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Question
Hi Rabbi David, what is the source that listening to vulgar songs is forbidden, I mean, as long as it has no sexual intent hy would it be forbidden to say "moron" or "c**t" be it when denigrating a terrorist but without any sexual intent. Even listening to love songs is not supposed to give bad thoughts unless listening to some singers that openly talk about have sexual intercourse in their lyrics which is a no-go of course, but generally it is just like listening to the Shir HaShirim
Answer
Shalom, Thank you for your question. There is a clear prohibition to speak, or listen to vulgar speech. The Talmud (Shabat 33a) writes (and I quote the Koren version, with a few words of commentary added in) :- “Due to the sin of vulgar speech, troubles abound, and harsh decrees are renewed, and the youth among the enemies of Israel, a euphemistic reference to Israel, die, and orphans and widows cry out for help and are not answered, as it is stated: “Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall He have compassion on their fatherless and widows; for everyone is ungodly and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks wantonness. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still” (Isaiah 9:16). The Gemara explains: What is the meaning of the phrase: But His hand is stretched out still? Rabbi Ḥanan bar Rava said: Everybody knows why the bride enters the wedding canopy. There is no secret revealed. Nevertheless, anyone who speaks vulgarly about it, even if they, on High, sealed for him a decree of seventy years of good fortune, they will reverse it to bad fortune because of this sin. And Rabba bar Sheila said that Rav Ḥisda said: Anyone who speaks vulgarly, they deepen Gehenna for him, as it is stated: “The mouth that speaks perversity is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein” (Proverbs 22:14), i.e., Gehenna is deepened for one who speaks vulgarly. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Even one who hears vulgar speech and is silent is punished, as it is stated: “He that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein,” even if he himself does not speak at all.” This being so, even listening to songs that have rude words, whether they refer to intimate activity or whether they are vulgar speech in general (as in the examples you gave) it is forbidden. As to your point about listening to love songs being similar to listening to Shir HaShirim – As I wrote in my original response (which I reprint below), that will very much depend on 1. The lyrics being clean, and 2. The listener not being led astray to forbidden thoughts. If that is truly the case, then you are correct that listening to love songs would be allowed (and perhaps encouraged). But a person must be honest with themselves, and know what is good spiritual “food” for them, and what they should avoid. Here is my original response again - “The prohibition to listen to inappropriate lyrics does not stem from the fact that they are put to music. Rather, there are two separate laws that relate to this issue. The first is "nivul peh" or dirtying one's mouth. Singing songs (or listening to songs) that have rude words, or inappropriate content, is in violation of this law. The second prohibition is that one is not allowed to excite their sexual urges (outside of the framework of one's relations with their wife or husband). The definition of what is "nivul peh", whilst open to some degree of change from place to place and generation to generation, can basically be defined as any speech that would not be used in polite society. The Talmud goes so far as to say that one should even go out of one's way to use a more cumbersome sentence, rather than use negative language - for example, in parshat Noach it talks about the "animals that are not pure" rather than just saying "the impure animals" because it is nicer not to mention "impurity". Even though one is not technically obligated to go to such lengths - it is certainly forbidden to use vulgar language. On the other hand, the definition of what "excites the sexual urge" differs from person to person. We find in Tanach and Talmud references to many and varied things that could, potentially, lead one astray in this area - and nonetheless they are mentioned. This is because we assume that a regular person learning Torah will turn their mind to holy thoughts, and not be enticed to lewdness. This being so, every case must be examined by itself, and in relation to each person. For example, when I was younger there was a famous song with the words "I wanna hold your hand". Obviously this was referring to a man who wanted to hold his aging mother's hand to give her comfort in her old age. As such, this song never led me astray to licentious thoughts. But I could imagine that there were those who misunderstood the meaning of the song and started thinking forbidden thoughts. Those people should have refrained from listening to this song. So, in answer to your question, if the song has no vulgar or inappropriate words, and the thoughts expressed in it do not lead you to improper thoughts, then it is permitted. However, this does not mean it is desirable. As one ascends towards a more holy life, one will find oneself wanting to immerse their whole being in G-dly pursuits. This will certainly influence what books they read, music they listen to, and places they frequent. I doubt that the music of the Beatles, even the ones with totally "kosher" content, such as "Yellow Submarine", would be considered good spiritual food for a tzaddik. On the other hand, one must remember that spiritual growth must be undertaken step by step, and for many people listening to "Yellow Submarine" is a step in the right direction - especially if it is in place of listening to vulgar songs, or even if it just lets them relax and "be normal"." Blessings.
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