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Friday, 28 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 8, 2024

The Effect of Non Jewish Music

A woman suffering from severe migraines asked the Rebbe what to do. The answer was to change the music she listens to. Full Story

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To #71
April 19, 2017 7:16 pm

Barvo! That is wonderul. I am sure it makes Malka proud and is a zchus for you, your brother, Rabi Avtzon and Malka!

hachlata
April 19, 2017 5:39 pm

in honor of my brothers bar mitzva i will never listen to music thats not chassidishe or yiddishe

and this article inspired me

Tell us more about Malka
April 19, 2017 5:20 pm

We want more about Malka. Tis story is still alive and happening. Tell us all about her past and her present situation. What state does she live in? Is there a Chabad House near her?

.... continuation
April 19, 2017 11:08 am

But don’t fiool yourself that it is ok. You’ve got to be very oblivious to what you ate listening to to think that it is appropriate for someone who aspires to be frum and chassidish.
And the comment about the rebbe only writing in asei tov. Are you kidding? Or have you just uneducated? The rebbe spoke in positive language but that doesn’t mean he never said no!

Absurd comments
April 19, 2017 11:00 am

Some of the above comments are seriously absurd. If you have a Tayva to listen to secular music I understand that. We live in am open world and we ate often attracted to it. But don’t say that it is the standard of a firm or chassidish Persob

Faith and Commitment
April 18, 2017 11:43 pm

This entire story is about faith and commitment. There is so much of it. It is humbling.

One complete story
April 18, 2017 10:53 pm

I saw bits of the story in various comments and 3 parts. Can we see the complete story?

#14 is right
April 18, 2017 10:31 pm

Sad.but true

To 63
April 16, 2017 3:48 pm

Zehava said she will not meet with Malka. She wrote it’s not her thing. Pity!

Meeting Beween Malka and Zehava
April 16, 2017 2:45 pm

When will this meeting take place?

????
April 16, 2017 2:19 pm

in the shulchan arch it says dont go in the ways of the goyim i think we can all agree that goyish music is the way of the goyim

To #56
April 16, 2017 2:06 pm

I think that sums up the entire Story of Malka: Personal Growth.

The Rebbe guided her to grow and keep growing in every area of her life including making brochas and davening and yom tov and proper music… now even guiding her to Rabbonim to help in building her an eruv.

Chosid
April 16, 2017 2:03 pm

See Rebbe’s views in:

שערי הלכה ומנהג יו”ד סו”ס טז. וראה מבוא לספר הניגונים חב”ד עמ’ יז-יט

To #29
April 16, 2017 12:37 pm

Yes I was. If it was true story of the Rebbe, why did it cause a negative response. The first two accounts were very moving, had a big impact and were a wake up call. Even if someone wanted to deny them, they only had a positive effect and were a eye opener into hashem’s true higher perspective on how things run. Then this story comes questions peoples belief and motivation they had on first two segments. I wanted right way to negate that and I had good intentions. Rabbi Sholom Avtzon afterwards confirmed to me that he can vouch… Read more »

L'kovod Sefiras HaOmer
April 16, 2017 12:12 pm

A story about not listening to music. Just in time for Sefira.

"goyisher music"
April 16, 2017 11:24 am

I am hooked on secular music, kol isha included haven’t ever felt guilty about it and won’t ever stop, face it we don’t live in ghettos anymore and in our enlightened day and age the younger generation is evolving and a younger (after gimmel Tammuz) chabad is as well, so go with the flow or just keep quite.

EXODUS!!!
April 16, 2017 10:31 am

from reading all the comments here, its clear that its not opinions, rather info of who listens to such music and who not. I.E. those who don’t listen are having a easy time resonating with this article. those who till now do, are voicing opposition! THE LESSON HERE IS CLEAR: the number one thing in life – to posses the ability to grow, to leave ones constraints, is – KNOW that you are not perfect. we all have myriads and myriads of things that we do… and guess what, there’s a lot of it that’s flawed! YES WE SHOULD ALL… Read more »

Erev Yom Tov
April 16, 2017 10:31 am

Why aren’t you all cooking for Yom Tov?

To 51
April 16, 2017 9:58 am

I am desperately looking for a mashpia that will allow me to listen to reggae and hip hop music. Any suggestions for such a mashpia? Please list open minded mashpia names!

Love it or Hate it
April 16, 2017 9:09 am

This story is a home run because it got the conversation going. Vhigadita l’bincha, we must tell the story to our children. Very appropriate for Pessach! The Ben Chochom will want to know ma ha’edus…the details of how to apply it. The Ben Rasha will mock it – lochem v’lo lo. But each child needs to hear it. Good story!

Verry nice!
April 16, 2017 9:05 am

I agree with 33

To everyone
April 16, 2017 8:58 am

Speak to ur mashpia!!!!!!!

Touched a Nerve
April 16, 2017 7:40 am

From all these comments it is clear that this story hit home and touched a raw nerve in many people. That means it is either very controversial or extremely relevant. It certainly opened the discussion. The pool is open, dive in!

What is the debate about????
April 16, 2017 7:33 am

Is there really a debate if goyish music is ok or not? Goyish music is bacon for a yid! Bacon is as trief as goyish music. Don’t eat bacon and still try to convince yourself that it’s ok and you are still frum and chassidish. Don’t listen to goyish music and kol ishah and think you are still frum.

Chassidish vs. Frum
April 16, 2017 7:23 am

Can someone be “chassidish” yet not “frum”? I know many “chassidishe” people that are not very “frum”!

If Israeli style music,
April 16, 2017 7:10 am

is imitating secular values, beliefs and reasonings then it’s no different, just the same, only maybe it’s sung in Ivrit by an Isreali singer. Doesn’t make it permissible or better in any way.

#39 - Rebbe wrote that?
April 16, 2017 5:37 am

I can’t believe the Rebbe wrote against goyish music in the Igros! I always thought the Rebbe used “positive” approaches, like add mitzvos, rather than negative, like “keep away from” avoros.

To #42
April 16, 2017 5:31 am

Let’s follow the logic you wrote:

” this shouldn’t be discussed in such an open way because it will make the children and teenagers think about goyisher tumah shvartzer music”

…just like the Torah shouldn’t be discussed in such an open way since it has many issurim that will make our children think about them…

Such logic is silly.

To #30
April 16, 2017 12:55 am

Okay honestly you can’t call yourself chassidishe and frum if that’s what you do it is a BIG deal that you don’t mind listening to women singing and usually frum people do not do this type of thing I agree with #33 100% honestly go fly a kite!

Israeli music?
April 16, 2017 12:55 am

Is Israeli music ok? Eden Ben zaken, cafe shachor chazak, Moshe peretz etc?

What about the children!?
April 16, 2017 12:40 am

Nice artical but i really think this shouldn’t be discussed in such an open way because it will make the children and teenagers think about goyisher tumah shvartzer music

If your soul is not so sensitive, maybe a little grubb,
April 16, 2017 12:26 am

then maybe you wouldn’t be affected by goyishkeit & that music. Mattisyahu was apparently affected by his own music, btw.

Please read
April 16, 2017 12:22 am

This story is not here to threaten you that if you continue listening to non-Jewish music you will get sick. It’s here to illustrate that it could have a negative physical effect other than the obv

THE REBBE: IT'S PIKUACH NEFESH MAMOSH!
April 15, 2017 11:10 pm

The Rebbe addresses the disastrous affect of Goyishe music, in an amazing reply to a famous bandleader (printed in Likutei Sichos volume 38 page 179 and Igros Kodesh volume 29 page 259). Following are excerpts (free translation): ” THE PRESENT REALITY IS, THAT THE POPULAR MUSIC THAT CAPTURES HEARTS AND HAS CAPTURED THE ‘MARKET’, IS NOT ONLY SECULAR, BUT FURTHERMORE, THE ESTABLISHED APPROACH OF THIS MUSIC IS TO IMPACT THE LISTENERS’ YETZER HORA, DESTROYING EXISTING LIMITATIONS AND ORDER (INCLUDING, AND TO OUR VERY GREAT PAIN, MAINLY, IN THE AREA OF TZNIUS) ETC. THIS IS PIKUACH NEFESH MAMOSH (LITERALLY LIFE THREATENING)… Read more »

Even Modern Orthodox
April 15, 2017 10:12 pm

On the YU Torah website you can hear YU’s Rosh Yeshiva tell the YU student body that non-Jewish music is damaging to the Neshama and (even) Modern Orthodox people should not listen to it.

Scientifically
April 15, 2017 10:11 pm

The ears are a gateway into the body. Things can enter our body through the ears.

Also, listening to loud music can damage the ears. Included, ear pods on high volume.

Ears are obviously connected to sinus cavities, head aches, migraines.

Connect the dots.

#32 - Tamar
April 15, 2017 10:00 pm

You should contact Rabbi Avtzan. He seems to be in contact with Malka and can probably give you her phone number. But what is it that you must talk to her about? I am curious.

To comment 30
April 15, 2017 9:45 pm

You may not be aware, but Shulchan aruch doesn’t allow a person to see non tznius images, are there any movies that don’t fall into this category? chassidus most certainly doesn’t allow it unless it’s tznius and helping your Avodas Hashem. Here’s just a thought, we all have our flaws and challenges even if we are mekusher and frum in other areas but as a chossid we should never be satisfied with our current level, we should recognize our weeknesses and work on growing to do more. This is the way of a chossid. And if behashgocha protis you are… Read more »

Yes big deal...
April 15, 2017 9:37 pm

The fact that you find it so hard to stop goyish music shows what a big deal it is….It’s really offensive to tell someone that has lived through an experience that it isn’t true…Commenters please think twice before you post, this may be a hard lesson for you to accept but to retort with a negative comment about the validity of the story in order to feel better about your actions isn’t the right way to go. It is clear that non Jewish music has a negative impact on its listeners….And yes listening to it definitely does make you less… Read more »

to #30
April 15, 2017 9:17 pm

You call yourself “chassidishe”?! You call yourself “frum”?! What makes you chassidish or frum if you watch movies and lisren to kol isha?? You are fooling yourself and living a lie while being spiritually bankrupt.

To Malka
April 15, 2017 9:04 pm

Malka,
Is there any way that I can contact you directly (or through this website)? It is very very important. Please! I must talk to you.
Tamar

it is in the gemara
April 15, 2017 9:00 pm

it is said of Acher, the heretic, that he was always filled with greek music

I love music
April 15, 2017 8:50 pm

I love all music. I am a chassidish bochur. I am a frum bochur. But I enjoy all music. And even if a woman is singing, I don’t mind. It does not make me less chassidish or less frum. Every movie I watch has music and sometimes has women singing. So it is no big deal.

skeptical?
April 15, 2017 8:20 pm

Migraine or not, I know from personal experience, and from friends that non Jewish music DEFINITELY affects you negatively.
The fact that you took everything else she said at face value but then questioned the validity of this particular account, shows how deeply entrenched you are in the alluring but extremely horrific music you’re listening to.
I’m comforted by the fact that you’re arguing this out, on the other hand, because it goes to show how deep down you KNOW it’s wrong and you feel guilty.

We all fell in love with Malka
April 15, 2017 8:18 pm

Please share more about Malka and what she can tell us about her life and encounters with Rebbe. She must have a very lofty soul. She lives a life of inspiration! Please keep the story going!

The Rebbe Has A Way of Sending His Messages
April 15, 2017 7:10 pm

We all believe that the Rebbe has his way of getting his meassage to us. Clearly Malka’s story is giving us a message from the Rebbe. The strong resistance only proves that it is important to get this message. It is obvious that davka now we are getting this story that happened so many years ago because davka now we need to hear it. So let us LISTEN.

"In this third (and for the time being final) segment"
April 15, 2017 6:27 pm

Does that mean no more Malka story??? 🙁

Frum bachur
April 15, 2017 3:21 pm

I am a frum bachur and i enjoy regular music, ppl stop sweating the small stuff, choose your own standards and let others be

Yes it is a Hora kee
April 15, 2017 11:50 am

A song effects and connects your soul to the one who composed the song.
The song is spiritual it is the body of the neshama. That’s why it is so strong and hard to disconnect!! Yes it’s hard but worth it!
There are enough songs our there no need to listen to goyesher music. We eat kosher keep shabbos… and how about feeding our neshama kosher music!

Reply to #8
April 14, 2017 4:20 pm

I grew up with secular music and it caused many bad thoughts in my mind. Why are you skeptical that whatever we see or hear effects us either positively or negatively? Maybe the Rebbe did not commonly offer this advice, but do you think the Rebbe’s guidance was in cookie cutter style?

If you don't believe this story...
April 14, 2017 4:12 pm

The goyish music you are listening to definitely affects you in a negative way…Whether you realize this or not.

to #7
April 14, 2017 4:06 pm

I think its more that she was getting migraines, and then beginning to listen to only Jewish music is what fixed it. Not that the non Jewish music was causing the migraines…..

Rabbi Sholom Avtzon
April 14, 2017 4:00 pm

As I see this third segment, the following comes to mind:( since anyone can write what they want on this website) I don’t recall him repeating this, when he said it over in 770 on yud alef nissan. Why would he request to the readers of The Weekly Story participate in the annual Chinese auction of school at ulyauction.com?

Contacting Malka
April 14, 2017 3:23 pm

Is there available any contact info for Malka? A phone number or email address? I would like to speak to her. It’s important!

Kosher Music
April 14, 2017 3:20 pm

The Rebbe said publicly (if I remember correctly, it was connected to the 71 mosdos established in his honor) that libraries should include Chabad music and music “of the Poilishe Rebbes”, exclusively.
It is well known that music is the “pen of the soul”, and connects the singer to the soul of the composer.

Define Jewish Music
April 14, 2017 3:14 pm

Is Matisyahu considered “Jewish music”? Is Avrohom Fried considered a “Lubavitch music”? What about Benny Friedman? 8th Day? What makes music “Jewish” or “Lubavitch”? If Bruchtshtad or Cunnin makes a song does it become “Lubavitch”?

To #2
April 14, 2017 3:09 pm

They’re just as Jewish as jingle bells and all the other x-mas songs which were mostly made by Jews

A Chabad Problem
April 14, 2017 3:07 pm

Trust me, frum people in all communities don’t listen to goyish music. It’s grand time Chabad goes back to its roots as a frum, al achas kama vekama, Chassidish group…

to #2
April 14, 2017 2:42 pm

no mattisyahu is not considered jewihs. its probably preferable to listen to certain non jewish singers than to listen to him

Why the skepticism
April 14, 2017 2:19 pm

Are you dismissing it to ease your conscience.
Do you really think the Rebbe wants us or allows us to listen to non-Jewish music?
Don’t we all know that Chassidus explains that niggun is the expression of the soul.

I keep kosher and shabbos too
April 14, 2017 1:50 pm

But I won’t ever give up goyish music.

to #7
April 14, 2017 1:40 pm

k.i.t.

proti or kloli
April 14, 2017 1:38 pm

Is this a horaah proti applicable only to Malka or is this a horaah klali applicable to all? If someone doesn’t suffer from migraines, earaches or sinus headaches, can they listen to non-Jewish music? It really is a lot to ask for everyone to just stop listening to such music.

reply to #7
April 14, 2017 1:36 pm

And when the Rebbe instructed individuals to check their tefillin or mezuzah’s and it was found that a letter was missing from their tefillin or mezuzah and after being rectified, the illness etc disappears is that a lesson to others as well?

Unknown
April 14, 2017 1:26 pm

Impossible – great made up story!

misleading title
April 14, 2017 12:54 pm

One woman got migraines, i don’t think one case dictates “the effect” of non Jewish music.

Thank you Rabbi Avtzon
April 14, 2017 12:49 pm

This was a great story. Thank you.

Music connects souls
April 14, 2017 12:43 pm
Very true
April 14, 2017 12:41 pm

Goyish music is bad for your neshama

wow
April 14, 2017 11:57 am

that’s so amazing, thanks for sharing

What about Classical Music?
April 14, 2017 11:18 am

Is Mozart or Beethoven also damaging to the sensitive soul? What “defines” Jewish music? Is Mattisyohu considered Jewish music?

Medicine!
April 14, 2017 11:15 am

Music of a niggun is medicine. That is so true! Everything we see or smell or hear – enters our bodies and effects us. If the music has kedusha – a positive effect. If c”v the music is tuma, it damages us on every level. Seems simple but until we are told about it, we may not realize. Rebbe spoke of effect of Medel the Mouse in old Olomeinu Children’s Magazine. Rebbe spoke against children seeing tumay animals. Now the Rebbe speaks of listening to tumay music. It hurts not just the neshama but the guf (of sensitive people).

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