The kashrus of rock

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

In re our ongoing discussion re whether rock music can ever be kosher 
for prayer:  a (brief) disclaimer, an elegant quote/polemic/teaching, 
and a rejoinder _to_ that teaching.                                             
                                                            
First, the disclaimer (if anybody's interesed):  I'm a folkie 
through-and-through, and personally find _most_ rock (w/ a few 
exceptions like Jefferson Airplane, and see below; and I'm not counting 
the Beatles) spiritually foreign; I need simple, clean sound. BUT:  It 
takes all sorts--and all sorts of souls--to daven (pray), to not-daven, 
to sing a song to the Universe, to be part of our _amcha_; so my 
sensibilities in this regard are hardly the last, or only, word, and I 
don't think _any_ genre or style of music should be ruled out as 
potentially spiritual in kavanah (loosely, intention or intentionality) 
or impact.  Having said _that_, I can't help but admire the elegant 
word-play of a Rabbi Mordechai Gifter, a Rosh Yeshiva, who summed up his 
feelings about "Jewish rock" by quoting verse 20, chapter 11 of 
Bereishit/Genesis, Abraham speaking (he is explaining to king Abimelech 
why he presented Sarah as his sister rather than his wife, and thus 
nearly implicated Abimelech in adultery):  "Rak ein yiras Elokim bamakom 
hazeh"--or, [I, Abraham,
thought,] "Surely there is no fear of God in this place."  So Rabbi 
Gifter quite cleverly cites this verse to mean that if a song can be 
classified as "rock" [!], it is devoid of (the spiritually desirable 
trait of) yiras Hashem (or yiras Elokim)--the fear or awe of God!  Cute.  
BUT, hardly the last word either.  Anyone who thinks rock music ipso 
facto can't convey spiritual intensity should listen to Eric Clapton's 
"Presence of the Lord" on the legendary _Blind Faith_ album he did with 
Steve Winwood, Ginger Baker, and Rick Grech.  Tayku.

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