Q. What does the Rav hold regarding listening to Hartzige music “nigunei neshama” during sefira?
A. On question 1313 we wrote: See questions1305 and 1312 above in regards to what kind of music is permitted during Sefira.
Although, Oz Nidberu (8: 58), Shevet Halevi (8: 127), Tzitz Eliezer (15: 33) and others prohibit listening to taped vocal singing even without instrumental accompaniment, many Poskim permit just plain singing songs of praise, thanks and dveikus to Hashem even on a seudas mereius (a meal gathering of friends) when no dancing is involved. (Aruch Hashulchan 493: 2, Shulchan Aruch Horav ibid :1. See Igrois Moishe E.H. 1: 98, in regards to occasions of intense joy).
A single individual singing to himself when learning or davening etc,. is plainly permitted (Piskei Teshuvos 493: 4, Nitei Gavriel – Bein Hametzorim 15: 11). Still, Leket Yoisher quotes, that his rebbi, the Terumas Hadeshen, would not sing at all during Sefira days. Yosef Ometz (p. 128) mentions that this was also the tradition of the kehila of Frankfurt-Am-Main.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that as long as the tunes are sober and not over-joyous, the benefit, healing and well-being created by singing to the stroke patients and paralyzed individuals, preempts and supersedes all the above issues, even during the Nine Days, since the songs are not for joyfulness they are not prohibited.
The Rov maintains that the chessed done to others in distress and in pain, is the greatest segula and source of brocho and hatzlocho
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Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a