Hashir Vehashevach 1 – Hamavdil

The past generation has witnessed a great change in the quality and presentation of Jewish music due to the adoption of modern popular styles of music. Numerous articles have been written in the past to point out that these styles of music are unsuitable for use in Jewish music, and many Rabbonim and educators have expressed their distress to hear new types of indecent music being played with words from pesukim, tefillos or divrei  chazal. The effects and influences of modern styles of music have already been explained fully in the book “The Torah is not Hefker”.
On Rosh Chodesh Ellul 5767, a meeting was held of Rabbonim and representatives of Gedolei Hador in Bnei Brak to discuss the effects of modern music and singers on the public, and a decision was made that there is now a necessity to require a hechsher on new discs. The same decision was made at a similar meeting in Yerushalayim in Sivan 5769 and a committee of Rabbonim has now been formed to provide such a hechsher on discs according to the guidelines that have been made by music experts to keep the music at a high moral standard, without compromising on any detail.
This disc, the first of a continuing series, has been made by public demand to return to authentic styles that stay within the boundaries of decency and good taste which is a basic requirement in songs with words from holy sources. Much effort and thought has been given in the production of this disc to provide high quality arrangements of the finest Jewish songs and melodies. The instrumentation and vocal arrangements have been made to  suit the words and give honor to Hashem, which is the real purpose of Jewish music. We hope that these songs will help the listeners to feel the kedushah of Shabbos, and request from those who do not yet keep Shabbos to refrain from playing this disc on Shabbos or Yom Tov.
Ephraim Luft,
Bnei Brak, Kislev 5770.

Distributed in the U.S. by Lechaim.