[HANASHIR:9135] Re: Fwd: Re: halacha against instrumentation

[BEBWH <BEBWH...>]

I would like to respectfully mention the followiing:
<<If one truly believes that the Temple must be physically rebuilt in 
Jerusalem, then 
I understand the feeling that mourning takes the form of exclusion of 
instruments until the Temple is rebuilt.>>  

This is what a Jew believes....belief in the coming of Moshiach is a part of 
our belief system and part and parcel to his arrival is the rebuilding of the 
Third Temple in Jerusalem. So strong a part of us is this belief it is one of 
the Rambams 13 Principals of Faith. 

<< However, if one believes that the rebuilding of the Temple is a virtual 
 rebuilding  ---- not necessarily building a physical place but rather 
 building peace in the world among all peoples ---- ('all the world shall be 
 One - bayom hahu......' ), then we should commit ourselves every day to that 
 end.>>  
You are translating the verse incorrectly, not by traditonal or Orthodox 
standards, but by language. 
Bayom Hahu..on that day, 
Ye'ya Hashem Echad..G-d will be One
U'Shmo Echad..and his name shall be One. 
On that day means - On that day when Moshiach comes
G-d will be One and His name shall be One - meaning that the world (Jewish 
and Non Jewish) will recognize Him, and recognize there is One G-d who 
created the world...On that day all peoples will realize the purpose of their 
creation and act accordingly in a unified manner as one.  
 
<<To me, this means that using instruments honors the memory of the 
ancient Temple and symbolizes its rebuilding.  Think about how we honor the 
memory of deceased loved ones.  We don't deprive ourselves - we act and live 
as they would have wanted us to>>.
Actually we honor the memory of deceased love ones by living lives that we 
feel explifies them and what they stood for,  but first by sitting Shiva. We 
have many restrictions and we deprive ourselves considerably during the Shiva 
period. Then we have Shloshim where we have some less restrictions but we 
still deprive ourselves...and then we have 11 months of mourning where we 
continue to deprive ourselves for an entire year. Music (some say only live) 
is one of the things a mouner may not hear. The absense of music in the 
synagogue as a reminder of the "loss" of the Bais Hamikdash is exactly in 
step with Jewish mourning.  

<<  Perhaps in rabbinic times, prohibiting Temple practices such as using 
 instruments was the path that made sense >>
What has changed that would lift that prohibition? If anything at all one 
could say the situation in Israel demands a greater level of dedication or 
adherence now. Why not try this approach; Cantors and music leaders who 
customarily use insturments on Shabbat announce this week that there will be 
no instruments. It's not because we are mourning the loss of the Bais 
Hamikdash and animal sacrafices but because we are so disturbed about what is 
happening in Israel and the possibility of losing Jerusalem altogether we are 
going tonight to experience the sense of the mourning the Jewish Nation feels 
when there's a calamnity on the horizon. You don;t have to be political. Teyn 
Shabbat V'teyn Shalom B'ir Yerushalayim...there's the opening song...it will 
sound great accapella, imagine people dancing in the aisles. Anyone is 
willing to try it...? 
All the best. 
B Herst

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+