Listening to Music: Difference between revisions

# There is what to permit listening to music while driving late at night so as not to fall asleep. <Ref>Kovetz Hilchot Leyemeh Ben Hametsarim (pg 95) writes that one can listen to vocal music while driving to prevent falling asleep and Nechmat Yisrael (pg 34 note 30) says that seemingly even musical instruments should be permitted. </ref>

# A person should refrain from waking up everyday to music (even if that’s the alarm). However, if that’s the only that a person wakes up, there is what to be rely on. <Ref> For background on the issue, see above note. Gemara Gittin 7a states that after the Churban Bayit, Mar Ukva forbad singing, playing, or listening to music whether the music comes from people singing or if it comes from musical instruments. Tosfot Gittin 7a limits this to music at a party/feast and music played for kings who go to sleep and wake up to music. Tosfot explains that it’s forbidden because they have an aspect of added pleasure from music. Rama 560:3 brings this Tosfot as Halacha. Even if the music is a recording it still the status of played music (see above from Sh”t Igrot Moshe 1:166, Sh”t Tzitz Eliezer 15:33:2). Halichot Shlomo (Tefilah 13:18) in name of Rav Shlomo Zalman and Torat HaYeshiva 1:7 rule that yeshiva students who wake up to music is included in the prohibition of chazal. See Kuntres Halichot VeHanhagot in name of Rav Eliyashiv. Reasons to be lenient: (a) However, Torat HaYeshivot 1:7 says that a person won’t get up with another way, one can be lenient because one’s intention isn’t in order to get pleasure but rather to facilitate waking up. Torat HaYeshivot also quotes Rav Chaim Kanievsky in Shilhei DeKaytah who agrees. This leniency is similar to the leniency of classical music (see above). (b) Additionally, Torah HaYeshivot argues that perhaps the prohibition only applies if one goes to sleep and wakes up but waking up alone might not be an issue. [The Pri Megadim says that one should protest against those who eat a meal everyday next to those who play music. Mishna Brurah 560:12 brings this as Halacha. It’s very clear from the language of the Pri Megadim and Mishna Brurah are discussing is that of having music of a feast, but regarding having music regularly isn’t an issue. This is even more explicit in the Shaar HaTzion 560:23 who says that one shouldn’t protest since they have the Hagot Mordechai to rely on who says that a music at a meal only an issue of a meal of only wine or wine before eating, however drink together with a meal isn’t an issue. Accordingly, it seems that the Mishna Brurah holds that listening to music daily at midday isn’t forbidden unless there’s an issue of a feast. Similarly, the Sh”t Shevet HaLevi 6:69 writes that those who listen to music on the radio morning, at a meal, and night are definitely violating an isser, implying that regularly listening music means multiple times a day. However, Sh”t Az Nidabru 8:58:4 writes that to him it seems that listening everyday at lunch is considered listening to music regularly like the listening of the kings, nonetheless, regarding protesting others who should be lenient (like the Mishna Brurah). Sh”t Az Nidabru concludes that this issue of listening regularly depends on the minhag. Accordingly, someone who just wakes up to music has what to rely on in that it’s that it’s not called listening regularly.] </ref>

# If a certain singer was religious and then rejected religion, it is forbidden to listen to his music that he produced when he was religious unless the singer’s name is removed from that music and it’s not recognizable that it’s from that singer. <Ref> Sh”t Mishna Halachot 6:108 </ref>