[Fwd: The kashrus of rock]

[Kame'a Media <media...>]

Robert Cohen wrote:
> 
> 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.
> 

In the words of late folksinger/bluesman Brownie McGee:
"All music is folk music;  I ain't never heard no  horse sing..."

The rest is  commentary.

Wolf Krakowski
www.kamea.com

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