Kiryas Joel, NY – At a benefit for Kiryas Joel organizations, Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, generally known as the Satmar Rebbe, called on Chassidim not to send their children to music lessons.
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Though he normally speaks out on key issues at the annual gathering held on 21 Kislev to mark the first Satmar Rebbe’s miraculous escape from Auschwitz, this year he raised important points a few weeks earlier at a dinner held at Beis Rochel.
He placed emphasis on instructing his followers not to bring “keilim temei’im” into their homes, referring to Internet and video. According to Israeli website Maariv, the Rebbe then surprised listeners by speaking out against music lessons.
He urged his followers to beware of giving tzedokoh to “outside” organizations that reportedly hold private fundraising events featuring screened presentations, saying these events are inappropriate for “the holy city of Kiryas Yoel.”
gee, do u really think everyone will throw out their computers bec he said so? imagine those kids who are taking lessons and loving it being told now they have to stop taking lessons? what about all the music teachers that are counting on this income to pay their rent and bills?
and to tell them not to give charity else where???/ when they are sick and need chai lifeline will they know the number? what about bonei oloam? will they not use their services if the need it? and hundreds of other organizatons??
OMG! there are so many other important stuff to talk about…like child abuse, sinas chinam, lashon horah, bein adom lchveroh and this is what he chooses to talk about?
I feel bad for these little kinderlach that will find out that they can no longer get their music lessons and will have to look for other outlets, which is?
Keep the kids locked up and out of touch. This way when they do see a musical instrument they’ll like it so much that they’ll rebel in order to have it. And when they start to rebel, it won’t end there. Rav Aharon Shlita is generally quite a smart man but he has to constantly one-up his brother in showing that he is the greater zealot, otherwise he loses. Xenophobia has its limits. They should better concentrate on educating the children in yiddishkeit and the kids will remain chasidish b’darchei avoseini hakedoshim. How does one equate musical instruments with video games? Video is avi avos hatumah.
Videos is already “asor” by the satmer gdoilim the past 15 years. And music lesson itself what’s wrong? Could anybody pls explain
What is the issue with music lessons?
I’m not being facetious I just want to understand. I beg my kids to develop an interest in music.
I know of a friend of mine who is from Chabad went to the Old Satmar Rebbe Reb Yoel ZT”L and asked for a Nedovo for his Chabad Mosad the Rebbe stood up and went to a cabinet and Gave him the Tzedoko. BTW what we see VIN quoting from Maariv is not neccesarily true or mifght be taken out of context.
As the Belzer Rebbe Shlita and the Gerrer Rebbe Shlita lead their followers and constantly strive to upgrade them in their levels of Yiddishkeit and educate them against the temptations of the open world, they also recognize that their communities must be flexible within the parameters of chasidus and Yiddishkeit. These Rebbes recognize the need for heimishe professionals. They recognize that chanoch l’naar al pi darko. You can’t legislate across the board absolute strictness or you’ll start losing the followers who are on the edges of the community.
I dont know if everyone will trow out the computer but when he said to his chasidim to start using Jnet. the company Jnet reported a huge increase in custoemrs. so my hands up to him. he is a true Torah leader.
How about making a Kiddush Hashem and seting a good example by making SHOLOM with your brother. Every other day there is another absurd story coming out of his own backyard, about how some of his Chassidim are fighting with his brother’s chassidim and this is what he’s focused on, Videos music lessons, Kli Tumah, what could be more tumadik then Machlokes?!
wow if someone is born with a music talent what should he do??????????
Hello satmar is known for being the most charetibule of alll sects and this music thing makes no sens but than again look who the source is so the chance this story is true is very slim coming from ma’ariv come on give me a break
According to Israeli web site Maariv the Rabbe also took advantage of the opportunity to urge his followers not to give tzedokoh to “outside” organizations, but to channel funds to Kiryat Yoel organizations.
this is not true, i was there, he said the opposite.
No music? It is proven children involved with classical music score higher and do better in their studies. How sad.
With out being disrespectful to the Rebbe, what is he talking about? Why should he ban this things?
Obviously one shouldn`t watch hollywood movies, but what about kosher videos that promote a yiddishe cause? or educational videos for children or even adults, that help us learn and understand things, particulary torah e.g videos about birchas hachama or how to check vegetables for bugs?
And music lessons? that is even more ridcuolus. Now I don`t know about the Rebbe but in the gemaras that i learn there is often reference to musical instruments particulary in regard of the beis hamkidash and the levim playing there. what about at chusanas and the like? and this sefer called tehillim written by the holy david hamelech, just the parts that we read in pesuki d’zmira everyday talk of all sorts of musical instruments. Without lessons, how is one meant to learn to play these instruments to the high level fitting for the beis hamikdash or an holy yiddishe chausna. I notice that he bans sending children to lessons, but has with anything, and it is often noted about talmedi chachim and their torah learning, a good start from a young age is what promotes excellnce in any skill
What is he offering in lieu of banning music lessons, film strips, etc. Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum used to say if you ban s/t you need to offer s/t in its place. No, no, no is not good enough, what is yes, okay and fine?
…and no math, history, science or english education either. let’s continue to raise a generation after generation of sheeple.
There’s no doubt that Dovid HaMelech would be banned from Kiryas Joel for playing his harp there. But the real question is would Dovid HaMelech recognize the ideologies of Kiryas Joel as authentic Judaism?
As an outsider, I find some of these gezairos a bit disturbing. I find them problematic.
What is wrong with music lessons? I agree that a child without the knack for music may not need or benefit from such lessons. But music has a lofty place in avodas Hashem (check Tehilim if you have any doubt).
I understand well that each leader of a kehila has their interests in mind and wishes to have tzedokoh money for its upkeep. But that does not exclude other tzedokos. I believe it is wrong to drive people away from other worthy causes.
Are these gezairos equivalent to the pattern of banning things? All that was accomplished with bans was the exercising of power, not any benefit in tikum olam. That has been obvious. Is this the same mistake?
Who will play the violins for the “rebbe” in the sucah?
Why is everything a joke.
We all know what’s right and wrong, and obvisly he was talking to his people that went and hopfuly want to listen. So everyone else dosn’t matter and he can say what he wants. And no I’m not a satmar Chusid. I go to my rebbe and try to listen what he says.
stop treating the children like they are criminals and let them take their music lessons. otherwise they will become criminals. is this what you are looking for, Rabbi?
I guess Dovid HaMelech will now have to put away his harp.
Spending millions on lawyers in secular courts is mutar?
maybe the music lessons makes a child feel good about themselves, uplifting their self esteem giving them a feeling that others will like them even thou they are not good in learning and then the child will say he will try to excell in his learning and not go off onto the streets and do things he should not be doing.
So every community should support their own Mosdos? Great! I will mention that to him the next time he comes down to Lawrence….. I doubt he will mention that to Alex Edelman whose house in Lawrence he visits and makes a parlor meeting in, every year…..
He want to voice lessons, and he won’t to stop it?
First of all This article is from the ma’ariv so it has to be taken with a grain of salt. I’m positive the Stamar Rebbe did not say it so bluntly “don’t give to outsiders”, reality proves otherwise.
Also, There is a clear halacha that “Aniyei ircha koidmin” (i.e. the poor of your town come first).
Being that the satmars probably wouldn’t be frequenting the internet, they are not given a chance here to give the other side of the story, or put it into context.
If you had any doubt, Teitelbaum has lost his mind….Even the torah speaks of many of the gadolim who would play musicial instruments and you can go online and see many of the other chassidus playing music in honor or their rebbeim. The same goes for films where everywhere else in klal yisorel films that show proper subjects with deference to tzinius are shown freely and without limitation. He is clearly trying to make certain his followers mindlessly become a kehillah of dysfucntional cave dwellers. May hashem yarachem on anyone who must live under this meshugaas.
It’s difficult to hear this without help in making sense of it. It would help to have an explanation (other than political).
I have seen that some music teachers are dismissive of Jewish music and feel one can only learn to play properly through non-Jewish classics. But, HKBH gave some of us a strong talent for music, and showed us that He wants us to play and sing music. So what is the answer?
Who will be playing as “one man band” at satmar weddings? A satmar can no longer play at weddings – beacuse it showes he had R’L’ music lessons. I geuss they will have to hire from now on Belzer Yingaleit to play.
Who will be the future musicians in the KJ Orchestra ?
Every Rabbi has to guide his community in the way he feels it is appropiate for them.The rebbe did not recommend this takana for all communities.
Did he say to ban musical instruments? What is the big deal? If someone has musical talent, enjoy it, but don’t try to overdo it by giving music lessons that become more important to the child than learning.
I have a question about bayis shlishi, bimheirah. Is the takanah about not giving music lessons l’olam or will it be lifted in the times of the beis hamikdosh. If it will be lifted, will it be lifted for everyone or just Leviim and I assume Dovid Hamelech. If it will not be lifted, will we depend on the tchiyas hamesim of Jewish musicians or will be depend on non-musicians acquiring the skill by ruach hakodesh instead of lessons?
Music is maharess halave. and that is one of the basics of Chassidis
A lot of Hollywood movies have a lot of Torah hidden in them too. I’m not saying that chasidesh kids should all start watching them, but if they do, it shouldn’t be automatically considered bad.
the rabbys followers r busy with closing a bes medrosh that was open 30 years who took of R mier bal hanes pishekes in his bes medrosh all 4 politics coudnt anything 2 tal but music lessons … ramarkable
Shira is the second biggest avoida after Torah [talmud Arochin], not only isn’t it asur it is muter & a very good thing. In the hallukos we speak about all instruments of praisng HKB”H.
That said, it is time to get your own house in order, B4 preaching. Since when is court permited?
To the followers it is time to get a rebbe that not only could learn, but that has some seichel & a little yiras shomayim, not just a zealot preacher, with yichus.
Did the president of KJ also sign an executive order to abolish Beis Din?
the rabby himself went 4 voice lessons 2 somebody in seagate 4 years (not that it helped him) was that miter then?
No wonder Chasidishe music these days is filled with goyishe crap music that they imitate from rappers and madona. Where will they produce their own tunes when no one is allowed to learn musical instruments the most purest form of music and develop musical talents? Unless you are Mozart or Shubert, kids won’t be able to learn instruments on their own properly just like you can’t learn any other subject without a Rabbi, teacher, professor etc…
These type of “rebbes” are perverting Torah and what Hashem really wants from his people in this world. Teitelbaum should worry more about the ugly war between clans that they created and less about children playing violins and piano.
what should I tell you. I remember when I was a kid. I was an average kid. my father decided I should take music lessons. that was the start of my yerida. after a half year my melamed & menahl asked me what happened in the last 1/2 year. but by then it was over. I wish the rabbi would speek then.
Coming from a so called Rabbi who has created the biggest chillul hashem, sinas chinam and going to the secular courts, I would not take anything he says seriously.
A phony who sold the aibishter for a few dollars and some kuvod.
He should tell them not to close shuls
first the israelis destroy yiddish, now rabbi teitelbaum wants to destroy kelzmer music? there is no logic to this? in the shetels in europe this would have never stood. how do you issue a rabbinical order telling people not to play their violins?
i expect illogical rabbinical rulings from israeli rabbis.
It is a well known fact that the Satmar Kehillas WORLDWIDE are the biggest baaley Tzeduke who give to EVERY cause and individual regardless of their affiliation. Obviously the Rebbe did not imply that what was quoted by a secular newspaper that jumps at every oportunity to show Satmar in a bad light.
I wouldn’t mind so much if he had said ONLY CLASSICAL music lessons is good, but not other types of music.
Actually, on a lighter side, i would be interested in a “to do” list on what to make ossur. Maybe it will soon become ossur to eat vegetables, but i don’t think it will become ossur to eat white sugar, or drink coffee, in the forseeable future.
For me, he, is supposed to be one of my big rebbes, although i am not under him, in particular. So I feel i can say (in great distress), that i am rather suspicous if he said this at all, or if he knows what he’s talking about if he did.
This almost reminds of Pesach time when everyone decides what they no longer eat- sorry it is not about Halocho.It is about who is more “machmir” and there is an element of competition.One up on the other.That is why some Rebbe comes up with some new prohibition to show how much more “careful” he is.The more you do that, it sometimes has the opposite effect on individuals who can think for themselves too.Can anyone read between the lines and see what is really going on?It is absurd that children shouldn’t take music lessons.Maybe as the person said he should make up with his brother.Don’t you think this is a bit more crucial?
Regardless of what the Satmar Rebbe said – whatever it was – Maariv should never be trusted to be a source. I wouldn’t take their word that it was raining unless I was standing in the raining getting wet. myself.