The people of Israel sang 4: And he built a musical temple

The Second Temple was characterized by musical accompaniment to the hymns of praise, and musical ceremonies intended for the pilgrims

A - The uniqueness of the temple

The second temple stood out and was distinguished from the first in that, unlike its predecessor, it was one and the same, it spread and encompassed all areas of life, it was not the temple of the priests only, but to a certain extent of the entire people, and in this context the Sukkot holiday that was established in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah and was celebrated "with great joy" ( Nehemiah 18:23), in which, probably for the first time, musical accompaniment appeared in the form of "singing psalms of praise" (XNUMX Maccabees XNUMX:XNUMX). Although apart from Sukkot we have no actual evidence of the use of music on the other two holidays (the "legs"), during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, later in the days of the Second Temple, musical ceremonies became, such as the dedication ceremony of the walls of Jerusalem, which we will deal with later, which were celebrated in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, To establish an institution in all the musical events that accompanied the pilgrimages.

B - The Poets Colonies

At the end of the number of immigrants who came with Zerubbabel and Jesus we find that "the priests and the Levites and some of the people and the poets and the porters and the subjects sat in their cities and all Israel in their cities" (Ezra 70:XNUMX). Here it seems that the poets, the gatekeepers and the subjects were not among the Levites,

Since the box "... and from the people..." separates Levites and poets. And in contrast, in the parallel, Nehemiah tells about that ascent and it is evident that the quick hand of a scribe almost changed the textual order, and we read - "And the priests and the Levites and the gatekeepers and the poets sat down, and of the people and the subjects and all Israel in their cities..." (Nehemiah 73:XNUMX). This change is the result of a historical-chronological development, the result of which is the number of poets included in the Levite family, and this writer counted only Levites on the one hand, and Levites, poets and gatekeepers on the other hand. (And let's not get confused, the radio program at the time on Shabbat called "Shirim and Gates" did not rely on the above verses).

It is not at all clear which cities the aforementioned biblical source was referring to, however, after the signing of the "treaty", after the casting of lots for the population of Jerusalem and the appointment of special appointees, members of the Levite family who would serve in the temple in musical conducting roles, Nehemiah asked to hold the ceremony of consecrating the walls of Jerusalem in splendor and with unprecedented public festivity. For this purpose, he was not satisfied with Levites-poets who serve that time in the temple, but asked the other Levites from all their places to "bring them to Jerusalem to make Hanukkah and joy and thanksgiving and song, cymbals, harps and violins." And the sons of the poets gathered together from the square around Jerusalem, and from the palaces of Netophati and Beit HaGilgal and from the fields of Geva and Azmoth, because the poets had built palaces for them around Jerusalem" (Nehemiah 29:27-XNUMX).

"Courts" were settlements of a special nature - small and isolated in which the Levites-the poets were housed who had not yet played a musical role in the Temple in Jerusalem (before the time of their readiness - their "turn"). The author's emphasis that these premises were "the surroundings of Jerusalem" may teach us a little about the policy of Ezra and Nehemiah, or perhaps the policy of the Levites-poets themselves following the works of the two in Jerusalem in general and in the temple in particular in all that has been said about the functions of the poets considering the convenience or constraints involved in their role system - managing the music in the Temple.

And that their return to the "courtyards" was due to economic constraints, which probably emerges from Nehemiah's observation that the aforementioned public did not receive the contributions it deserved, when the concern for their livelihood was supposed to be collective - on the entire Jewish public. It seems that not all the poets could serve at the same time in the temple and therefore a system of shifts, of shifts, was probably introduced. That is, those whose shift date has not yet arrived will sit in the aforementioned premises.

One way or another, it seems that the settlement of the poets around Jerusalem, which stemmed either from Nehemiah's trendsetting policy, or from a concern for convenience, or perhaps from both reasons together, was nothing more than another step, another link in the chain of strengthening the position and status of the Temple in general and music in particular. And lest the dispersion of the poets in the "courtyards" around Jerusalem, even fostered the consciousness of the people's participation in the work of the temple. And this when the poets did not all live in Jerusalem, considering a distinct status, separate from the public, but lived among their people and lived among them.

And perhaps, even if very narrowly, we could hypothetically find a reference for this idea also in Nehemiah's other action that excelled in its social-humane nature, which was intended to prevent social-economic polarization between the rich and the poor, the same action that manifested itself in the omission of debts and the abolition of body and property encumbrances.

C - the concern for the poets' economy

The outer Ezra included among the articles of the royal decree of King Darius (521 BC), besides the many royal donations to the Temple, also a special reference to the priests and Levites. This decree financed the work of the priests and Levites in the form of a certain grant to be given until "the work of the house is finished and Jerusalem is built" (External Ezra 55:54-537). In contrast, those priests and Levites who performed the musical accompaniment at the dedication of Jehovah's Temple (XNUMX BC), of course did not enjoy any royal grant.

The decree of Artaxerxes, on the other hand, explicitly stated that the poets, among the other sacred servants in the temple, would be exempt from taxes and other burdens imposed by the king. This privilege, which may have been formulated in light of Ezra's request, allowed the Levites-poets to devote their time to their musical role in the temple. Artaxerxes, or perhaps even Ezra, saw before their eyes the high status of the Mesopotamian temple poets. However, more than anything Ezra understood, and even Nehemiah in Israel, that Zerubbabel's musical enterprise did not get to become a widespread practice because, among other things, no one took care of the musical performances in the temple. And achieving a high and good level of musical performance only came after many hours of grueling training, and in order for the poets to be able to devote themselves in the full sense of the word to these trainings, they had to be freed from financial worries.

Ezra and Nehemiah were able to understand that the royal tax exemption privileges did not solve the problem but only partially. And to that end, the two made sure to draft another clause in the entirety of the people's obligations in the "Convention". That is, that the people undertake to bring their tithes to the temple and that the poets and porters working at the temple at that time will also enjoy them.

The appearance of the Levites-the poets in that section of the "Convention" was probably also formulated in order to raise in the eyes of the people the importance of their work in the Temple, in other words, to bring to the people's consciousness that the poets and porters are an integral part of the sacred work in the Temple. This is an unprecedented move/deed, which was born in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah and became a widespread and integral practice throughout the days of the Second Temple.

From a practical point of view, the poets could therefore stay for a certain period, if it is the time of their duty, in the Temple, and during this period of time practice musical performances, playing and singing. Indeed, we would not be surprised that after this organizational arrangement and at the end of the appointment of the special appointees in Jerusalem (which we will deal with in the next section), Nehemiah could have held the ceremony of consecrating the walls of Jerusalem. An unprecedented public ceremony full of grandeur and splendor, in which priests blowing trumpets and musicians with cymbals, harps and violins took part. This huge musical performance was born only after preparations and organizational actions that preceded it.

Nehemiah's concern for the shortage and the economy of the poets was also revealed during the preparations for the settlement of Jerusalem. Among the new appointees is the figure of "the official of the Levites in Jerusalem - Ezi ben Bani ... from the sons of Asaf the poets..." (Nehemiah 22:23), who is similarly responsible for the group of poets in the Temple. And the next verse continues and says: "... because the king's commandment is over them and a covenant over the poets speaks day by day" (Ibid. XNUMX). This economic concern appears as a terminus technicalus in the expression "shares of the Levites", or "shares of the poets and gatekeepers", and when Nehemiah returned and went up to Judah the next time, after staying for a period of time in Persia, and it became clear to him that the people were not careful about giving the "shares", which caused serious disruptions In keeping the music in the temple, Nehemiah made sure to restore the situation to its former state and to appoint more responsible officials for the distribution of the "shares", among them one who is probably a member of the family of poets.

The fact that the poets and porters were among the Levites and enjoyed the "shares" is highlighted in one verse in the book of Nehemiah, which appears to be a late addition that was not written by Nehemiah. This is a verse with an interesting parallel in the Book of Chronicles - "And these poets, the chief of the fathers of the Levites, in the chambers are exempt, because day and night they are at work" (33 Chronicles XNUMX:XNUMX). The "exemption" refers only to an exemption from financial concern, and "on them in the work" repeatedly distills the poets to a role that is an integral part of the holy work in the Temple.

D - The appointees following the occupation of Jerusalem

The first action, of great significance, regarding the organization of the Levites-the poets, was carried out by Nehemiah after the construction of the walls of Jerusalem and the installation of its doors-gates. This is a census conducted for poets and janitors. Its importance lies in its primacy, in that it integrates into Nehemiah's entire organizational campaign, considering the first step to organization and institutionalization.

Ezra and Nehemiah learned from Zerubbabel's failures. They understood correctly that without the organization of the position and institutionalization of the role of the musicians in the temple, miracles should not be expected. The music will not be established on its own, due to its importance alone, and indeed it is good to think first.

It is possible that it is only a hypothesis that the vision of the prophet Ezekiel stood before the eyes of Zerubbabel and Jesus, and especially before the eyes of Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezekiel who was one of the priests exiled from Jerusalem, among the Jehoiachin exiles in 597 BC or shortly thereafter. In the exile Ezekiel saw, in his vision, a new temple in Jerusalem. Inspired by the desert ideal, he drew the division of the Holy Land and assigned the priests the sacred area that surrounded the temple.

In his description of the temple, the influence of the Babylonian "Zikorath" was felt in him, and there an important place was set aside for the chambers of the poets, and perhaps the northern chamber where he is the "gate of poetry" mentioned in the treatise Midod in the Mishnah (Shekels 3:XNUMX).

It is possible that Ezekiel is not describing in his vision but the portrait of the second temple that he painted at the end of its existence. Either way, we are dealing with the later period of Solomon's temple by four hundred years. It is possible that the establishment of the additional chambers in the temple by Nehemiah was influenced to a certain extent by Ezekiel's vision.

Before we look at the musical names, we will mention two important facts, the ones we alluded to above. Ezra and Nehemiah, and especially Nehemiah, sought to instill among the entire Jewish public the recognition that singing and playing in the Temple are an integral part of the holy work itself, and that the poets, as an integral part, are the ones entrusted with this work.

This enterprise was not established in the blink of an eye, but lasted for a long time, and it is appropriate to follow its development by textual examination of the relevant sources. Well, among the new appointees in the Temple appeared "the official of the Levites" - Ezi ben Bani "of the sons of Assaf, the poets against the work of the house of God" (Nehemiah 22:XNUMX). The "work of the house of God" is nothing but the "work" (as the sages put it) in the temple - the sacrifices, the offerings, the sacrifices and the other holy works. At this stage, the Levites are appointed for a musical performance, which is in terms of an accompanying act of secondary importance to the holy service - "against the work of the house of God".

Later, Nehemiah testifies about the poets who are the "doers of the craft". In other words, their action is completely integral to the "work" - it is sacred and of supreme importance. And later on in the period, the author of Chronicles testified about his generation by saying: "And these are the poets, the chiefs of the fathers of the Levites in the chambers are exempt, because day and night they are at work" Chronicles 33 Chronicles XNUMX XNUMX). In other words, before us is an integral role from the holy work, when this is a very prominent recognition and perception in that entire chapter of the Book of Chronicles.

An interesting segment appeared after the wall dedication ceremony, where music played a very important role. And in the text the following verse appeared: "For Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who stood" (Nehemiah 44:27). And if at the beginning of the verse it is said that special officers were appointed "over the shekels for the treasures", perhaps it would not be far from assuming that the box "over" assigned some function. And the "joy" is the music mentioned at the beginning of the chapter when Nehemiah gathered and gathered the Levite poets "from all their places" in order to "bring them to Jerusalem to make Hanukkah and joy" (ibid. XNUMX) with cymbals, harps and violins. That is, when we examine the above section in the light of Nehemiah's actions, we can assume that Hela did quite a bit regarding the beginning of the organization of the musical role of the priests and Levites.

After the wall was built and its doors and gates were erected, Nehemiah saw the population of the city of Jerusalem as an important step and an important task for the continuation of his work. Admittedly, the construction of the wall gave Judah in general and Jerusalem in particular a certain, unprecedented political status, one that did not exist in the days of Zerubbabel and Jesus before him. However, this did not solve the city's demographic problem. It was decided that one tenth of all the people, including ministers, priests and Levites, would settle in Jerusalem by lot and the rest would remain in their colonies.

As a result of the looting of this demographic system, different appointments were established regarding the Levites in general and poets in general in particular.

Among the newly appointed Levites is mentioned "Methaniah son of Micah, son of Zebedeeban gathered the leader of the beginning, Yehuda for prayer, and in Kabakiah a second of his brothers, and Abda son of Shemu, son of Galel, son of Iditon" (ibid. 17). Under "first" you should say "glory". That is, the singing of hymns of praise. And "Yehuda" (the dot is dotted with purple) may be interpreted as "thanks" - a significant musical term that we will deal with later). Before us therefore stands a poet who heads a choir of praise poets who are usually accompanied by cymbals. It should be noted that these musical leaders and directors were common in Mesopotamian temples after the founding stages of temple music.

After the chapter counted the number of Levites remaining in the city with its population, the Levite official - Ezi ben Bani, from the family of poets, was counted "against the work of the house of God" (ibid., 22). It is not known what his defined role was from the musical aspect, however there is no doubt that he was the head of a group of Levites-poets.

The passage that tasted "because the king's commandment is upon them" (ibid. 23) - about the appointed poets is closed and its instruction is ambiguous. In my estimation, this is the Persian king, since we saw above that his contributions to Jerusalem and the Temple were many and significant, and therefore the "King's Commandment" should be associated with the same privileges.

The following appointees were similarly bound up in the reforms that accompanied the population of Jerusalem, namely "And the Levites Yeshua, Benui, Kadmiel, Sharbia, Yehuda, Mattania about the Jews he and his brother and his brother (it should be said - "and poor") their brothers opposite them for the shifts (Nehemiah 9) in 8-XNUMX). "The Yodas" indicate that they came from the word "Hodiya", and that it should be pronounced "on Hodah", and since Matanya was associated with a famous family of poets, it is possible that she is the head of a choir, another choir of the Levite poets.

In one of the following verses we find that "And the leaders of the Levites - Hashiya, Sharbia and Yeshua ben Kadmiel and their brothers were before them, to praise, to acknowledge the commandment of David the man of God. Mishmar versus Mishmar" (24). Here too we find leaders of choirs appointed for this purpose in the period in question, and the box - "mishmer vs. mishmer" may connect with the above mentioned - "their brothers against them for the shifts". It is possible that the poets took turns, since not all of them could serve at the same time in the temple. Or is it a musical "answer". That is, chants are sung and driven responsorially between two choirs as a phenomenon that was common in Mesopotamian temples.

All the above-mentioned appointees are remembered before the culminating ceremony of all the Ezra and Nehemiah enterprises, which was the dedication ceremony of the walls. For this ceremony, Nehemiah, as anor, was not satisfied with the poets already found in Jerusalem, but invited, ad hoc, the other poets from their courts to sing and play cymbals, violins and harps.

The dedication ceremony of the walls was held when two organized processions go around the entire walls of Jerusalem and meet, "head to head" on the Temple Mount. Among the musical performers in this ceremony we find Zechariah, one of the sons of the priests, who was in charge of the priests cheering/blowing the trumpets. Likewise, seven trumpeter priests are listed later, among whom one named Zechariah is mentioned. It is not known if this is the same "Zacharia", but the musical combination of seven trumpeter-priests becomes a musical phenomenon, the ensemble is common even later in the period.

The brothers of the aforementioned Zechariah were Levi from the sons of Assaf, whose names are listed in order, one after the other, eight in number, who played the "singing instrument of David the man of God" (35 Chronicles XNUMX:XNUMX). These are probably musicians who played a harp. This number of harpists also appears later in the period.

A group of eight other Levites-poets appears later in the text and at the end of the minyan of which we read: "And the poets heard, and the clerk spoke" (ibid. 42). It is possible that we are talking about a group or heads of groups of vocal choirs headed by the conductor - Yizrahia the Clerk. And it is possible that this is a group of Levites playing cymbals, headed by the conductor, as appears later in the period from the testimony of Baal Dabei about his time - "And he gathered cymbals to play" (Dabei 5:XNUMX XNUMX). And he is the leader of the Leviathan Orchestra.

Be that as it may, there is no doubt that this impressive ceremony was preceded by many preparations, including - the entire system of new appointments in Jerusalem as a result of Nehemiah's initiative.

At the end of the ceremony it was said - "For in the days of David and Asaph, the chief of the poets was leading a song of praise and thanksgiving to God" (Nehemiah 46:XNUMX). The relationship to David will be discussed later, but it must be said that the honor and glory that showered upon the heads of the poets, members of the Levites, is rooted in the fact that they won the songs of praise and thanksgiving, which were expressed in the aforementioned ceremony.

Beginning with the dedication ceremony of the temple of Jehovah by Zerubbabel and Jesus, and in other cases during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, there was an affinity between the music of the temple and the House of King David, and this found expression in the scriptures. We can say that before us are late additions considering a fact that repeats several times from the mouth of the chronicler. However, we should check its truth.

I believe that this is a phenomenon that developed during the return of Zion and perhaps its beginning - during the Babylonian exile.

The return to the land undoubtedly caused a messianic and prophetic awakening whose expression is found in the books of Haggai and Zechariah and even in the works of Ezra and Nehemiah. It should be noted that the geopolitical "earthquakes" in the form of surges of rebellions and revolutions that swept almost the entire Babylonian-Persian kingdom with their fury only helped to foster the aforementioned awakening.

To these it is appropriate to add the following points which contributed to the strengthening of that messianic and prophetic awakening - Zerubbabel was a scion of the house of King David; The construction of the altar and the Temple of Jehovah, the construction of the Temple, the fortification of Jerusalem with walls and gates and more. Zeta and more, the encounter between music and religious holiness also contributed to the deepening of the religious and Christian experience.

That "reawakening" of the people was naturally linked to the biblical House of David. This is the legendary figure in whose days the initial preparations for the building of the first temple began and around which instructive legends were gathered during the exile period, when the sieges for Zion intensified, the image of King David will return and rise.

And as for the musical aspect - there is no doubt that some of the psalms were written during the return to Zion and the remaining part - later in the days of the Second Temple. However, a number of psalms during the return of Zion and in the spirit of the ancient psalms served as a connecting link between this period and King David and his time. And from another aspect - the "Hallel" psalms sung during the days of Zion's return may have been based on texts written in the days of David. However, they were not yet sung during the First Temple period. In other words, the musical contribution is the fruit of the period of Shibat Zion and the continuation of the Second Temple days.

Furthermore, in one of the cases in the book of Nehemiah, it is said that the Levites played "the instruments of the song of David, the man of God" (Nehemiah 35:XNUMX). This box may allude to those instruments that were popular in the public mind about King David, namely the harp and/or the violin.

And in general, the examiner of both the works of David and the works of Solomon in the most authentic books of the Bible, that is, the books of Samuel and Kings, will not find any connection between the music and the sacred service in the Temple, or between the Levites and the music. This is a fact that may confirm my assumption that the connection between David and various musical events in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah is founded on a messianic-prophetic basis seasoned with signs of tradition, on a sacred interpretation.

And lest the answer be found in another layer involved in the process that began, similarly, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah and reached one of its climaxes later in the days of the Second Temple. It is about raising the horn and status of the Levites-poets. And although the following assumption is not free from logical-interpretive difficulties, I will raise it here for the reader's consideration. Well, in order to introduce the aforementioned consciousness and to deepen it among the public on the one hand, and among the priests on the other hand, Ezra and Nehemiah requested that the status of the poets depend on the contributions and works of King David. And this, even though, as mentioned, in the Bible there is no connection between the works of David or Solomon and the Levites-poets in general, and the Levites-poets in the Temple in particular.

In conclusion, it was said that a genealogical examination of the list of appointees after the occupation of Jerusalem is not sufficiently clear and may lead to unfounded conclusions. I tried to hypothesize that it was a number of families of poets who played musical roles in the temple. The minority of these sat in Jerusalem, in the temple (lest during the "Toront" period) and the others, the many, sat in the "courts", those who were called to serve in the sanctuary when needed for special events. This complex system was, as mentioned, one of the peak stages in Ezra and Nehemiah's enterprise - an enterprise whose great importance did not depend on time. This enterprise gradually took shape, organized and institutionalized throughout the days of the Second Temple.

The interesting context, and perhaps hidden or in need of clear confirmation, should be noted here between the beginnings of temple musicality in the days of the return to Zion and the days of David and Solomon - who laid the foundation for the building of the Hashon Temple.