, this issue has come up over and over again-hardly acknowledged or explored. I, along with three other friends, have undertaken a music project that has evolved from occasional jamming in Pinny's basement, to the production of an album. We are currently finishing the album, and hope to have it in stores by summer's end. We have named ourselves PHP (if you want to know what it stands for, you'll have to visit PHPJams.com-not because we are trying to advertise ourselves; it's just too intense to explain. You'll understand when you see it!). This project has sort of formed itself-we never had in mind to produce an album; we were simply getting together for the sake of jamming lishma! We met in Sh'or Yoshuv and our common love for improvisational music plunged us into an incredible journey of creative expression. Many of our songs were not premeditated; rather, they, came about naturally as we continued to jam.

As we began to play for organizations such as Aish HaTorah and Rav Yeruchum Goldwasser's kiruv retreats at the Danbury Lake, the project took on a life of its own. Throughout the band's development, we were continuously faced with an identity crisis of sorts. Can our unique improv style fit the rigid mold of Jewish music? We were sure that our music stemmed from the soul. This we had no doubt about. It was just a matter of how to present this unique style to the community. As time went on, we began to realize more and more how much the music meant to us and to the listeners who have expressed a yearning for a newer, fresher sound. We are looking forward to performing live this Monday at the Reads Lane Far Rockaway show with our good friend Nochi Krohn.

Throughout the summer we will be performing at different gigs, including some evening 'jam-sessions' at Camp Morasha, Camp Mesorah, and Aish HaTorah's "Metro Trips." We also plan on visiting our PHP Cabin, an upstate lakeside cottage where we first began this project several summers ago. Visit us at PHPJams.com for updates.

As we eagerly await the release of the PHP debut album, the upcoming Reads Lane outdoor gig will give us an opportunity to share some of our improv jams and album tracks with the community.

Our desire remains constant-to share our art. An artist who uses his creativity to sell himself sabotages his talents and stunts the natural flow of creative expression.

This challenge-to focus on sharing art rather than selling art-is a significant nisayon for every musician. As the velt says, "Never become a sell-out!" That is, share from the heart rather than from the internal desire to please the outside world. Any writer, musician, artist, lecturer, etc. is surely in touch with these nisyonos.

Music is the "soul's art." Many have termed it the language of the soul. Experience has taught us that we can only flourish when our intent is to naturally share what has sprouted from the accumulated seeds of the jam sessions. From Pinny's basement, to the Danbury Lake, to my garage, to Shaya's upstate cabin, to Matt's studio, we have accumulated hundreds of hours of jamming and have finally turned potential into actual at Eitan Kantor's Hyperstudio.

The search for a deeper, fresher, more sincere musical experience presents itself to a large majority of our communities' youth. Although this inner struggle may not pertain to everyone, the underlying principles and roots of the issue certainly touch the core of who we are and how our souls seek the sparks of creativity to guide us in our spiritual journey. The essence of this matter is quite relevant to us all.

How often I hear the words (from others and from within myself): "I really want to listen to Jewish music, I just haven't found a sound that strikes my soul in the way that English music does! I try to stick with Hebrew songs, but it just doesn't do it for me!"

To many, this inner struggle may deem us krum. There are subtle streaks of guilt-imposed from without and within-that continuously nag at our conscience. To share a personal account, I recall a discussion on a shidduch date (what's a Five Towns article without mention of shiduchim?) during which the girl seemed outraged that yeshiva bachurim could call themselves shtark and simultaneously listen to goyisheh shtus! I smiled and nodded my head, as my heart picked up in speed-hoping that she didn't notice the Phish CDs in the car! Had I lost my license as a truth-seeking eved Hashem?

Does this struggle represent a sense of corruption? Has our exposure to the evil forces of secular music polluted, defiled, and mutated our Jewish minds to the extent that Jewish music no longer stimulates the Yiddeshe neshamah?

Perhaps.

Such is certainly the case with regard to certain secular philosophies. For instance, a century ago, the deceptive lures of Communism took captive thousands of Jewish souls. These individuals were so enamored by the ideas of revolution that Toras Hashem no longer penetrated into their hearts.

Interestingly, the Vilna Gaon (Biyur HaGra, Yoreh Deah, 179:13) actually accuses the Rambam of being pulled too deep into secular philosophy that he became misguided in certain Midrashic explanations. (If this strikes you as controversial, you'll have to consult with the Vilna Gaon).

So, maybe the fact that some secular songs touch us in a deeply meaningful way is just an unfortunate result of modernization and unhealthy exposure. Maybe Jewish music is inherently perfect, while English music is inherently evil, and it is we who have the problem.

Or... Maybe we've left out an important ingredient of the mix.

Perhaps Jewish music has the potential to be deeply inspiring-yet, something is missing. It is that something that so many of us are looking for in Jewish music. This missing ingredient is the key to all artistic beauty, and when it is lacking, the soul remains untouched.

The following parable may better illustrate the point.

Imagine two fields. One field contains the seeds for a beautiful garden with magnificent flowers. The other field contains the seeds for banana trees. Clearly, the garden filled with the seeds for stunning flowers should be far more pleasing to the senses than the banana field. Nevertheless, if the flower garden receives no water, while the banana fields are continuously nourished, there will be no comparison. The flower garden will remain desolate while the banana field will be flourishing with life.

In the same way, Jewish music has the potential to be Divinely thrilling and inspiring-far beyond the realm of secular music. Nevertheless, if it lacks the key artistic ingredient, it will remain flat and dull.

So, what is this missing ingredient?

Before we continue, allow me to clarify several terms under discussion.

I realize that phrases such as secular music and Jewish music are extremely vague and require a more definitive qualification. As we know quite well, the term secular music can include an endless variety of genres-spanning from 16th century symphony compositions to horrific heavy-metal screeching to a Barney-the-Dinosaur theme song to a Beatles love song. And, similarly, the term Jewish music can include anything from a Chassidisheh niggun, to a techno-remix rendition of Hava-Nagilah, to the classic kiddy-version of Ma Nishtanah, to a Sephardic drum-beat. Indeed, the realm of music is truly endless. It is, thus, difficult to use such broad terms when discussing the matter at hand.

I will qualify my usage of the term meaningful secular music to songs that speak to the soul rather than the body. When I discuss a type of secular music that moves us deeply, I don't refer to hip-hop or techno beats which are meant to move the body into a groove that originates in clubs and bars. I obviously don't refer to the monstrous noises of heavy-metal bands and alternative rock stars. Again, these beats and (so-called) tunes are meant primarily to move the body into rage or aggression. I surely don't refer to the teeny-bopper boy-bands and poster-girls who are merely pop-icons for teenagers to adore. For the purposes of this essay, the types of secular-music that are deemed moving and meaningful are those that stem from the soul for the sake of entering another's soul. ("Dvarim hayotzim min halev, nichnasim el halev!"). Chazal (Midrash Rabbah Eichah 2:13) clearly state: 'Chochmah bagoyim taamin'-There is wisdom among the goyim. Whether or not we want to acknowledge it, the truth remains that, although the outside world has not been blessed with the gift of Torah [Torah bagoyim al taamin], they have certainly been blessed with poetic and artistic wisdom. Indeed, we find numerous songs of pure poetry that touch on some very personal truths of human nature.

I, personally, am very inspired by so-called jam bands. These are artists who truly live in the moment of creativity. They jam-they don't rehearse the melodies or rhythms beforehand. They simply play from the heart-following the lead of the music. It's been said that true artists allow the painting to paint them-they don't know what the painting will become until the final brushstroke. In the same way, a jam band has no clue where their songs will lead them-they let the song write them. This genre of music has been an ongoing source of inspiration for PHP-as our most powerful musical moments have been those that were least planned.

By no means do I intend to categorize secular musicians as major league stars while demoting Jewish musicians to little league amateurs. Chas v'shalom! In actuality, the emes is quite contrary. As illustrated in the above mentioned banana-tree analogy, Torah-based art has the potential to touch the soul in a way no other means can. A talmid once approached the Chazon Ish, zt"l with an interest to read psychology literature so that he may better understand the dynamics of human consciousness. The Chazon Ish told him to trash the psychology books and open up a Chumash. "If you learn Chumash with Rashi in the right way, you will discover every psychological insight there is to find!" Today, many of us read self-development books-not because they are more insightful than Torah, rather, because we have lost the ability to see through the smokescreens of modern-day distraction to discover the true pearls within the wisdom of Chazal.

In the same way, if we understand the Torah's approach to music, we will, bezrat Hashem, gain the ability to tap into the wellsprings of this Divine art in a way no secular source can. If we want to discover the beauty of Jewish music we certainly must identify what exactly is Jewish about music.

The root of this entire issue involves one of the most sacred facets of avodas Hashem: CREATIVITY. We mustn't underestimate the centrality of this Divine koach in Judaism.

We often associate art and creativity with bohemian, hippy lifestyles-dwelling in solitude-living on herbal tea and forest berries, meditating in the fields, wearing a tie-dyed shirt, hemp-pants, and a worn out pair of hand-made moccasins. Far from the typical yeshiva bocher or magid shiur.

This is simply because we have a misguided perception of the nature of creativity.

To understand the dynamics of this special koach, let's identify the Torah's ultimate artist persona. At first glance, the paradigm artist would surely be Dovid HaMelech-a musician whose poetic portraits continue to touch the deepest realms of every one of us. In truth, however, Chazal tell us that there is an artist whose masterpiece is on an entirely exalted level-Hashem!

The Gemara (Berachos 10a; Megilah 14a ) tells us: "Ein TZUR k'Elokainu, ain TZIYUR k'Eelokainu"-'There is no rock (tzur) like our G-d-There is no artist (tziyur) like our G-d!' The ultimate artist is HaKadosh Baruch Hu. His creativity is the epitome of all creativity. His masterpiece is the paradigm of all masterpieces.

In what way is Hashem's art qualitatively different than human art? Why does the pasuk choose to reveal G-d's 'knack' for creativity with the word tzur?

To be honest, the second question has been bothering me for years. How does the word rock portray artistic expression? Seemingly, the rigid, stuck, unmovable image of a rock depicts anything but the free-flowing, independent, moving characteristics of the creative process! Chazal (Megilah 14a) address the first issue directly by explaining the uniquely spiritual nature of G-d's art: "Hakadosh Baruch Hu TZAR TZURAH BESOCH TZURAH, u'matil ba ruach, v'neshamah..."-whereas typical human art can etch an external image, G-d's art involves a formation within a formation, infusing His creation with a soul, a spiritual element.

The Divine spark of G-dly art is the art within the art. This means that the external portrait, song, or poem is only the shell of an inner art. As the Chovos Halevavos (see hakdamah) constantly emphasizes, life in this world exists in two realms-physicality and spirituality. We are meant to simultaneously elevate these two spheres of existence via the constant nisyonos (spiritual trials) that present themselves to us on a constant basis. Thus, for art to be Divine rather than superficial, it must speak to these two elements of our selves. The tzurah besoch tzurah-art within the art-is what speaks to the soul.

So, how exactly does an individual infuse this inner-soul-art within his work? This is the lesson of the tzur. There is a fundamental difference between a portrait and a sculpture. A typical painting involves a surface that becomes overlaid and covered by colors and designs. Not so with a sculpture. When a rock or stone is carved, the actual art exists within the structure. The goal is to chip away the external rough that covers the inner image. The outer stone is continuously sculpted until the remaining image is naturally revealed, uncovering the "diamond in the rough." The beauty was there the entire time-the creative process was the artist's means to access this inner spark.

This is a tzurah besoch tzurah-art within art. This can explain the usage of tzur-rock-to illustrate the unique quality of spiritual art. True soul-art entails a revelation of what dwells within the deepest essence of the individual. This is where Dovid HaMelech's "musical poetry" stems from-mi'maamakim, from the innermost depths.

What basis do I