General
I received a lot of feedback about my previous posts concerning the seven-note scale in Kabbalah. Unfortunately, upon further investigation, it seems clear that the seven-note scale doesn’t have a basis in traditional Jewish sources (i.e. the Talmud, Zohar, etc).
The best source I found is from Rabbi Shmuel Stern, in Shir Bina – his excellent book about Torah and music. He makes the following disclaimer before his chapter about musical scales and Kabbalah:
“This entire book was written after much thought and analysis, nevertheless this section [about scales, other concepts in music theory, and Kabbalah] is only conjecture. That is because there is no source from the Sages to rely upon. Due to our sins, our wisdom and understanding has been lost. It has been exiled from us [and given] to the nations of the world.”
In other words, you can learn many cool ideas and parallels between the seven-note scale and Kabbalah, but they are only that – cool ideas. They are not rooted in the older classical sources.
Rabbi Stern clarifies further: “The musical scale has seven notes [per octave] and we consider it to have seven levels. But this does not apply to Mizrachi music. Mizrachi music is based on much smaller divisions [of the octave].”
I.e. the seven-note scale is a Western idea. It is not a universal musical truth.
There is a lot of amazing Torah – particularly from Hasidic Rabbis – based on the idea of a seven-note scale. The Hasidic movement started during the Baroque period. By that time the seven-note scale and the modern concept of key were firmly established in Western music. Similar to Rabbi Stern in Shir Bina, it is best to say that the Hasidic Rabbis were discussing interesting ideas based on the music of their day.
A few people mentioned that the GRA stated there would be an eighth note in the Messianic era. (The Art Scroll Siddur makes a similar point in its commentary on Kabbalos Shabbos.) See my last post about the Talmud in Arachin 13B where I discuss this in more depth.
There are many parallels between Western music and Jewish thought. These ideas aren’t universal, but they are still very interesting.
February 25th, 2011
In my last post, I mentioned that there doesn’t seem to be a source for a seven-note scale in traditional Judaism. A few people mentioned a famous quote from the Talmud (plus a few later sources probably based on it). As you will see, it is cool, but it isn’t a source for the seven-note scale.
The Talmud in Arachin page 13B presents what you might think is evidence that the Sages had a seven-note scale.
The Mishna states that a Levi, if he is still a child, may sing in the Temple but may not play the kinor or nevel. (The kinor and nevel are musical instruments. The kinor is a type of stringed instrument. The nevel is probably a wind instrument.)
The Talmud presents an argument that Rebbe Yehuda – one of the principle Rabbis from the Mishniac period – considers the kinor and nevel the same instrument. If that is true, then the Mishna is inconsistent with Rebbe Yehuda’s opinion (and that is a big problem based on the way the Talmud understands its sources).
The possible inconsistency is based on a Baraisa (a contemporary source from the same time period as the Mishna). The Baraisa states that the kinor had 7 strings in the Temple. It will have 8 strings in the Messianic era. And it will have 10 strings in the World to Come. The Baraisa brings verses to support each level. The verse supporting the idea of 10 strings calls the instrument a nevel (and hence the reason to consider the kinor and nevel the same instrument).
Before I tell you the Talmud’s answer, there are two ways to learn the Baraisa.
#1 – The 7 strings on the kinor could be the Talmud way of stating that the musical system the Sages favored was based on a seven-note scale. In the Messianic era our perception of harmony will change and the new scale will be based on 8 notes (the same being true for the 10-note scale in the World to Come).
#2 – Or the Baraisa could be referring to timbre (the acoustical properties of the particular instruments). The additional strings added to the kinor would reflect a change in the timbre of the instrument. It would not reflect any change in the harmonic system.
Unfortunately, if you are looking for a reference for a seven-note scale in traditional Jewish sources, you won’t find it here.
The Talmud answers that indeed the Mishna can also work according to the opinion Rebbe Yehuda. The kinor will have 10 strings in the World to Come. And because of the rich tone of the 10-string kinor, the verse calls the kinor a nevel. But it is not a nevel. It is a kinor (and therefore even Rebbe Yehuda considers them different instruments).
Point #1 – the Baraisa is clearly talking about timbre. The kinor is called a nevel because of its enhanced acoustical properties. The name change and additional strings have nothing to do with scales or harmony.
Point #2 – notice that only the kinor is changed (additional strings are added) – the nevel is not. It is still the same nevel. The kinor is called a nevel because it has a bigger sound. But the kinor is compared to the same nevel from nowadays. Obviously, the sound of the kinor has changed. But our perception of harmony and sound has not.
And based on this, we still have no idea how many notes were in the scale used in traditional Judaism.
February 25th, 2011
The Torah has a lot to say about music. It is deep and very powerful. But unfortunately, many people are mistaken about the nature of music. And many people make definitive statements about music in Kabbalah that I think are based on a mistaken assumption.
You will see a lot of discussions about the number seven. Seven days in the week. Seven colors in the rainbow. And seven notes in the musical scale.
The problem is that the seven-note musical scale is highly subjective. It is not a universal. To my knowledge, it does not exist in most cultures.
The seven-note scale is a Western invention. It is found primarily in European classical music. Although the concept of a diatonic scale has been around since the time of the Greeks, the modern concept of key is only a few hundred years old. And even within Western music, Western folk music – particularly the blues, jazz, and rock – contain notes not found in the classical seven-note scale. (The famous blue note – you probably sing it all the time – isn’t on your piano.)
The octave is universal and found in most music around the world. How you divide the octave into a scale varies from culture to culture. There may be a scientific basis for the seven-note scale (based on the harmonic series), but it isn’t used in most cultures. I doubt that music based on the seven-note major and minor scales was sung in the Temple.
I am not aware of any statements by Chazal in regards to a seven-note scale. I don’t believe it is in the Zohar either. The statements I have seen and heard about the seven-note scale have been exclusively from Ashkenazi rabbanim. I have not seen similar statements from Sephardi rabbanim. And that makes sense. Sephardim come from a world that does not use a seven-note scale.
That said, discussions about a seven-note scale in Kabbalah are nice, but they probably aren’t emes.
If someone has heard or seen evidence contradicting what I said – I would love to see it. I would be thrilled to learn that Chazal had a seven-note scale. If the Jewish idea of music includes a seven-note scale, then although it is subjective, it is consistent and part of a system. And that works. But I need a source.
February 17th, 2011
My third and newest book - Discover This - is due out this summer. Stay tuned! Go here to find out more and get involved.
May 26th, 2010
February was awesome. I spoke 19 times at 14 different locations to 572 people. NICE. Aish Connections named me Speaker of the Month. Book me now before I raise my rates!
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March 5th, 2010
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April 17th, 2009
Great news! My new book is out. This book is everything you ever wanted to know about word-of-mouth recruitment on a college campus. You will learn about the 12 standard recruitment techniques: what works, what doesn’t, and why. And then you will learn all the secrets to generate real word-of-mouth. Get people talking about your club, group, trip, event, or whatever it is you do!
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February 23rd, 2009
Good news.
Fluffy scored her second “kill” this morning.
Found this morning at the bottom of the stairs was a mouse – lifeless, dead. Fluffy was next to her trophy (and made sure we all saw).
Fluffy’s first “kill” was on Rosh Hashanah, although she was still taunting her pray when we left the house and therefore the “kill” remains unconfirmed. But today’s – what a treat.
I think we’ll serve fish for dinner, unless someone can suggest something better.
November 4th, 2008
The mice are running rampant in my house – or at least they were.
Mice were in the walls, behind the stove, under the fridge, in the garage, by the couch – anywhere you would expect mice to be – they were there.
We tried professionals – they were useless. The “professionals” blocked up holes and within a day the mice made new ones.
We tried poison – the mice ate the poison and became immune.
We tried traps (glue, old fashioned snap-the-head-off traps, plastic hut traps) – the mice avoided them.
I watched the mice, found their points of entry and then set traps in those spots (anticipating a massacre) – the mice emerged unscathed. We even found traps unsnapped with the bait gone.
Enter Fluffy.
Fluffy lives for the hunt. Her instinct is to attack and kill. She dreams about blood and mouse flesh in her teeth.
The mice are aware of this new predator in their midst and they run in fear. Yes, you can still hear the occasional scurrying in the walls, but gone are the brave forays into the kitchen or out into the open space of the living room (and I suspect even the scurrying will soon come to an end).
Fluffy is still in training. She hones her skills attacking plastic bags, shoelaces, and children. But her killer instincts are apparent to all and I almost pity the first mouse to cross her path.
July 29th, 2008
I guess I must really be a Bostonian now. Why? Because I grew up in New Jersey and always rooted for the Giants. They were my team – you know, LT, Phil Simms, Leonard Marshall, little Joe Morris – they were awesome and I was loyal – I stuck with them through the dark Ray Handley days and everything.
Once I moved to Boston, I kept my soft spot for the Giants, but I was able to justify liking the Pats because Bill Belichick had been the defensive coach for the Giants in the 80’s and through the 1991 Super Bowl.
But I was bummed on Sunday – how did that happen? How did I get to be so “Boston”?
February 5th, 2008
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