Question: What are the potential negative powers of music?

Answer: It’s well known that the Vilna Gaon (a great 18th Century Rabbi) taught that one of the essential wisdoms required for understanding Kaballah in its depths is knowledge of the wisdom of music.

To give full disclosure, I don’t know anything about Kaballah, and my knowledge of music doesn’t extend far past my knowing that I enjoy it. But the Vilna Gaon’s teaching should wake us all up to realizing that there’s more to music than catchy tunes. Let’s investigate some places where music comes up in the Torah and try figuring out what it’s about.

At first glance, the Torah sounds very pro-music.

The Tribe of Levi is commanded to supply singers and musicians for the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash (Tabernacle & Temple), providing moving musical accompaniment while their cousins, the Kohens (the priestly class), bring the communal offerings. (more…)