Turning it Down to 10

Yesterday was the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, which marks the beginning of a very difficult three week period in the Jewish calendar. OU.org has a long and depressing list of the stuff that happened during this period each year in Jewish history. As a result, there is another list of things prohibited to observant Jews during this period.

As a musician, it's always difficult for me to reconcile my lifestyle with one particular prohibition:

Dancing and playing musical instruments are prohibited during the three weeks (MA 551-10, MB-16, KH-39), this includes music tapes (Silmas Chaim 29-1, Halachos Moshe (Mamon) 43, Kapi Aharon 52, Igros Moshe Vol 6 OC 21-4, YD Vol. 6-32). However, one may sing without any musical accompaniment (Sedai Chemed 1-10, Yalkut Yosef Daf 561 (5)). One may not attend a music concert.

Every Rabbi I've consulted thus far, though, has pointed me in the direction of the same loophole:

A musician who earns his living by playing may play the instrument until Rosh Chodosh (PM Eshel Avraham 551-10, KH-39, Mahram Shick YD 368, Zachar Simcha 67).

So I believe I'm in the clear for the next couple weeks or so. But I'm definitely not the only one with this problem. Considering the number of people who believe there should be a Grammy category for "Best Jewish Album," and the multitude of orthodox Jewish musical acts in existence, and the ubiquity of recorded music these days, there are lots of creative ways around this prohibition. For example, the Miami Boys Choir, a scary chorus of young Jewish boys singing hugely influential melodies in pre-pubescent voices, has produced an album specifically for Jewish mourning periods entirely a capella. There's even a really good Chicago a capella outfit called Shircago that promotes its music heavily during this time each year.

I consulted another Rabbi again this year, and he and I both disagree with this philosophy. This is a mourning period, so if Stereo Sinai were going to be recording and promoting our music during these next three weeks, let it be introspective and sorrowful music. Whether the music is a capella or not is irrelevant to the emotion it should evoke now. It's a sad time, and I believe my art should reflect that sadness, as all good art does.

Like the great rock multi-instrumentalist Nigel Tufnel, Stereo Sinai's music is at 11 almost all year round. But for a little while, to remember the sadder times, we can be at 10.