CCAR RESPONSA
New American Reform Responsa
221. Orchestra at a Wedding
QUESTION: My synagogue seeks to establish some rules concerning weddings and other festivities. Is it appropriate to engage an orchestra for weddings? I presume that it makes no difference whether the musicians are Jewish or Gentile. (Bruce L. Klein, Philadelphia PA)ANSWER: Rules such as your congregation contemplate are important in our continuing attempt to restrain extravagance. Many efforts at sumptuary regulation have been made through the centuries (Jacob R. Marcus The Jew in the Medieval World pp 193 ff; I. Abraham Jewish Life in the Middle Ages pp 295 ff; L. Löw Die Lebensalter; Louis Finkelstein Jewish Self Government in the Middle Ages). These regulations were designed to curb extravagant displays which were wasteful and often aroused the jealousy of non-Jewish neighbors. Policy decisions, therefore, on the nature of festivities such as Bar/Bat mitzvah, weddings, etc., held in the synagogue are very much in keeping with tradition. Music has been reported at Jewish weddings from ancient times (Midrash Rabbah Gen 23.50). Although nothing was said about the nature of the music or the musicians, during the Middle Ages we hear of non-Jews playing at weddings and for that matter even being hired specifically to play on the shabbat of a wedding week (Mordecai to Alfasi Betzah 5). The practice was cited favorably by later authorities (Tur; Shulhan Arukh Orah Hayim 338.1 ff). There were, of course, those who disagreed with this practice and tried to stop it, but as it was exceedingly popular it proved difficult to halt (Radbaz Responsa #6, #132; “Maarehet Hatan Vekalah” Sedei Hemed #13). There is a long tradition of engaging non-Jewish musicians for a wedding. Nothing is said about the number of musicians or even the nature of their music, however, the sumptuary regulations which appeared often in the past would encourage us to keep such music within the boundaries of good taste.October 1990
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