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Music
Even though we do not know what style of music was played in the Temple Courtyard, what we do know is that the texts were taken from David's book of Psalms, and that the harp and lyre were part of the Temple Orchestra together with silver trumpets and the shofar. The following discs attempt to recreate music as it may have been played in the Temple. For further study just click here to access our Temple Institute content website.
Mentioned in the Book of Psalms, the Sheminit – the 8 stringed harp - was one of the ancient instruments of the Temple. The instruments are carved from various types of wood including birch, mahogany, maple and walnut. Each element of the Sheminit's construction, including the wood used, the body's design and even the decoration engraved upon it, greatly impacts the sound that the instrument will produce.
Each and every Sheminit is unique and is a result of the creative expression of the artist who made it. The distinctive quality of the instrument is also tied to this purpose to connect cultures and create a sense of peace harmony to all those who experience its sound. The elongated calming tones of the Sheminit, reminiscent of the sounds of a mother's soothing her where weeping child, have a universal quality that effects all those who hear it.
These instruments are created by Itai Levi, a resident of the Old City in Jerusalem.
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