Arakhin

ten different kinds of sounds, with the result that the whole amounted to one hundred kinds of sounds. A Tanna taught: It was one cubit long, one cubit high, from it projected a handle, which had ten holes. Each of them produced one hundred kinds of sounds, amounting for the whole to one thousand kinds of sounds. Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: To remember whose teaching it is: The Baraitha exaggerates’.1 THEY WERE SLAVES OF THE PRIESTS. Shall we say they are of conflicting opinions concerning the following principle: He who said they [the players of the instruments] were slaves holds that the essential in the music of the Sanctuary was the singing with the mouth, the instrumental music being just for sweetening the sound; whereas he who said that they were Levites holds the instrumental music to have been the essential. But if you reason this way, what will appear as R. Jose's view? If he holds that the essential of the [Sanctuary] music was the singing with the mouth, it [the instrumental music] should have been satisfactory [if performed] by slaves; if [on the other hand] he holds that instrumental music was the essential, it would have to be done by Levites?2 — In reality he holds that vocal music was the essential; here, however, they are disputing as to whether one may promote one from the dukhan3 to noble4 families and to the enjoyment of tithes.5 He who said that they [the players of the instruments] were slaves would hold one may not promote any one from the dukhan to either noble families or to the enjoyment of tithes; whereas he who said they were Levites would hold one may promote any one from the dukhan both to [marriage into] noble families and to the enjoyment of tithes; whereas he who said that they [the players of instruments] were Israelites, would hold that one may promote any one from the dukhan to [marriage into] noble families, but not to the enjoyment of tithes.6 Our Rabbis taught: The omission of the song invalidates the sacrifice, this is the view of R. Meir. The Sages. however, hold that the omission of the song does not invalidate the sacrifice. What is the reason of R. Meir? — R. Eleazar7 said: Because Scripture said, And I have given the Levites — they are given to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel . . . and to make atonement for the children of Israel,8 i.e., just as atonement9 is indispensable, so is the song indispensable. And the Rabbis? — This [analogy is] with reference to another teaching of R. Eleazar, for R. Eleazar said: Just as the atonement is performed during the day, so does the song take place during the day. 10 Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel: Whence do we know that fundamentally the song is obligatory on the basis of the Torah? As it is said: Then shall he minister in the name of the Lord his God.11 Now which ministry is it in the course of which the Lord's name is mentioned? You must say: It is the song. But perhaps it is the [priest's] raising of the hands [to bless]? — Since Scripture said: To minister unto Him and to bless in His name,12 it follows that the priest's blessing [in itself] is no ministry. R. Mattenah said: [It is derived] from here: Because thou didst not serve the Lord thy God in joyfulness and with gladness of heart.13 Now which service is it that is ‘in joyfulness and with gladness of heart’? — You must say: It is song. But perhaps it means the words of the Torah, as it is written: The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart?14 — They are described as ‘rejoicing the heart’, but not as ‘gladdening [the heart]’. But say [it refers to] first-fruits. as it is written: And thou shalt rejoice in all the good?15 — They are called ‘good’, but not ‘gladdening the heart’. R. Mattenah said: Whence do we know that the [offering up of] first-fruits requires a song? — We infer that from the analogy of the words ‘good’, ‘good’16 which occur here too. But that is not so, for R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan: Whence do we know that the song is not sung [in the Sanctuary] except over wine? — Because it is said: And the vine said unto them: Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God aid man?17 Granted that it cheers men, whereby can it cheer God? From this it is evident that the song is not sung except over wine! — That is possible in accord with what R. Jose taught: [You shall take of the fruit of the ground18 implies] You may offer the fruit, but not liquids. Whence do we know that if he brought grapes and pressed them [he has performed his duty de facto]? The text therefore states: Which thou shalt bring. 19 Hezekiah said [we infer this] from the following passage:20 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song; he was master [yasor] in the song, because he was skilful.21 Do not read ‘yasor’, but ‘yashir’ [he sang]. Belvati, in the name of R. Johanan inferred it from here: To do the work of service.22 Which work needs [depends on] service? Say: That is the song. R. Isaac inferred it from here: Take up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.23 R. Nahman b. Isaac derived it from here: Those yonder lift up their voice, they sing for joy; for the majesty of the Lord they shout from the sea.24 One Tanna derived it from here: But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things belonged unto them: they bore them upon their shoulders.25 Would I not have known from the meaning of ‘upon their shoulders’, that they bore them? Wherefore then they bore them’? But ‘they bore them’ here means ‘in song’, for thus also it is said: Take up [se'u] the melody and sound the timbrel,23 and it is said also: They lift up [yisse'u] their voices, they sing for joy, etc.24 Hananiah, the son of the brother of R. Joshua derived it from here: Moses spoke and God answered him by a voice26 uses severe language against the Baraitha. Rashi refers to Hul. 90b where, however, some of the exaggerations go back to the Mishnah Middoth, or are no exaggerations. In this case, at any rate, the Mishnah reports a reasonably effective instrument, whereas the Baraitha tells a tall instrument story. to obtain the tithe which a member of that tribe is entitled to receive from the average Jew. Sanctuary, hence the inferences.