ื‘ืกืดื“

Kavanot: Klezmer Band

Thoughts on Tanach and the Davening

Last time, we discussed the idea that ืฉื™ืจื”, the song of the Levites in the Temple, was commanded in the Torah from the verse,

ื•ึฐื›ึดื™ ื™ึธื‘ึนื ื”ึทืœึผึตื•ึดื™ ืžึตืึทื—ึทื“ ืฉืึฐืขึธืจึถื™ืšึธ ืžึดื›ึผึธืœ ื™ึดืฉื‚ึฐืจึธืึตืœ ืึฒืฉืึถืจ ื”ื•ึผื ื’ึผึธืจ ืฉืึธื; ื•ึผื‘ึธื ื‘ึผึฐื›ึธืœ ืึทื•ึผึทืช ื ึทืคึฐืฉืื•ึน ืึถืœ ื”ึทืžึผึธืงื•ึนื ืึฒืฉืึถืจ ื™ึดื‘ึฐื—ึทืจ ื™ึฐื“ื•ึธื“ืƒ ื– ื•ึฐืฉืึตืจึตืช ื‘ึผึฐืฉืึตื ื™ึฐื“ื•ึธื“ ืึฑึพืœึนื”ึธื™ื• ื›ึผึฐื›ึธืœ ืึถื—ึธื™ื• ื”ึทืœึฐื•ึดื™ึผึดื ื”ึธืขึนืžึฐื“ึดื™ื ืฉืึธื ืœึดืคึฐื ึตื™ ื™ึฐื“ื•ึธื“ืƒ

ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ืคืจืง ื™ื—

and the Gemara says (ืขืจื›ื™ืŸ ื™ื,ื)โ€Ž ืื™ื–ื”ื• ืฉื™ืจื•ืช ืฉื‘ืฉื? ื”ื•ื™ ืื•ืžืจ ื–ื” ืฉื™ืจื”. Phyllis Shapiro noted that ืฉืึตืจื•ึผืช, service, and ืฉืึดื™ืจึธื”, song,look like they ought to have some liguistic connection. But I canโ€™t find anything. The gemara there is willing to say ืืœ ืชื™ืงืจื™ ื™ึธืกึนืจ ืืœื ื™ึธืฉืึดื™ืจ to learn the laws of ืฉื™ืจื”, but nothing about ืฉืึตืจื•ึผืช.

Even Hirsch, who has a whole system of etymological derivations, has nothing. In the Etymological Biblical Dictionary of Hebrew, based on Rav Hirschโ€™s writings, associates ืฉืจืช, serve, with ืฉืจื“, separate, and ืฉืจื˜, cut. ืฉื™ืจ, sing, is associated with many roots like ืกื™ืจ, contain, ืฆื™ืจ, connect, ื™ืฉืจ, strengthen, and ืฉืจืจ, concentrate. But they are not connected to each other.

Levites Singing

So if ืฉื™ืจื” is a ืžืฆื•ื” ื“ืื•ืจื™ืชื, then what was Davidโ€™s innovation? We know he set up a system and a schedule for the ืฉื™ืจื”, and wrote the words (and possibly the music) for much of what was later used in the ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ, but the biggest innovation seems to be the instrumental accompaniment. Thereโ€™s an argument in the Mishna about who played the instruments:

ื•ืขื‘ื“ื™ ื”ื›ื•ื”ื ื™ื ื”ื™ื•, ื“ื‘ืจื™ ืจื‘ื™ ืžืื™ืจโ€ฆืจื‘ื™ ื—ื ื ื™ื” ื‘ืŸ ืื ื˜ื™ื’ื ื•ืก ืื•ืžืจ, ืœื•ื™ื™ื ื”ื™ื•.

ืžืฉื ื” ืขืจื›ื™ืŸ ื‘:ื“

And the Gemara tries to connect this to the question of whether the ืžืฆื•ื” of ืฉื™ืจื” was the vocal song, or the instrumentation:

ืœื™ืžื ื‘ื”ื ืงืžื™ืคืœื’ื™ ื“ืžืดื“ ืขื‘ื“ื™ื ื”ื™ื• ืงืกื‘ืจ ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ืคื” ื•ื›ืœื™ ืœื‘ืกื•ืžื™ ืงืœื ื”ื•ื ื“ืขื‘ื™ื“ื ื•ืžืดื“ ืœื•ื™ื ื”ื™ื• ืงืกื‘ืจ ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ื›ืœื™โ€ฆืœืขื•ืœื ืงืกื‘ืจ: ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ืคื”.

ืขืจื›ื™ืŸ ื™ื,ื

The conclusion is that it is the vocals that are the essence of the ืžืฆื•ื”, and we would conclude from our reading of ืชื ืดืš that in fact David introduced the instruments.

This has implications ืœื”ืœื›ื”:

ืชื ื• ืจื‘ื ืŸ: ื”ื—ืœื™ืœ ื“ื•ื—ื” ืืช ื”ืฉื‘ืช, ื“ื‘ืจื™ ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื•ืกื™ ื‘ืจ ื™ื”ื•ื“ื”, ื•ื—ื›ืžื™ื ืื•ืžืจื™ื: ืืฃ ื™ื•ื ื˜ื•ื‘ ืื™ื ื• ื“ื•ื—ื”. ืืžืจ ืจื‘ ื™ื•ืกืฃ: ืžื—ืœื•ืงืช ื‘ืฉื™ืจ ืฉืœ ืงืจื‘ืŸ, ื“ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื•ืกื™ ืกื‘ืจ: ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ื›ืœื™, ื•ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื”ื™ื, ื•ื“ื•ื—ื” ืืช ื”ืฉื‘ืช. ื•ืจื‘ื ืŸ ืกื‘ืจื™: ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ืคื”, ื•ืœืื• ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” ื”ื™ื, ื•ืื™ื ื” ื“ื•ื—ื” ืืช ื”ืฉื‘ืช. ืื‘ืœ ืฉื™ืจ ืฉืœ ืฉื•ืื‘ื”โ€”ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื›ืœ ืฉืžื—ื” ื”ื™ื ื•ืื™ื ื” ื“ื•ื—ื” ืืช ื”ืฉื‘ืช.

ืกื•ื›ื” ื ,ื‘

However, playing instruments should not be a problem even if there is no ืžืฆื•ื”, since the whole concept of ืฉื‘ื•ืช, the rabbinic prohibitions that โ€œsurroundโ€ the laws of Shabbat, donโ€™t apply in the ืžืงื“ืฉ:

ืื™ืŸ ืฉื‘ื•ืช ื‘ืžืงื“ืฉ ื”ื•ื ื›ืœืœ ื‘ื”ืœื›ื•ืช ืฉื‘ืช ื”ืงื•ื‘ืข ืฉื“ื‘ืจื™ื ืฉื—ื›ืžื™ื ืืกืจื•ื ืžืฉื•ื ืฉื‘ื•ืช, ืื™ื ื ืืกื•ืจื™ื ื‘ืžืงื“ืฉ.

ื”ื˜ืขื ืฉืื™ืŸ ืฉื‘ื•ืช ื‘ืžืงื“ืฉ, ืœืคื™ ืฉื”ื›ื”ื ื™ื ื–ืจื™ื–ื™ื ื”ื, ื•ื™ื•ื“ืขื™ื ืœื”ื™ื–ื”ืจ ืฉืœื ื™ื‘ื•ืื• ืœื™ื“ื™ ืื™ืกื•ืจ ืชื•ืจื”. ื•ืœืคื™ื›ืš ืœื ื’ื–ืจื• ื—ื›ืžื™ื ืขืœ ืฉื‘ื•ืช ื‘ืžืงื“ืฉ.

[ืจืื” ืขื™ืจื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ืงื‘,ื‘ ]
ื•ื™ืงื™ืฉื™ื‘ื”, ืื™ืŸ ืฉื‘ื•ืช ื‘ืžืงื“ืฉ

Tosaphot explains that the argument is about tuning or repairing the instruments:

ื•ืจื‘ื ืŸ ืกื‘ืจื™ ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ืคื”: ืชื™ืžื”โ€ฆืœื ืคืœื™ื’ื™ ืืœื ื‘ืชื™ืงื•ืŸ ื›ืœื™ ืื™ ื“ื—ื™ ืฉื‘ืช ืžืฉื•ื ืžื›ืฉื™ืจื™ ืงืจื‘ืŸ ืื‘ืœ ืฉื™ืจ ืขืฆืžื• ืœื›ืดืข ื“ื—ื™.

ืชื•ืกืคื•ืช, ืกื•ื›ื” ื ,ื‘

The Ritva says that ืชื™ืงื•ืŸ ื›ืœื™ is so automatic for a musician that the ื’ื–ื™ืจื” against playing applied even in the ืžืงื“ืฉ:

ืชื ื• ืจื‘ื ืŸ ื—ืœื™ืœ ื“ื•ื—ื” ืืช ื”ืฉื‘ืช ื›ื•ืณโ€ฆื•ืงืดืœ ื“ื”ื ืื™ืกื•ืจ ื ื’ื•ืŸ ื‘ื—ืœื™ืœ ื•ื›ืœื™ ื–ืžืจ ืื™ื ื• ืืœื ืฉื‘ื•ืช ื“ืจื‘ื ืŸ ืฉืžื ื™ืชืงืŸ ื›ืœื™ ืฉื™ืจ ื•ืงื™ื™ืžื ืœืŸ ื“ืื™ืŸ ืฉื‘ื•ืช ื‘ืžืงื“ืฉ ื•ืื ื›ืŸ ืืฃ ืขืœ ื’ื‘ ื“ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ืคื” ื•ืื™ืŸ ื›ืœื™ ืžืขื›ื‘ ืœืžื” ืœื ื™ื”ื ื—ืœื™ืœ ื“ื•ื—ื” ืืช ื”ืฉื‘ืช?โ€ฆื•ื™ืดืœ ื“ื›ืœ ื›ื™ ื”ืื™ ืฉื‘ื•ืช ืฉื”ื•ื ื“ื‘ืจ ืžืฆื•ื™ ื“ืืชื™ ืœื™ื“ื™ ืชื™ืงื•ืŸ ื›ืœื™ ืฉื™ืจ ื“ืื™ืกื•ืจื ืฉื”ืชื™ืงื•ืŸ ืžืฆื•ื™ ื‘ื”ื ืืคื™ืœื• ื‘ืžืงื“ืฉ ื’ื–ืจื• ื‘ื• ื›ืฉืื™ื ื• ืžืขื›ื‘ ื“ืื’ื‘ ื˜ืจื“ื™ื™ื”ื• ืืชื• ื•ืžืชืงื ื™ ืœื™ื”โ€ฆื•ืœืคื™ื›ืš ืืกื•ืจ ืœืžืืŸ ื“ืืžืจ ืขื™ืงืจ ืฉื™ืจื” ื‘ืคื”โ€ฆ

ื—ื™ื“ื•ืฉื™ ื”ืจื™ื˜ื‘ืดื, ืกื•ื›ื” ื ,ื‘

And the question of repair remains an argument in the gemara:

ื“ืชื ื™ื: ื‘ืŸ ืœื•ื™ ืฉื ืคืกืงื” ืœื• ื ื™ืžื ื‘ื›ื ื•ืจ, ืงื•ืฉืจื”. ืจื‘ื™ ืฉืžืขื•ืŸ ืื•ืžืจ: ืขื•ื ื‘ื”. ืจื‘ื™ ืฉืžืขื•ืŸ ื‘ืŸ ืืœืขื–ืจ ืื•ืžืจ: ืืฃ ื”ื™ื ืื™ื ื” ืžืฉืžืขืช ืืช ื”ืงื•ืœ, ืืœื ืžืฉืœืฉืœ ืžืœืžื˜ื” ื•ื›ื•ืจืš ืžืœืžืขืœื”, ืื• ืžืฉืœืฉืœ ืžืœืžืขืœื” ื•ื›ื•ืจืš ืžืœืžื˜ื”.

ืขื™ืจื•ื‘ื™ืŸ ืงื’,ื

The bottom line remains that the real commandment is the vocal song. The instruments are only incidental, ื›ืœื™ ืœื‘ืกื•ืžื™ ืงืœื ื”ื•ื ื“ืขื‘ื™ื“ื.

In fact, the instruments are always attributed to David:

ื” ื•ื™ื–ื‘ื— ื”ืžืœืš ืฉืœืžื” ืืช ื–ื‘ื— ื”ื‘ืงืจ ืขืฉืจื™ื ื•ืฉื ื™ื ืืœืฃ ื•ืฆืืŸ ืžืื” ื•ืขืฉืจื™ื ืืœืฃ; ื•ื™ื—ื ื›ื• ืืช ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืืœืงื™ื ื”ืžืœืš ื•ื›ืœ ื”ืขืืƒ ื• ื•ื”ื›ื”ื ื™ื ืขืœ ืžืฉืžืจื•ืชื ืขืžื“ื™ื ื•ื”ืœื•ื™ื ื‘ื›ืœื™ ืฉื™ืจ ื”ืณ ืืฉืจ ืขืฉื” ื“ื•ื™ื“ ื”ืžืœืš ืœื”ื“ื•ืช ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื• ื‘ื”ืœืœ ื“ื•ื™ื“ ื‘ื™ื“ื; ื•ื”ื›ื”ื ื™ื ืžื—ืฆืฆืจื™ื (ืžื—ืฆืจื™ื) ื ื’ื“ื ื•ื›ืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืขืžื“ื™ืืƒ

ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื‘ ืคืจืง ื–

Similarly in the time of Chizkiyah:

ื›ื” ื•ื™ืขืžื“ ืืช ื”ืœื•ื™ื ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืณ ื‘ืžืฆืœืชื™ื ื‘ื ื‘ืœื™ื ื•ื‘ื›ื ืจื•ืช ื‘ืžืฆื•ืช ื“ื•ื™ื“ ื•ื’ื“ ื—ื–ื” ื”ืžืœืš ื•ื ืชืŸ ื”ื ื‘ื™ื; ื›ื™ ื‘ื™ื“ ื”ืณ ื”ืžืฆื•ื” ื‘ื™ื“ ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื•ืƒ ื›ื• ื•ื™ืขืžื“ื• ื”ืœื•ื™ื ื‘ื›ืœื™ ื“ื•ื™ื“ ื•ื”ื›ื”ื ื™ื ื‘ื—ืฆืฆืจื•ืชืƒ

ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ื™ืžื™ื ื‘ ืคืจืง ื›ื˜

What does adding the instrumental accompaniment do for the ืฉื™ืจื”?

It turns the ืฉื™ืจื” from an incidental part of the ืขื‘ื•ื“ื” to the focus of the service. This changes the nature of the ืขื‘ื•ื“ื”. When itโ€™s just the sacrifice of a lamb, then it just involves a few ื›ื”ื ื™ื. Now it is possible to have an audience, and even to have the people participate (weโ€™ve talked about the nature of the refrain ื”ื•ื“ื• ืœื”ืณ ื›ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘ ื›ื™ ืœืขื•ืœื ื—ืกื“ื•). Over the next few weeks, I want to look in detail at the lyrics of the songs he writes for that ืขื‘ื•ื“ื”.

The Vilna Gaon talked about the importance of music in our own time:

ื‘ื”ืงื“ืžื” ืœืกืคืจ โ€ืคืืช ื”ืฉื•ืœื—ืŸโ€œ, ืžืกืคืจ ืจืณ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืžืฉืงืœื•ื‘, ืฉื›ืืฉืจ ื”ื’ืื•ืŸ ืžื•ื™ืœื ื ืกื™ื™ื ืืช ืคืจื•ืฉื• ืขืœ ืฉื™ืจ ื”ืฉื™ืจื™ื, ื”ื•ื ืฉืžื— ืฉืžื—ื” ื’ื“ื•ืœื” ืžืื“, ื•ื›ืš ื”ื•ื ืžืชืืจ ืืช ื”ืืจื•ืข:

ื•ืฆื•ื” ืœืกื’ื•ืจ ื—ื“ืจื•, ื•ื”ื—ืœื•ื ื•ืช ืกื•ื’ืจื• ื‘ื™ื•ื, ื•ื”ื“ืœื™ืงื• ื ืจื•ืช ื”ืจื‘ื”. ื•ื›ืืฉืจ ืกื™ื™ื ืคืจื•ืฉื•, ื ืฉื ืขื™ื ื™ื• ืœืžืจื•ื ื‘ื“ื‘ื™ืงื•ืช ืขืฆื•ืžื”, ื‘ื‘ืจื›ื” ื•ื”ื•ื“ืื” ืœืฉืžื• ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื™ืชื‘ืจืš ืฉืžื•, ืฉื–ื™ื›ื”ื• ืœื”ืฉื’ืช ืื•ืจ ื›ืœ ื”ืชื•ืจื” ื‘ืคื ื™ืžื™ื•ืชื” ื•ื—ื•ืฆื•ืชื™ื”.

ื›ื” ืืžืจ: โ€ื›ืœ ื”ื—ื•ื›ืžื•ืช ื ืฆืจื›ื™ื ืœืชื•ืจืชื™ื ื• ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉื” ื•ื›ืœื•ืœื™ื ื‘ื”, ื•ื™ื“ืขื ื›ื•ืœื ืœืชื›ืœื™ืชื. ื•ื”ื–ื›ื™ืจื: ื—ื›ืžืช ื”ืืœื’ื‘ืจื”, ื”ืžืฉื•ืœืฉื™ื ื•ื”ื”ื ื“ืกื”, ื•ื—ื•ื›ืžืช ืžื•ืกื™ืงื”, ื•ืฉื™ื‘ื—ื” ื”ืจื‘ื”. ื”ื•ื ื”ื™ื” ืื•ืžืจ ืื–, ื›ื™ ืจื•ื‘ ื˜ืขืžื™ ืชื•ืจื” ื•ืกื•ื“ื•ืช ืฉื™ืจื™ ื”ืœื•ื™ื™ื, ื•ืกื•ื“ื•ืช ืชื™ืงื•ื ื™ ื”ื–ื”ืจ, ืื™ ืืคืฉืจ ืœื™ื“ืข ื‘ืœืขื“ื” [ื‘ืœื™ ื—ื›ืžืช ื”ืžื•ื–ื™ืงื” ืื™ ืืคืฉืจ ืœืœืžื•ื“ ืกื•ื“ื•ืช ื”ืชื•ืจื”] ื•ืขืœ ื™ื“ื” ื™ื›ื•ืœื™ื ื‘ื ืดื ืœืžื•ืช, ื‘ื›ืœื•ืช ื ืคืฉื ื‘ื ืขื™ืžื•ืชื™ื”, ื•ื™ื›ื•ืœื™ื ืœื”ื—ื™ื•ืช ืžืชื™ื ื‘ืกื•ื“ื•ืชื™ื” ื”ื’ื ื•ื–ื™ื ื‘ืชื•ืจื”. ื”ื•ื ืืžืจ ื›ืžื” ื ื™ื’ื•ื ื™ื ื•ื›ืžื” ืžื™ื“ื•ืช ื”ื‘ื™ื ืžืฉืจืขืดื” ืžื”ืจ ืกื™ื ื™ [ื”ืžืงื•ืจ ืฉืœ ื”ื ื™ื’ื•ื ื™ื ื”ื•ื ื’ื ื›ืŸ ืžื”ืจ ืกื™ื ื™] ื•ื”ืฉืืจ ืžื•ืจื›ื‘ื™ื.โ€œ

ื•ื‘ื™ืืจ ืื™ื›ื•ืช ื›ืœ ื”ื—ื•ื›ืžื•ืช ื•ืืžืจ ืฉื”ืฉื™ื’ื ืœืชื›ืœื™ืชืโ€”ื›ื™ ื”ื•ื ื—ืฉื‘ ืฉื”ื›ืœ ื”ื›ืจื—ื™ ืœื”ื‘ื ืช ื”ืชื•ืจื”. ืจืง ืœื’ื‘ื™ ื—ื›ืžืช ื”ืจืคื•ืื” ื”ื•ื ืืžืจ: ื™ื“ืข ื—ื›ืžืช ื”ื ื™ืชื•ื—, ื•ื”ืฉื™ื™ืš ืืœื™ื”, ืืš ืžืขืฉื” ื”ืกืžื™ื ื•ืžืœืื›ืชื ืœืžืขืฉื”, ืจืฆื” ืœืœืžื“ื ืžืจื•ืคืื™ ื”ื–ืžืŸ, ื•ื’ื–ืจ ืขืœื™ื• ืื‘ื™ื• ื”ืฆื“ื™ืง ืฉืœื ื™ืœืžื“ื ื”, ื›ื“ื™ ืฉืœื ื™ื‘ื˜ืœ ืžืชื•ืจืชื•, ืฉื™ืฆื˜ืจืš ืœืœื›ืช ืœื”ืฆื™ืœ ื ืคืฉื•ืช ื›ืฉื™ื“ืข ืœื’ื•ืžืจื”.

ื”ืจื‘ ื–ืœืžืŸ ื‘ืจื•ืš ืžืœืžื“, ื”ืฉื™ืจื” ื•ื”ืžื•ืกื™ืงื” ื‘ื™ื”ื“ื•ืช

This week is ืชืฉืขื” ื‘ืื‘, and I will conclude with a note about the last ืฉื™ืจื” in the ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืžืงื“ืฉ:

ืชืดืฉ: ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื•ืกื™ ืื•ืžืจ: ืžื’ืœื’ืœื™ืŸ ื–ื›ื•ืช ืœื™ื•ื ื–ื›ืื™ ื•ื—ื•ื‘ื” ืœื™ื•ื ื—ื™ื™ื‘. ืืžืจื•: ื›ืฉื—ืจื‘ ื”ื‘ื™ืช ื‘ืจืืฉื•ื ื”, ืื•ืชื• ื”ื™ื•ื ืชืฉืขื” ื‘ืื‘ ื”ื™ื”, ื•ืžื•ืฆืื™ ืฉื‘ืช ื”ื™ื”, ื•ืžื•ืฆืื™ ืฉื‘ื™ืขื™ืช ื”ื™ืชื”, ื•ืžืฉืžืจืชื• ืฉืœ ื™ื”ื•ื™ืจื™ื‘ ื”ื™ืชื”, ื•ื”ื™ื• ื›ื”ื ื™ื ื•ืœื•ื™ื ืขื•ืžื“ื™ื ืขืœ ื“ื•ื›ื ืŸ ื•ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืฉื™ืจื”, ื•ืžื” ืฉื™ืจื” ืืžืจื•? โ€ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ืขืœื™ื”ื ืืช ืื•ื ื ื•ื‘ืจืขืชื ื™ืฆืžื™ืชืโ€œ, ื•ืœื ื”ืกืคื™ืงื• ืœื•ืžืจ ื™ืฆืžื™ืชื ื”ืณ ืืœืงื™ื ื• ืขื“ ืฉื‘ืื• ืื•ื™ื‘ื™ื ื•ื›ื‘ืฉื•ืโ€ฆืืžืจ ืจื‘ื, ื•ืื™ืชื™ืžื ืจื‘ ืืฉื™: ื•ืชืกื‘ืจื? ืฉื™ืจื” ื“ื™ื•ืžื™ื” ืœื”ืณ ื”ืืจืฅ ื•ืžืœื•ืื”, ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ืขืœื™ื”ื ืืช ืื•ื ื ื‘ืฉื™ืจ ื“ืืจื‘ืขื” ื‘ืฉื‘ืช ื”ื•ื! ืืœื ืื™ืœื™ื™ื ื‘ืขืœืžื ื”ื•ื ื“ื ืคืœ ืœื”ื• ื‘ืคื•ืžื™ื™ื”ื•. ื•ื”ื ืขื•ืžื“ื™ืŸ ืขืœ ื“ื•ื›ื ืŸ ืงืชื ื™! ื›ื“ืจืดืœ, ื“ืืžืจ: ืื•ืžืจ ืฉืœื ืขืœ ื”ืงืจื‘ืŸ.

ืขืจื›ื™ืŸ ื™ื,ื‘

ื ืึพืœ ื ืงืžื•ืช ื”ืณ; ืึพืœ ื ืงืžื•ืช ื”ื•ืคื™ืขืƒ
ื‘ ื”ื ืฉื ืฉืคื˜ ื”ืืจืฅ; ื”ืฉื‘ ื’ืžื•ืœ ืขืœ ื’ืื™ืืƒ
โ€ฆื›ื’ ื•ื™ืฉื‘ ืขืœื™ื”ื ืืช ืื•ื ื ื•ื‘ืจืขืชื ื™ืฆืžื™ืชื;
ื™ืฆืžื™ืชื ื”ืณ ืืœืงื™ื ื•ืƒ

ืชื”ื™ืœื™ื ืคืจืง ืฆื“

The image of the Levites playing on as the Temple burns around them reminds us of a more recent disaster:

After the Titanic hit an iceberg and began to sink, Hartley and his fellow band members started playing music to help keep the passengers calm as the crew loaded the lifeboats. Many of the survivors said that Hartley and the band continued to play until the very end. One second class passenger said:

Many brave things were done that night, but none were more brave than those done by men playing minute after minute as the ship settled quietly lower and lower in the sea. The music they played served alike as their own immortal requiem and their right to be recalled on the scrolls of undying fame.

Wikipedia, Musicians of the RMS Titanic