Q:
We know that using music to praise Hashem is a wonderful thing. Dovid HaMelech utilized that. But I heard once by a shiur the Rav said that music lessons for children are a waste of time. Could the Rav explain this?
A:
Yes. שירו לו זמרו לו. What does that mean? Shira means not ‘sing’ – shira means poetry, talking in enthusiastic ways. That’s poetry. Then it says then, זמרו לו – sing with music. Not only poetry to Hashem, but to sing with music too. So we see it’s a mitzvah to show your happiness and gratitude to Hashem; and with music too—it’s a mitzvah.
Now, if we teach our children to be grateful to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, that’s the first step. We have to teach them to appreciate all the things that we mentioned before. It’s a very big task. But to teach them first to sing with music before that, is like teaching them first how to blow on a horn, but he doesn’t know what to blow. He has no notes. And therefore, the first thing before music is, you have to train them in thanking Hashem.
Many people play music and don’t thank Hashem. And that’s why it’s a waste of time. If you pass by a music store, you know it’s a place for meshugoyim. Only wild people are inside that place. No decent person goes to a music store today because music is a wildness of the nerves—it excites the nerves for nothing.
But when seeing tzaddikim who learn how to talk about Hakadosh Baruch Hu and thank Him and they want to express themselves—I once went in a certain shtibel. A rebbe was sitting there singing. I can’t forget it. He was singing אנא אנא עבדא דקודשא בריך הוא. It went into my blood! That’s something else. A man had yiras Shamayim; he was singing and I was listening to him. It had a tremendous influence on me.
But some people want to sing and play music and their minds are empty. It’s 100% waste. Just to arouse your nerves by the excitement of music without having your thoughts accompanying is nothing.
And that’s why it’s so important to teach our children to sing to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for everything in life. שירו לו – That’s the first thing. And after they accomplish that, if they’re already perfect in that, then you can say זמרו לו – then teach them music, yes.
December 23, 1999
