MELODY A holy melody gives strength to the forces of holiness. But the music of the Sitra Achra, the Other Side, damages these forces and lengthens the exile. It makes people stumble and traps them like birds in a snare. Be very careful never to listen to this kind of music at all. The musicians and singers who produce it have no religious intentions whatsoever. On the contrary, they only want to make money or become famous. Listening to this kind of music can seriously weaken your devotion to God. But the melodies played by a truly religious, God-fearing musician can be very inspiring. They can strengthen your devotion immensely (Likutey Moharan I, 3).
נְגִינָה
[א]. עַל־יְדֵי נְגִינָה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה מְקִימִין וּמַעֲלִין הַמַּלְכוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְזוֹכִין לְהִתְנַשְּׂאוּת. וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, הַחַזָּנִים וְהַמְנַגְּנִים דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא פּוֹגְמִין מַלְכוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּמַאֲרִיכִין אֶת הַגָּלוּת, וְעַל יָדָם נִכְשָׁלִים וְנוֹקְשִׁים בְּנֵי אָדָם כְּצִפֳּרִים הָאֲחוּזוֹת בַּפָּח. עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמֹעַ נְגִינָה מִמְּנַגֵּן דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, שֶׁאֵין כַּוָּנָתוֹ בְּנִגּוּנוֹ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם כְּלָל, רַק בִּשְׁבִיל מָמוֹן וְכָבוֹד וְהִתְפָּאֲרוּת, כִּי שְׁמִיעַת קוֹל נְגִינָה שֶׁלּוֹ מַזִּיק לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, שְׁמִיעַת קוֹל נְגִינָה מִמְּנַגֵּן כָּשֵׁר וְהָגוּן טוֹב לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ: (לק"א סי' ג')
MELODY
A holy melody gives strength to the forces of holiness. But the music of the Sitra Achra, the Other Side, damages these forces and lengthens the exile. It makes people stumble and traps them like birds in a snare. Be very careful never to listen to this kind of music at all. The musicians and singers who produce it have no religious intentions whatsoever. On the contrary, they only want to make money or become famous. Listening to this kind of music can seriously weaken your devotion to God. But the melodies played by a truly religious, God-fearing musician can be very inspiring. They can strengthen your devotion immensely (Likutey Moharan I, 3).