Vocal Music in the Year of Mourning

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Question

Is it permissible for a mourner to listen to vocal music (where only human voices are recorded without instruments, and they mimic the sounds of musical instruments)?

Answer

There is no distinction for a mourner between music with instruments and music that mimics instruments.

Source

The source for distinguishing between songs with instruments and songs without instruments is because after the destruction of the Temple, it is forbidden to listen to musical instruments. Rambam in the Laws of Fasts, Chapter 5, Halacha 14, and the Shulchan Aruch in Siman 560, Paragraph 3, wrote that it is forbidden to listen to music with instruments even without a wine feast, and vocal music is forbidden only at a wine feast (and the Rema is lenient with instruments if it is not habitual). The Mishnah Berurah there, SK 13, brings the opinion of the Bach, who is stringent with vocal music even without wine and considers his opinion. Therefore, during the three weeks when it is customary not to listen to music in memory of the destruction, even though throughout the year it is lenient to listen to music due to the weak spirit of our generation, at the time of the destruction it was customary not to listen to music in memory of the destruction. Therefore, during the three weeks, singing both with and without instruments is forbidden, and one who is in great need may be lenient with singing without instruments, as seen in the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch that vocal music is less stringent than music with instruments. However, for a mourner, the reason for the prohibition of listening to music is not in memory of the destruction, but because joy is forbidden, so there is no difference between music with instruments and vocal music, and it is always forbidden.

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