Music can shape a soul. Let’s shape it with intention

IN

recent years, a quiet revolution has taken place in the frum world with the rise of dedicated Jewish music devices. For many families, these devices have been nothing short of a brachah.

We now have devices without the pitfalls of the open Internet, created by talented, idealistic Yidden who give of their time, creativity, and resources so our homes can be filled with simchah, inspiration, and kosher entertainment. These devices reflect a beautiful aspect of our tzibbur, namely our ability to harness technology for kedushah. These devoted individuals deserve our gratitude and support.

As with all innovations that enter our homes, however, these devices also invite us to pause and reflect; not because they are intrinsically problematic, but because even good things must be used with careful guidance.

In my work with children, parents, and schools, I have noticed three areas in which a bit of thoughtful conversation can make a world of difference.

Not all music is created equal.

Music shapes a person’s inner world in a way few other influences can. Melodies linger. Words seep in. A song’s tone, tempo, and emotional language become part of a child’s rhythm of life.

“Jewish music” today spans a broad spectrum, from niggunim that elevate the neshamah to high-energy tracks that mimic the feel of secular culture but swap in Jewish words. While both may technically fit the category of kosher media, they do not shape a child in the same way. Some songs lift, some excite, some soothe.  While some children may benefit from a wide range of music, it is not a source of chizuk for others and may even be counterproductive.

A dedicated music device can make hundreds of hours of content instantly available. That is a gift. But it also makes it possible for a child to consume more music, and more kinds of music, than ever before, and without the natural filtering imposed by the limitations of tapes, CDs, or the purchase of individual albums.

The opportunity for parents with these devices is not to limit their use but rather to curate it, to know what children are listening to, and to guide them toward the types of songs that uplift their hearts rather than merely entertain.

Not all of a child’s free time should be spent on a device.

Jewish music device companies, like all consumer product companies, benefit by encouraging users to maximize the time they spend on their devices. The goal of the engineers is to make the user experience engrossing, seamless, and endless. Tap, scroll, tap again; next track, next album, next playlist. The makers understandably want to expand the market and the usage of their music devices, which are very expensive to develop.

Even when the content is wholesome, the medium can subtly encourage children to occupy themselves with it constantly.

Years ago, mechanchim warned against using the early iPod Touch devices. This was due not only to the content, but to what the very name revealed. It reinforced the cultural message that the universe begins with “I,” and that my wants should be immediately and continuously gratified.

A dedicated Jewish music device can create a similar trap if it is used throughout the day. Music at wake-up, during homework, with meals, and on car rides. Music completely supplants boredom.

But boredom is not always the enemy; rather it is the birthplace of creativity, imagination, and conversation. A child who never experiences quiet never learns to sit with his thoughts or hear the subtle whispers of his own heart. We want devices to serve our children, not consume their time.

Beware of “star power.”

The world of Jewish music is filled with extraordinary talent and sincerity. Most singers are genuine ovdei Hashem who use their voices to uplift Klal Yisrael. A small group in the business have become increasingly creative in their efforts to shape a “music culture” for our children. They have introduced aspects of the non-Jewish entertainment world. In addition, there has been a growing effort to build personal followings around singers themselves, extending far beyond the music they produce.

We must pause and think carefully before allowing our children into a culture that is not ours. A Torah Jew is not meant to be immersed in any culture other than a Torah culture. Elevating singers into celebrities and enhancing their “star power” is something that must be approached with great caution.

Jewish music devices provide our families a genuinely wholesome alternative in a complicated technological world. They were created out of love for Klal Yisrael and a desire to protect our most precious resource: our children. My message is not to reject them — far from it. We should embrace them, but embrace them wisely.

Let us celebrate the beauty of Jewish music, curate what fills our children’s ears and hearts, set healthy rhythms for when and how devices are used, and model that inspiration is wonderful but real life happens off-screen. When we do that, these devices become what they were meant to be.

Music can shape a soul. Let’s shape it with intention.

Rabbi Yerachmiel Garfield, Ed.D., is the head of school for Yeshiva Torat Emet in Houston, Texas, and cohost of Mishpacha’s popular chinuch podcast The Learning Curve.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1094)