Page 38 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

36 · Hilchot Avoda Zara I Tzurba M’Rabanan

Rav Ovadia Yosef is more lenient and permits adopting an idolatrous song for use within Tefilla.

p Responsa Yabia Omer 6, ,ו קלח | רמוא עיבי ת”וש . 33
Orach Chaim 7 ז ח״וא

…How much more so regarding a tune [that it should be ,תושממ הב ןיאש אמלעב הניגנמ ןכש לכו…
permitted], which has no substance. Even though they stated לוקד אהד ).וכ( םיחספב ורמאש יפ לע ףאו
in Pesachim 26a states that “sound, sight and smell – although מ”מ ,הליעמ םושמ ןהב ןיא חירו הארמ
one is not subject to the prohibition of misuse of consecrated רוסיא לוק ותואב ונייה ,אכיא אהימ ארוסיא
property, nevertheless there is a transgression,” that was only ירבדל דבלב הניגנמה תרבעהב לבא ,ומצע
regarding that forbidden sound itself. However, here when םוש ןיאו ,ןאכל ואב תושדח םינפ ,השודק
transferring the tune alone to words of holiness, it has a new
identity (lit. a new face has arrived). There is [therefore] ךותמ תאז השוע צ”שהשכ ,רבדב רוסיא
no prohibition at all when the chazzan does this with pure רחובה ת”ישהל רמזלו חבשל ,הרוהט הנווכ
intentions to praise and sing to Hashem Blessed is He, Who .הרמז ירישב
chooses the songs of praise.

Rav Moshe Feinstein though adopts the more stringent opinion, and extends the prohibition even to a
tune that is no longer used within an avoda zara context (e.g., church music from many years ago). 9

p Responsa Igrot Moshe, Yoreh Deah 2:56 ונ:ב ד״וי | השמ תורגא ת”וש . 34
The tunes that are sung in the Christian houses of worship are תיבב םירצונה םירמזמש םינוגינה הנה
definitely forbidden to listen to even by radio or phonograph. אידארה י”ע ףא םעמשל רוסא יאדו םתלפית
Not only the current tunes [are forbidden], but even old tunes םירמזמש םינוגינה קר אלו ,ףארגאנאפ י”ע ףאו
that are no longer in use, remain prohibited to sing… If so, we ףא רבכמ םירמזמ ויהש המ וליפא אלא התע
see that this is a very serious prohibition that can lead to heresy. םינוגינה ןתואב רמזל התע וקיספהש יפ לע
There is also a prohibition of mentioning their gods’ names, רשפאש לודג רוסיא אוהד ןניזח כ”או …רוסא
which is a separate prohibition of “it shall not be heard by your
mouth,” which is forbidden even in [a case of] necessity, as is רוסיא םג אליממ שי םגו תונימ ידיל ו”ח איביש
mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 147:1). עמשי אלד ואלב רוסאש םילילא םש תרכזה
ד”וי ע”שב אתיאדכ ךרוצל ףא רוסאש ךיפ לע
.’א ףיעס ז”מק ןמיס

9. The Tzitz Eliezer (13:12) also takes strong exception to using these types of songs, as well as love songs, within the context of Tefilla, arguing that
this is comparable to bringing a foreign fire into the sanctuary of Hashem (similar to Nadav and Avihu, who were killed for doing so in Vayikra
chapter 10).

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