{"id":7729,"date":"2016-01-22T18:00:52","date_gmt":"2016-01-22T16:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=7729"},"modified":"2016-07-25T16:12:34","modified_gmt":"2016-07-25T13:12:34","slug":"01-22-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/01-22-18\/","title":{"rendered":"18. Clapping and Dancing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Sages\u2019 prohibition of playing instruments includes dancing, clapping, and slapping one\u2019s thigh with one\u2019s hands to accompany singing out of concern lest one play an instrument and fix it (<em>Beitza<\/em> 36b). However, one may clap with a <em>shinui<\/em>, such as using the back of one\u2019s hand; by using a <em>shinui<\/em>, he is reminded that it is Shabbat and will not end up fixing an instrument (<em>y. Beitza<\/em> 5:2). It would seem that very muted dancing, in which one\u2019s feet never leave the ground at the same time, is not included in the prohibited dancing (<em>ibid.<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>The prohibition applies specifically while singing, because there is a concern then that it will lead to playing instruments. In contrast, if there is no singing, one may jump a bit for his enjoyment. Similarly, one may clap or to bang on a table in order to wake someone up.<\/p>\n<p>In practice, many observant Jews dance, clap, and bang on a table when they sing on Shabbat. The <em>poskim<\/em> disagree about the legitimacy of this practice, as follows.<\/p>\n<p>One approach, that of many <em>poskim<\/em>, is that this practice is mistaken. The only reason that the Sages did not object is that the prohibition is not stated explicitly in the Torah, so it is better that people transgress unknowingly rather than knowingly (<em>Beitza<\/em> 30a). However, if there is any possibility that people can be convinced to accept the proper <em>halakha<\/em>, we must teach them not to clap or dance on Shabbat, in accordance with the rabbinic enactment (Rif; Rambam; Rema 339:3). Nevertheless, on Sim\u0125at Torah, when there is a special mitzva to rejoice and honor the Torah, even those who are normally stringent dance and clap (Maharik in the name of R. Hai Gaon). However, for other celebrations with a mitzva component, such as weddings, they are not lenient (MB 339:8).<\/p>\n<p>A second approach defends the leniency. After all, the reason behind the prohibition is a concern that people will end up fixing a musical instrument. Nowadays, when those who play an instrument do not know how to fix it, the enactment no longer applies, and one may dance and clap on Shabbat (<em>Tosafot<\/em>, <em>Beitza<\/em> 30a, s.v. \u201ctenan\u201d). Some do not accept this, maintaining that all the players know how to tune their instrument (tightening guitar strings, harp strings, or the top of a drum), which is considered fixing an instrument. However, there is a different reason to be lenient. Some maintain that the rabbinic enactment was specifically relevant to the times of the Sages, when people would take out instruments whenever there was dancing and clapping. Nowadays, when many people sing, dance, and clap without instruments, the enactment no longer applies (AHS 339:9).<\/p>\n<p>A third approach notes that the great \u0124asidic masters of recent centuries focused on the value of music and dance to awaken people\u2019s hearts to cling to God joyfully. Such dancing and clapping are considered true mitzva needs. Accordingly, just as there is a leniency for Sim\u0125at Torah, there should be a leniency for every Shabbat (<em>Devar Yehoshua<\/em> 2:42:4).<\/p>\n<p>It would seem that even those who are lenient should not drum on the table on Shabbat. Such drumming is very similar to that of an actual drum, which all agree is forbidden, even for the sake of a mitzva. Furthermore, the concern that people will take out a drum is a serious one today, when many are used to bringing drums, darbukas, and the like when they sing. In contrast, when people are singing during prayer, a leader may drum with his hand on the <em>bima<\/em>. One leading the songs at the Shabbat table may also be lenient.<sup><a id=\"_ze05ftnref22_12\" class=\"aup1\" href=\"#_ze05ftn22_12\">[12]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n<div>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<div><a id=\"_ze05ftn22_12\" href=\"#_ze05ftnref22_12\">[12]<\/a>. As we said above, on Sim\u0125at Torah all customarily clap and dance based on the opinion of R. Hai Gaon as cited by Maharik and <em>Beit Yosef<\/em> 339:3. However, the <em>poskim<\/em> do not apply this leniency to other mitzva situations (SA 339:3). Rema is inclined to follow this as well, commenting that the reason we do not object to those who clap and dance on Shabbat is that it is better that people transgress unknowingly rather than knowingly. However, Rema cites as an alternative the lenient approach of <em>Tosafot<\/em>, namely, that nowadays there is no reason to be concerned that people will end up fixing a musical instrument. <em>Yam Shel Shlomo<\/em> (<em>Beitza<\/em> 5:6) seems to state that technically one may rely on <em>Tosafot<\/em> when it is in the service of a mitzva. This opinion is quoted in <em>Eliya Rabba<\/em> 339:1 and MB <em>ad loc<\/em>. 10. (See SHT 339:6-7.) Based on the logic of this approach, \u0124asidim are customarily lenient (<em>Devar Yehoshua<\/em> 2:42:4; <em>Min\u0125at Elazar<\/em> 1:29). Sephardim may rely on this reasoning as well for the sake of a mitzva (see <em>Or Le-Tziyon<\/em> 2:43:9 and <em>Har\u0125avot<\/em>.) However, the leniency pertains to dancing and clapping \u2013 both of which are done with the body \u2013 and not to drumming on something else (<em>Eliya Rabba<\/em> 339:1; MB <em>ad<\/em> <em>loc<\/em>. 10; <em>Avnei Yashfe<\/em> 2:35:1). The reasoning is straightforward. Drumming on a table is similar to playing a drum, which is a musical instrument. Nevertheless, when it comes to a <em>gabbai<\/em> leading the congregation in song, there are two reasons to be lenient and allow him to drum with his hand on the <em>bima<\/em>. First, this is more clearly for the sake of a mitzva, and we already saw that R. Hai Gaon and Maharik are lenient for the sake of Sim\u0125at Torah (see SHT 339:7). Second, since the <em>gabbai<\/em> is in the middle of the congregation, we are not worried that he might bring instruments that will need to be fixed. Perhaps this is also one of the reasons for the leniency on Sim\u0125at Torah<em>.<\/em> The logic is similar to that of the permission for two people to read by candlelight (<em>Shabbat<\/em> 12b), or for even one person to read by candlelight as long as his friend is there to make sure he will not unknowingly do anything that would affect the flame (SA 275:3). This also explains why <em>Sha\u2019arei De\u2019a<\/em> (YD 282) allows putting a crown with bells on a Torah scroll (as opposed to <em>Taz<\/em>; see <em>Yabi\u2019a Omer<\/em> 3:22). Perhaps we can extend the leniency to leading the singing at the Shabbat table, and allow one to drum with his hand on the table. Nevertheless, it is not proper for the rest of the participants to drum. Besides, their drumming is not always for the sake of the mitzva, as often these additional drummers actually make it harder to sing because they are out of sync with the song.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Sages\u2019 prohibition of playing instruments includes dancing, clapping, and slapping one\u2019s thigh with one\u2019s hands to accompany singing out of concern lest one play an instrument and fix it (Beitza 36b). However, one may clap with a shinui, such as using the back of one\u2019s hand; by using a shinui, he is reminded that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-01-22"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>18. Clapping and Dancing - Peninei Halakha<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/01-22-18\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"18. 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