Using Pesukim in Music

Hi, I’m a music composer, I sometimes compose songs that include pesukim. I recently heard a shiur that one may not recite pesukim by heart, that they must always be read from a text. So my question is, is there any issue with composing songs using pesukim, since they would be sung by heart?

Thank you for your question.

The answer:

It is permitted.

The answer in depth:

It is brought in the Talmud, Gittin 60b, and in Tosafot on Temurah 14b and Ta’anit 26a, that one may only recite pesukim from a written text.

This is brought le’halcha Shulchan Aruch OC 49 seif 1 as follows:

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות ברכות השחר ושאר ברכות סימן מט

אף על גב דקיימא לן: דברים שבכתב אי אתה רשאי לאומרם על פה, 

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, the laws of Birkot HaShachar and other blessings, Siman 49

Even though we hold that anything written in Scripture may not be recited by heart…

The reason for this, the Ritva explains, is that many times we learn halachos from the way the text is written, including chaseiros and yeseiros. Since the writing is exact and many halachos depend on its precise form, it is important to read from the actual written text. This reason is brought in the Beis Yosef, ibid.

There is another interesting reason for this prohibition, brought by the Yere’im. If people would start saying pesukim by heart, they might eventually stop writing them down. Also, amei ha’aretz have more trust in what is read directly from the Torah than in what is said by heart, and they might claim that the halacha that is being said by heart is not written in the Torah but was introduced by the Chachamim.

Now, circling back to your question, there are a number of reasons why it would be permitted for you to sing songs even though you are not reading the pesukim from the actual text, I would like to share with you three reasons that HaGaon HaRav Amrom Fried shlit”a brings (Azamrah Lishmech issue #311 and issue #312) to allow one to sing songs of pesukim by heart.

Not exempting others

When one is merely reading pesukim without the intention of exempting (being motzi) others, one may be lenient and recite them by heart.
 The source for this leniency is brought in Tosafot (Temurah 14b), who asks, how we are able to say the Shirah and Krias Shema by heart every morning. Tosafot answers that since one is not being motzi others with his recitation, it is permitted to say it by heart. This is the quote of Tosafot:

תוספות מסכת תמורה דף יד עמוד ב

קשה היכי קרינן ויושע וקריאת שמע וי"ל דאין להקפיד אלא בדבר שמוציא אחרים ידי חובתן.

Tosafot, Temurah 14b
One can ask, how can we say Vayosha (the passage of Shirat HaYam) and Krias Shema (by heart)?
 It can be explained that one needs to be particular only in case that, through the reading, one is exempting someone else.

Hagaon Harav Fried writes extensively (ibid) that one may rely on this leniency on its own, even if there is no additional reason to be lenient.

The pesukim are familiar.

If the pesukim are familiar to people, then there is another reason to be lenient, since in such a case it is not forbidden to say the pesukim by heart.

This is brought in the Shulchan Aruch as follows:

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות ברכות השחר ושאר ברכות סימן מט

אף על גב דקיימא לן: דברים שבכתב אי אתה רשאי לאומרם על פה, כל דבר שרגיל ושגור בפי הכל, כגון ק"ש וברכת כהנים (במדבר ו, כב - כז) ופרשת התמיד (במדבר כח, א - ח) וכיוצא בהן, מותר. 

Even though there is a Halacha that words written in Scripture may not be recited by heart, anything that is commonly known and fluent in everyone’s mouth, such as Kriyas Shema, Birchas Kohanim (Bamidbar 6:22–27), the section of the Korban Tamid (Bamidbar 28:1–8), and similar passages, may be said by heart.

Since it is a way to sing or pray to Hashem

Since when one sings, one is really praising Hashem, or it may be a form of prayer to Hashem depending on the song. And if one is reciting it in a way of prayer or song, then one may say it by heart. This is brought in Tosafot Yeshanim in Yuma 70a, and the Ritvah there.

תוספות ישנים מסכת יומא דף ע עמוד א

וא"ת והלא אומר הלל בעל פה ואף על פי שהוא להוציא רבים ידי חובתן כדאמר בלולב הגזול (דף לח ב) י"ל שכיון שאינו אלא דברי שבח והודאה בעלמא תו ליכא למיחש למידי 

Tosafot Yeshanim, Yoma 70a

…..And if you will ask, after all, we recite Hallel by heart, even though one is fulfilling the obligation for the many, as stated in Lulav Hagozul (38b). We can say that since Hallel is praise and thanksgiving, there is no concern about this at all.

This is brought lehalacha by the Mishneh Berurah ibid.

Wishing you lots of hatzlacha in your avodas hakodesh, composing niggunim that give Yidden a heartfelt way to praise Hashem.

1.      Azamroh Lishmecho Issue 311 312

2.      Talmud Gittin 60b

3.      Tosafot Temurah 14b

4.      Tosafot Ta’anit 26a

5.      Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 49:1

6.      Beis Yosef Orach Chaim 49

7.      Yere’im 

8.      Tosafot Temurah 14b 

9.      Tosafot Yeshanim Yoma 70a

10.  Ritva Yoma 70a

11.  Mishnah Berurah Orach Chaim 49