Matthew Miller, a self-described “white suburban teenager,” grew up in White Plains, New York, to Reconstructionist Jewish parents. He describes his teenage years as being filled with drugs and treif, (non-kosher food) and listening to hip-hop and reggae.
Today, Matthew Miller is Matisyahu Miller, an observant Chassidic Jew and top-selling artist on the Sony-BMG label. He performs across the country to Jews and non-Jews alike. His most popular song, “King Without a Crown,” made it to number seven in the Billboard charts.
From White Suburban Teenager to Chassidic Reggae Star
Matthew Miller, a self-described “white suburban teenager,” grew up in White Plains, New York, to Reconstructionist Jewish parents. He describes his teenage years as being filled with drugs and treif, (non-kosher food) and listening to hip-hop and reggae.
Today, Matthew Miller is Matisyahu Miller, an observant Chassidic Jew and top-selling artist on the Sony-BMG label. He performs across the country to Jews and non-Jews alike. His most popular song, “King Without a Crown,” made it to number seven in the Billboard charts.
In early September, the artist walked onto stage at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in a black coat and fedora, singing to more than 2,000 fans of all ages and backgrounds. Some teenagers showed up just to hear good music and have a turn in the mosh pit. Others felt more connected to Matisyahu’s connection with G-d.
Elisa Becerra, who was raised Christian, says Matisyahu’s music moved her to seek a deeper connection with G-d, through Orthodoxy. “You feel like the music is speaking directly to you,” Becerra says. “He just has a way of making people feel good.”
Devorah Witt, an Orthodox Jew visiting from Jerusalem, says Matisyahu’s music goes beyond good tunes and inspiration. “I think his music is actively bringing Moshiach,” she says.
Eli Altschuler, a Modern Orthodox Jew from Los Angeles, disagrees. The music is sincere, Altschuler says, but it doesn’t further his own religious convictions.
“He has given the Lubavitch a lot of strength,” adds Avi Blumenstein. “As a person, he’s very inspirational to people worldwide.”
In the Bay Area, however, Matisyahu may be strengthening the religiosity of young Jews. The mere presence of the reggae superstar, whose songs fill teenagers’ MySpace pages and mainstream radio stations, has inspired impressionable youths to show their Jewish pride.
David Linder, a 16-year-old from Saratoga, dons a kippah “for respect” and proudly announces that he skateboards to Matisyahu’s music on his iPod.
“He’s like a role model to me,” Linder says. “You never see a Jewish guy getting up there and doing reggae.”
Linder and a group of friends buy Matisyahu T-shirts to wear at the show, and argue over who gets the title of “biggest fan.” Thirty young adults attended the show together with the Silicon Valley Young Adults Division, a group of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley.
Matisyhau’s San Jose performace included his hit “King Without a Crown” and “Jerusalem.” Many of the words are difficult to understand because of the reggae style of singing, but some of the messages come across loud and clear.
Matisyahu performs “Youth,” a song without strong religious undertones that calls for young men to “make their demands.” Longtime friend and fellow Yeshiva student, Zalman Shimon Wircberg, who is accompanying the Millers on tour, jumps onstage and does Chasidic-style dancing with Matisyahu. The crowd demands two encore songs, and the concert ends well past midnight.
Shabbos
In the days preceding the show, Matisyahu spends Shabbos as any other devout Orthodox Jew, quietly finishing his prayers at the house of Berkeley Chabad Rabbi Yehuda Ferris, while dozens of loud Jewish fraternity members drink wine. During the meal, Matisyahu receives praise after praise about his music, and he accepts each compliment with a “thank you.” It’s hard to imagine this quiet, humble Chasid getting onstage and singing his heart out to thousands of fans.
On tour with Matisyahu is his wife Tahlia, who is due with their second child in November, and son Laivy Yitzhak, 1. The family travels with him when they can, and Tahlia has her own thing going on—she teaches a class on intimacy to young Jews. The Miller family travels from Chabad house to Chabad house while on tour, taking every effort to be observant. “It’s not hard; you just have to know what to look out for,” Matisyahu says.
“When you have your mind made up to do something, you can do it,” he says.
But Matisyahu wasn’t always so directed. For much of his teenage years, he pursued music under the alias “MC Truth” with the group MC Mystic’s Soulfari Band in the New York area. After years of listening to reggae, indulging in marijuana and following the band Phish, he was left feeling soulless and wanted to get out of a life that was “limiting.”
“I started thinking about the world in a different perspective,” Matisyahu says, and he started a gradual process of becoming more religious, which stemmed from a “yearning to go back and communicate with HaShem.”
It was a hard decision for Matisyahu, but he credits the friendly and funny Chabad emissaries for making the transition to being an observant Jew easier. His family took it hard, he says, and they thought it was just another youthful indiscretion.
“My mom was going through a mental breakdown—‘he used to be into drugs, now he’s religious. I don’t know which is worse,’” Matisyahu recalls.
Matisyahu took Halacha (Jewish law) head-on in 2001, and left music behind for a while.
“I made a break from everything in my past,” he says. He thought music would play a role in his life like any other Orthodox Jew, through traditional Jewish music.
“I soon stopped lying to myself and realized that Jewish music sucks basically,” Matisyahu says. “And if I wanted to hear Jewish music, I was going to have to create my own.”
He says his music is based on genres he knew from the past—hip-hop and reggae—but with some of the Jewish ideas and concepts, and found inspiration in Chasidic songs and Sephardic melodies. He says he heard hip-hop beats behind the traditional niggunim (melodies).
Some of the same phrases cross over from reggae. Lyrics such as “fire descends from on high in the shape of a lion/ burn the sacrifice of pride and ride on to Mount Zion” can easily be compared to Bob Marley’s words.
Perhaps it is the timeless themes, or the novelty of a man in a black coat, tzittzit (fringes) and a fedorah twirling onstage, but whatever the reason, Matisyahu quickly went from performing in coffee shops in New York to selling out shows in world capitals.
Two years ago, as he was building a following and grabbing some media attention, he met Tahlia, a New York University student who contacted him to do a video. He kept bumping into her around town, and was intrigued. He recalls skating to mincha together, and was impressed by her spunk dodging in and out of traffic.
“I never saw a girl rollerblade like that,” Matisyahu says. “After two or three dates, I said, ‘This’ll work.’”
While his popularity grows, and he continues to inspire and touch fans from all walks of life, Matisyahu says even though the crowd he attracts isn’t your typical shul-going bunch, his music is an outlet for his own expression; making tunes is something he felt he needed to do.
“I like being out there and saying, ‘This is who I am,’” Matisyahu says.
mendy w.
what a huge chillel hashem for an orthodox jew to be singing in front of mixed audiences of men and women in clubs and bars where alcohol is served to goyim in clear violation of the halacha of the shulchan aruch.
A Small Fan
Hey,
There are pros and cons with what "Matt".
Is doing, But all in all…keep up the good work,just don’t lose focus.
And you don’t publicly have to say that Jewish music sux!
Young people listen to you, at least let them give the traditional music a shot.
Hatzlocho
To: A Small Fan...
You wrote exactly what I thought…point after point!
And not just that, u wrote it nicely!
Good on Ya!
crown heights parent with children
i dont know why lubavitch web sits writes about matisyahu.he is no good for lubavitch his music(regga)is the lowest form of music. he is useing lubavitch for his own gain who is he to say jewish music sucks?he is corrupting our youth he plays in such goyshia clubs and our children go there to watch him. enough said. please dont write about him anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!
concerned
we’re still waiting for music thats ok for the CrHts kids and adults! We have a hard time holding our kids off from your other music, which is great and fun, but somehow it doesnt fit to give it to a kid whos living in the Rebbe’s shechuna.
.......
uh, excuse me, Mr. Reggae man, but jewish music is a bit nicer than this Jungle sounding music. but hey, you’ve got your opinion.
ummm.......yeah!
Re: what was written by "A Small Fan"…
Excellently put!
mm
To Mr.Crown Heights parent with children: about the children going to clubs to watch him, you being a parent, i’m shocked that you are accusing HIM of corrupting the kids. NEWSFLASH: Thats your job!!! Its between you and your kids. leave him out of this. Be a little honest with yourself.its in your control where your kids go or what they do.
a california matisyahu fan!!!
hay whatch it all of you,
matisyahu is doing an unbelievable thing to the world. I have a perosn in my community who only litsens to matisyahu, and not for the beats but for the words. MAtisyahu is not all the way for crown heights kids. And if you people are so concerned, than be better parents and dont let your kids litsen to it. Matisyahu is not trying to atract your kinda crowds!! ITs for people who need spiritual guidence and help! Not for kids that go to bais rivka and ohlai torah! SO dont critisize his music if you have never litsen to it! DOnt be so closed minded, OPEN UP! Its a new generation its about the Youth not about old giezers like you guys wqho are lubavitch!!!!
a fan
your music is good for youth and teenager that went a little off
the "derech" but children should
not be listening to this
Lubavitch Teen
As a Lubavitch Teen Matisyahu might just be the only reason i dont listen to all that other garbage out there. Crown Heights mom’s getta grip. If your kid wants to use Matisyahu as his exscuse to go to some bar there is a problem there with the way you broght him up. Get outa your boxes and realize the world your "youth" live in. Nothing is only good. But Matisyahu is doing amazing things for jewish youth everywhere including lubavitch.
Lubavitch Teen
oh and jewish music does suck. But if you wanna be good it all there is to listen to. Thanks to Matisyah and Moshav Band we can thank g-d stay sane.
C.H. teenager/big matisyahu fan
well, i really love matisyahu and his music, but who the hell is he to say thet jewish music sucks, when he just became officaly jewish a few years ago?!
a chabadnik
Matisyahu you r amazing!!! your music rocks and you seem to be a cool child out guy. I recintley stoped listing to non jewish musicx and your music was all over the radio when i listened you are the best and I hope one day I could meet you
MAKE THE REBBE PROUD
a fan
cool!!!!!!!!
i love his music i think its really cool & i have never heared anything so cool before!!!!
Fan of Simcha
If you are looking for some good Jewish music that is based on Chassidus and is a bit more "modern" but with out being grub check out "Well Springs" by Simcha Kantor. His music is very good!
Not venting- just stating an opinion
Somehow everyone’s insults are coming across as thoughtthey are directed to Matisyahu as a person. Webby- can you please post an article about me? Give me a break… maybe Matisyahu isn’t for our good teenagers, but would you rather thta the confused teen listens to angry music about drugs, death? And for all those of you who are insulting him and practically saying that he’s a new BT who has no right to have an opinion about ‘our’ music, and even implying that he may not be sincere- I’ve met Matisyahu on more than one occasion on a personal level, and the only two words i hav eo describe him are ‘aidel mentch’. So befor eyou go and diss a man who’s trying to make a living, why don’t you look at him as a person and at the way he’s actually using a G-d given gift to spread the word about Yiddishkeit? Why don’t we look at his success rate when it comes to affecting frum and non- frum people… Look at your teens and maybe you’ll see that it’s him who is keeping them from listening o all the garbage out there. Beter to learn Tanya from music then to learn a whole new world…
Levi New
mendy w. wrote:
what a huge chillel hashem for an orthodox jew to be singing in front of mixed audiences of men and women in clubs and bars where alcohol is served to goyim in clear violation of the halacha of the shulchan aruch.
18/10/06 – 03:33 –
according to Moshe Feinstien it is mutar mitzad parnosso
Moshe Parelman
Great article. Where is it from?
Pathetic!
Jewish music sucks…lovely! What a thing to come out of a so called, Chassid of the Rebbe’s mouth. Pathetic.
my opinion
"…I realized that Jewish music sucks basically,” Matisyahu says
Regardless of all the opinions pro or con, for our kids or not, I don’t think this was an appropriate statement for him to make.
Chaim
Matisyahu is doing an AMAZING Shlichus. If you have something you can do, the Rebbe says you Must do it! He is using his amazing talents to awaken Jews to Yiddishkeit and bring Moshiach closer. We should be Proud that he is doing what the Rebbe wants.
Nemo
Mendy W-
Please, when accusing someone of going against Shulchan Oruch, quote the exact source of that Halacha.
As far as I know, the only prohibition against going to bars, is going there BIKVIUS to drink {Yoreh Deah approx. 119}. Correct me if I’m wrong, but in the Halachos of the Three Weeks, it speaks about a Jew whose proffesion it is to sing in a Beis Goy.
please
webby i think you should take this off there is not reason why people should be bashing matt
for my opinion
to "my opinion", i’lll add:
yes, i agree, how can he insult the talented superstar avraham fried?
a little humility, please!!
jesse
to the first comment ,why is it a voilation to serve alchohol to non jews. why dont you get out of your little world and wake up to society.
CR
I feel that those parents that are threatened by Matisyahu’s music, should check out what their kids are really listening to on their IPod. It might be labeled as nigunnim but some of the music that is out there and is popular among teens is unbelievably low – degrading to women, foul language, vulgar etc. With that in mind, parents must realize to what extent teens use music as an outlet and an expression of themselves. There is no question that if our youth find Matisyahu’s music uplifting, we should respect the fact that they are listening to something that is Jewish and repects our values. Parents, please don’t be closed minded! Please respect them and allow them some flexibility when so much of our religion is rigid.
mendy from president st.
matisyahu i love your music keep up the good work and dont be nispoel by all the pepole that find probloms with evrything.and btw i dont where you said that jewish music sux but if u did i totaly disagree with you jewishmusic is really good for the ears and for the soul
mercy
chaim
are you so sure that is the shlichus of the Rebbe???
if thats the case i think all shluchim should go into bars and go find the yidden and go into the all the theaters and do mivtzoyim.
by becoming libral and being "Very opend minded" that wasn’t the Rebbe way of being mekariv Yidden
we are starting to understand the famous sicha of the Rebbe Chof Ches Nissan that if moshiach doesn’t come its all "Lehevel V’Lorik" unfortunatly we are starting to see that
may the rebbe guide us on the right path "Bechesed U’vrachaim
mendy w.
Dear Levi New,
I respectfully disagree with your comment.
Although I cannot qoute the exact source in shulchan aruch, I am not that learned unfortunately, but i will ask someone else who might know and when I find it I will post it here.
I am just using simple logic.I went to Oholei Torah and I was taught that drinking alcohol with goyim is forbidden, and that men dancing with women who are not their wives is also forbidden.Both of these aveiros occur at Mattisyahu concerts.
I cant believe that A great man like Reb Moshe Feinstein would allow the shulchan aruch to be violated "mitzad parnassa"???
So whats next? If someone makes their parnassa as a bank robber or hitman would Reb Moshe permit the crimes of theft and murder because it is "mitzad parnassah"????????
I was also taught by my mashpia that goyishe music has its source in avoda zorah.Therefore I cannot condone my children listening to reggae music, a genre of music that overtly promotes illegal drug and marijuana use.
fan in deep dark Africa
I think you are one giant Kiddush Hashem Matt!…You are a pride to the Lubavitch world! Please guys don’t get so sensitive about one general comment.If you want to understand it e-mail Matt & I’m sure he’ll explain. but yes from a fan in deep dark Africa, We are so proud of Matisyahu.May Hashem plant all the success in the world in the hands of Lubavitchers now & always!
just wondering
re. mendy w.
just wondering why your concernd about matisyahu singing to mix’d crouds and not any other singer (i.e. a. freid, mami boys choir, MBD,…)
just answering
Dear Just wondering
ladies dancing and …… in front of matisyahu
Shmully
As someone who has worked in Chabad Houses, and on College Campuses, I am shocked and saddened. (Disclaimer: After reading about 7 posts, I skipped to the end. If anyone else wrote this, then I agree)
Citizens of Crown Heights: Wake Up
You need to stop assigning blame, and instead devote yourselves to the children before it is to late. please be real and accept that the times are changing. In everything, there is both good and bad. Practically, jewish music does not have the exterior appeal, and that is fine. The article mentions lubavitch 2 times i think, and chabad once. It is more into the hasidic angle. NOW, are you telling me that anyone who is mekarav a bit from the music is wrong. Would you rather the kids not listen to him and listen to songs they hear from cars and radios in the CH? Be real people, the time for blame is over, and real action is needed to get past the black fog apon our days. I myself have great difficulty explaining the current situatino in CH to the young teens to whom I work with in summers oast. How will you defend yourself after 120! q: How did you let your children go astray. A: Well, you see Hashem, this guy Mattisyahu made some music….
Be real to yourself and your children
If you feel that this is something you would like to discuss with me further, please email me. Keeping blaming is denying the onus of the next generation
whatever
all you guys stink…matisyahu is amazing…he has great music and is up to date with what’s going on out there..just doing it chassidishly….THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! i like what you wrote, LUBAVITCH TEEN…im also a lubavitch teen and i feel the same way..parents, if you dont want your kids listening to matt, dont let them…its everyones own personal choice…dont go insulting mattisyahu on the internet by saying hes going against halacha if hes really not!!! how dear you!!!! anyways, thanks webbby 4 putting this up..i see a lot of ppl have to vent their opinions…and pLEEZ, if you dont have something nice to say, dont say it!!!!
trouble
matisyahu style of music is giving young jews a chance to listen to jewish based lyrics that the can relate to. Thank you so much mattis and keep up the great work.
mendy w.
I have been to a few concerts of Avroham Fried and Miami boys choir ( i have never seen an m.b.d. concert yet )
and I remember separate seating for men and women, And during dancing songs the men danced on the left side and the women danced on the right.
I am not the biggest Avraham Fried fan, but I agree he is talented, and when he performs to a separately seated audience in accordance with halacha, he is totally appropriate.
gee
u ppl shouldint diss s/o u never met iv met him and hes such a chassidish, aidel guy and i know ppl that became more closer to yiddishkeit because of his music, matisyahu,continue all that your doing, your making the biggest kiddush hashem . and to all those "conerned parents" the world is changing and so is the style music there wqs new music 10 years ago that wasint accepted then and now it is, so just chill out and worry about your own problems
mushka
it’s a amzing to see what goes on here in lubavitch,
i’m not talking about anything to do with mattisyahu, if he’s right or wrong , but just to see how everyon is so worried about other ppl. look in the mirror.
the rebbe said in a sicha regarding parshas noach: u’pinayhem acharonis, v’ ervas aviyhem lo rau-the bad you see in others is only a reflection of yourself.
who-s a real chossid??
TO:MERCY
what a great idea! imagine how busy the shluchim would be with all the jews they would find in those bars. on the other hand didnt the rebbe tell us to spread sheva mitzvos amoung non-jews?????
*chavi
crown heights parent with children wrote:
i dont know why lubavitch web sits writes about matisyahu.he is no good for lubavitch his music(regga)is the lowest form of music. he is useing lubavitch for his own gain who is he to say jewish music sucks?he is corrupting our youth he plays in such goyshia clubs and our children go there to watch him. enough said. please dont write about him anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!
—–
A first thing first, just because you PERSONALLY don’t like Matisyahu’s music doesn’t mean Lubavitch sites shouldn’t write about him. So next time, voice your opinion in a more rational way. And secondly, if your children are satisfied with watching MBD perform in the park as appose to a Matisyahu concert in a bar, kol ha kavod to them.
just wondering wrote:
re. mendy w.
just wondering why your concernd about matisyahu singing to mix’d crouds and not any other singer (i.e. a. freid, mami boys choir, MBD,…)
—–
*concerned
*mixed
*crowds
*miami
A) For your benefit you should start by using spell check rather than a thesaurus.
B) Would you prefer that the young Jews of today who happen to enjoy listening to reggae and hip hop go to concerts other than Matisyahus? So a mixed crowd is the least of your problems. Or how about instead of having Matisyahu down loaded onto their iPods, having Bob Marley (known for his reggae music-primarily about drugs and women.)
:)
BrookAve
Two great things about Crown Heights:
1. The Ice Cream Shop
2. Mattisyahu
FAN
BOYS ARE ALLOWED TO SING IN A MIXED CROWED AND IF YOU DONT LIKE HIM NOEONE EVER ASKED YOU TO LISTEN TO HIM I MEAN LIKE WOW CHILL OUT HE WASNT EVEN FRUM HIS WHOLE LIFE AND YOU ARE ALSO NOT DOING THE RITE THING WERE EXACTLY DOES IT SAY THAT YOUR ALLOED TO CRITISIZE ANOTHER JEW? AND JUST BY THE WAY I THINK MATISYAHU KNOWS ABOUT CROWN HEIGHTS .INFO SO YOUR NOT GAINING ANYTHING BY SAYING THEESE MEAN COMMENTS AND IM A HUGE FAN OF MMATISYHU AND THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY1
caring mom
he might be wonderful for the outside world, but for my 11 year old son, whom we are trying to raise well, we do not allow him to listen to this garbage!!!
chassidishe boys should be listening to jewish music even though it might "Suck"
chana
matisyahu said himself that his music is not geered to a chabad, lubavitch kid! it is for not frum ppl or ppl that wil listen to not jewish music. matisyahu is better to listen to than the not jewish music!
have enough crap!
theres absolutely nothing wrong with matisyahu…it is very right, buut the problem was tgis article! the way it ws oput was SUCH a chilul hashem- why dont we write an article on how chasidish and tzniusdik he is? will all you cloes minded parents be ok with it then?
huge matisyahu fan
ATTN "JESSE"
GOOD ON YA, MATE, WELL SAID!
.........
u know there are always people that will find somthing wrong with everything. you CH peoples are so freakin cynical! i think Mattisyahu is doing and amazing job. everyone doese their shlichus, each in their own way- this is his and there is nothing wrong with it. you know when he has women dancing in his crowd, he removed his glassses so he doent see them. hes reaching people others thought were impossible to reach. if anything, he deserves to be admired and respected.
outside the box
I’m wondering if anyone here has ever been to a Chabad House for Shabbos. Usually college students and guests sit mixed wherever they want. There also is generally drinking involved. So they don’t stand up and dance together but no one here has written against the dancing at all. While I don’t think any frum yidden should be at a not mixed concert, I think it’s perfectly fine for those same people that sit at a mixed Chabad House to be at a Matisyahu concert. They’re all there for spiritual uplifting. As to the going to bars and stuff; the whole fight between misnagdim and Lubavitch is that Lubavitch believes in digging in the dirt to find gold. Misnagdim completely despise that. But we know there is gold in the dirt so we get ourselves dirty. Of course we must be able to brush off the dirt, but we still do get dirty. And in the end we come out with achievemant. Matisyahu is doing just that. He never watches the mixed dancing, if you read any of his interviews you’ll see that he gets the stage lights shined in his eyes so he can’t see anyone. He also takes his glasses off. And about his view on Jewish music; any person who delved into nonJewish music knows that it’s hard to go back to listening to Avram Fried. I think all of you need to remember what Shlichus is and realize Matisyahu is doing just that.
Just my humble opinion
What is the difference if it is Matisyahu making a mixed function or some shliach in a chabad house making a mixed function. Certian parameteres are stretched when trying to be mekarev yidden. To all those "Crown Heights’rs" I think your kids have nigger problems than going to bars to watch matisyahu, the majority of them are probarbly also going to bars to pick up girls and do who knows what else VECHULU!
M Harowitz
The bottom line is that people that goto these "goyisha" places (clubs, bars etc…) will go either way! It just so happens that people that don’t do that stuff can also listen to this music because it’s Jewish! Also, this is not "jungle music" because you dont like the style!….I’d be more worried about other TERRIBLE things happening in CH!
mishmashed
i agree with "not venting’, chaim, and cr. ialso think mercy is respectfully wrong. the rebbe talked about ‘lichsheyufutza maynasecha chutza’ this is definatly one way of fuillfilling it!!! however the wellsprings dont have to go to crown heigts too much ;) (theres enough trouble there) may we each fullfill the rebbes desires and missions in our own way. n’eNow!!
Judge Hatchet
after sitting on my rare reading all your comments. It seems to me that most people like what matisyahu is doing. that ends everyones argument! MATISYAHU,keep up the good work!!!!!!!!
mishmashed
chavi! u forgot 1! ‘Fried’ excuse my punctuation and spellin
TO ALL THOSE THAT SEE NO GOOD.
ALL YOU PEOPLE THAT SIT THERE CRITISIZING THIS GUY.- YOU HAVE TO REFINE YOUR SOUL, MATISYAHU IS DOING A TREMENDOUS SHLICHUS OUT THERE AND BRINGING LIGHT TO THOSE AROUND, JEWS AND NON JEWS ALIKE.
SO ALL I GOTTA SAY TO ALL THOSE SNICKERERS IS-SHOO FLY HAVE A NICE DAY AND START LOOKING AT THE GOOD FOR ONCE,
Duh!!
CHANA- Do you think kids really care who the music is geared to?? If they want to listen to it, they’ll find a way to listen to it.
Be proud all you fools! and chiilllll!!!
matisyahu rocks! The rebbe is very proud of him. whatever you nudnik people say about him isnt true, he is the perfect axample of a true chasid.
and to all those worried about there children listening to matisyahu be glad thats all they are listening to!-WHY they can be listening to non jewish rock-for all we know, let them listen to matisyahu and be proud. that a jews out there spreading g-dliness, for heavens sake!
Irritated by ignorance
Mendy W wrote:
"Therefore I cannot condone my children listening to reggae music, a genre of music that overtly promotes illegal drug and marijuana use."
If you would read some of his lyrics (read, not listen to) then you would see such lines as
"young man don’t you know drugs impurify your mind’
"if you’re trying to stay high (on drugs) then you’re bound to stay low’
etc etc.
BTW does your mashpia allow you to use the internet – on which you are oiver more issurim than listening to any matisyahu music???
FYI I have not listened to Matisyahu in over a year as a hachlata that this is not the music for a ‘chassidishe’ person
jewish music?
all jewish music is off… as a common rule jewish music follows "goyishe" musi by a ten year lag…MBD’s shema yisrael sounds just like a "vulgar" goyeshe song and the baruch hagever songs that are sung at weddings even in the "holy of holies" oheilay to{y}reh is a copy of the classic doo bops of the 1950’s. So you’re gonna tell me that it’s okay because that music is old? that the problem is with going in the way of the goyim? that since the music is old in style that therefore it’s not going in the way of the goyim? give me a break. as they say ‘music is the language of the soul’ if music is "tomei" then it is always tomei. So Mattisyahu is doing something wrong? please! someone just would of done an album of reggae when it was out of style. just like regular jewish music. jewish music used to consist of 1. Cantorial pieces 2. wordless niggunim 3.songs that consisted of no ENGLISH words; a language of the gentiles.. hey but whatever jews are hypocrites
I agree
I cant say what "small fan" wrote in better words! yasher koach
An Experienced Ear
Many of the clubs that Matisyahu plays at are owned by Jews.
Many poular musicians have been/are Jews of varying observance.
Matisyahu is far from being the first or only observant Jew to perform in a Music Club (Albeit perhaps the first Lubavitcher)
Music Clubs are not Bars
Serving alcohol is not against basic Halacha.
Just because a club serves alcohol doesn’t mean one has to drink it.
Observant attendees of Matisyahu’s concerts respectfully separate (men from women) on the dance floor
Like many businesses owned by Jews in CH, should the owners discourage the business of non-Jews?
At most times of the day we are in surroundings that are "mixed" what makes this different?
As someone in the music business for over thirty years, I can tell you that I have never felt such pride as the first time I saw Matisyahu perform.
His lyrics and sincerity brought tears to me eyes and opened my heart.
All Jews especially Lubavitchers should be proud of, and grateful for this fine musician, student, Jew, Human Being.
He is genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever encountered.
I would encourage any young person to listen to his music and his message.
Like any musician he is probabley not for everyone, just like other Jewish musicians such as Fried, Miami Boys Choir, etc. Taste is subjective, however how anyone can critcize the message is beyond me.
true jew
his music is great!!!, but he shouldnt have made that remark that jewish music sucks. plus, i also think that this article should be taken off because of all of the loshon hora going on.
Mendy in Midwest
Matiyahu. You Rock!!
the REBBE would definitely be proud.
is it not the COOLEST
"oros de-tohu in keilim de-tikun"
you have ever seen and/or heard!!
rock on
a fan!!!!
Analyst
Matt is a half-baked BT who needs to put himself into a good yeshivah and learn full time for at least another two years before he can stand on his own two feet as a fully integrated frum yid. He has not yet let go of alot of his frie-kite and that is why he kochs in the music scene he is in. He should find himself a mashpia who understands this and will encourage him to give up his attachments to shtus. Then he will be able to grow further as a frum Yid and will be able to free himself of the tivah to put himself in such treife scenes.
HAY EVERYONE!!!LITSTEN UP!!!!!!!
HAY POEPLE!!!!!!!!
i know this man very well!
he’s extremly down to earth, unlike some of you, who wrote unenjoyful comments!!!!
Matisyahu is doing this as a shliach sent from the Rebbe!!! this is a great shlichus that he is taking upon himself!!!!
forget about the litteral meaning of reggae, THATS NOT THE POINT!!! dont look at it with the left eye!!! look at him in a good and non-judgemental way!!!!
here you have a man that’s telling the not frum jews and non jews Tanya and here your going and criticizing him for NO stupid reason!!!!!
you know, every single thing that comes out of Matisyahu’s mouth on stage is sreight from the Tanya????
you poeple dont even know that, no wonder!!!!!!
You should be ashamed of yourself of whats coming out of your mouths!
I’m sorry for you!!
Etty
Is really not my style, I like Avraham Fried, but still think that Matisyahu is doing his shlichus and deserves respect.
Lets try to solve our own problems without blaming and looking for korbans. The reality goes above Matisyahu. Is a matter of shame.
If your kid goes to the club he is not going only for Matisyahu because if he is really frum he knows that is not his place.
Is very hard to protect our kids from the goishe world, so maybe we should really start to show them the good in our world.But for this we have to be busy with their ruchnius instead of only with ours. Lets have ideas for it, promote tsnius in a nice way, make good jewish videos and books.
Lets do it!!!!!
Sit and cry and blame is not the solution!
Anti...
Outside the box wrote:
"As to the going to bars and stuff; the whole fight between misnagdim and Lubavitch is that Lubavitch believes in digging in the dirt to find gold. Misnagdim completely despise that. But we know there is gold in the dirt so we get ourselves dirty. Of course we must be able to brush off the dirt, but we still do get dirty. And in the end we come out with achievement."
Wow, that is a great idea; I will start a new Mivztoyim.
I’ll call it Mivztza Havdala in Bars.
Every Motzi Shobbos I will go to as many bars as I can, I will make Havdala for all the Jews that might be there.
I.E. what is not allowed is not allowed.
Your message can be interrupted in a bad way; it seems you are saying is that we must look at the greater good.
Now, about Matisyahu, like people mentioned above that for the not YET frum kids he’s doing a great job.
But for a Frum form birth (or even a BT that starting to get in the system) it’s just not for him/her.
All the kids that went to bars (and the like) yesterday will be going today to see Matisyahu. All the kids that listen to non Jewish Music will also listen to Matisyahu.
By the way, This “Mivztza Havdala in Bars” is no joke, I write this because there was a Bochor that was doing this (either he thought he was “cleaning the dirt” or he just wanted a drink).
And even thought I don’t do this myself, but truth be told (the True Emes) a person who’s really concerned, should only be listing to Chassidic Music/Nigunim.
[If you know me from the past , you know I can write long… I will stop the farbrangen now, if you want to reply, you can e-mail me.]
my opinion
I am very skeptical that M’s music is making anyone more religious and bringing them closer to H-shem. I don’t know how people don’t laugh when they see him (I Did) doing his shvartzer impersonation (keep it for Purim).The off the derech youth are excited by him because it gives them permission to listen to this music in a “kosher” context and makes their parents say “at least it’s Jewish”. And to the non observant kids his lyrics sound poetic and attractive. M teaches Chassidus in sound bites.To really benefit from their real depth they have to be taught in context. His reggae-cool packaging of Lubavitchers and Chassidus (also the Rebbe) is totally misleading and dishonest. A person who really understands Chassidus realizes that we don’t put on a show to attract followers. If M had absorbed anything he’d learnt he wouldn’t be surrounding himself in this music, he’d be pushing it away and see it is not from a holy source. And if we say that this is the only way to tap into the youth it’s not, maybe they need to have people be more sincere and honest to them.
Itzik_s
"…I realized that Jewish music sucks basically,” Matisyahu says
—————————————-
All I have to say is that I hope this quote is inaccurate.
Sara
Jewish music is great, and it’s your choice to listen to Matisyahu or not, but I think his reggae still falls short of Jewish music.
you rock man!~
you guys might all thnk that wat matisyahu is doing is totally wrong but just by effecting one person is a huge thing!one of the reasons everyone loves his music is cause it applies to e/o mainly teenagers but e/o has stuggles they need to overcome and by his life story it shows us we can make our demand but do it right! you rock matisyahu!!!!!
mmjy
im glad you guys don’t like that he wrote it sucks but he’s saying the truth and if youre children read his interviews they probobly have stuggles and came to the rigth article to fix it up or help it.Also this is defenitly not the first time you child is hearing that word and if you are so upset don’t let them go on the internet thre is much worse that they see!!!
Unimpressed
Up until now I’ve never had a problem with Mattisyahu, I do think that he makes a big kiddush Hashem and I never really thought about the halachic problems with the nature of his concerts. However, I was very disturbed with the "Jewish music sucks" statement, and whether or not you agree with it, it is completely wrong of someone who considers himself Lubavitch to say that. A public statement like that has caused me to lose my respect for him completely.
Just for the record – don’t know about MBD and Miami but A. Fried does not perform to mixed crowds – there is always separate seating at his concerts.
The BIGGEST problem in Lubavitch today is LIBERALISM. The Rebbe NEVER allowed his chassidim or shluchim to break the boundries of chassidishe standards let alone halacha, in fact there were times when the Rebbe requested that his name be removed from certain institutions because of things that were going on that the Rebbe did not approve of. Any shliach who uses the excuse that it’s mutar for Shlichus because ‘someone might get spiritually uplifted’ to do someone even borderline against halacha INCLUDING MATTISYAHU HIMSELF should be embarrassed to call himself a shliach of the Rebbe bacause in truth he is not fulfilling the Rebbe’s mission at all.
Leah
to outside the box…..
i could never have said that better myself….
matisyahu is an amazing person….everyone in CH needs to get out of their bubble and realize he is not even the start of what is corrupting their kids…..if anything…he is the one holding some of their kids together….not making them fall apart…. give the guy a break…..he is doing amazing things for people….
BL
This discussion isn’t new.
http://www.geocities.com/bo…
will give you the links to his gimmel tammuz concert in front of a million naked shvartzes, his concert in france dancing on stage with a half dressed woman singing a formerly chasidishe nigun, a discussion about crowd surfing which was still ‘kosher’ in the name of lubavitch at the time these comments were posted.(it has since changed. now it is no longer kosher)
It will tell you about the Rebbe’s opinion that we bring people closer to Torah and not Torah closer to the people. It might make you understand that if his concerts generate a tremendous ammount of impurity (even if he himself is shomer negiah on stage the people in the crowd still do what they want) it won’t make up for the so called ‘good things’ he does for jewish pride and awareness.
For those who insist that pictures and articles are not sufficient, we have a video clip of the man himself saying how religious he really is, how happy religion makes him and if he really stopped taking drugs. his spaced out look can always be attributed to lack of sleep but his own words speak for themselves.
http://www.garnierstreaming…
chasidus in congo!
It may be true that reggae is the lowest form of music known to mankind, and exposure to the noise is enough to make me want to plug my ears or kill myself. Yet still, when paying attention to his music, you’ll see that Matissyahu is spreading th wellsprings of chasidus to the most faraway places. By refining and elevating the spirit of jungle music, and with the Toichen he puts into it, he is taking pearls of Hashems wisdom, the highest levels of kedusha, and successfully bringing it to our world, into the places most of us (fortunatly) don’t reach. Behind the noise of the music, you can hear the voice of something higher then that of the average rapper, you hear the voice a Jewish soul. Mattisyahu is surly doing his share in our work to make for Him a home down under. Limaala Maala Ad Ein Ketz Ulimata Matta Ad Ein Tachlis. Now that takes something. Atzmus…
BL
oooops the interview moved to a new location.
http://www.nieuwerevu.nl/1848
My wrist hurts from typing this
I must say that as an outsider (from ch), I am completely AMAZED! Not in a good way.
I am just a post-sem who has been AROUND THE WORLD a bit, and I have only seen GOOD effects from Matisyahu’s music. His work is astounding, and he accomplishes more than any 1 shliach can. He is a worldwide shliach making a KIDDUSH HASHEM not chas v’shalom the opposite.
Take notice that not one review about Matisyahu brings out the negativity in Lubabitch. All of the unpleasand feedback has come FROM Lubavitch. Instead of pointing out how newly frum (or newly Jewish as some of you like to say – one can never judge anyone elses Jewishness- How Jewish are you>?) Matisyahu is, something that the Rebbe was totally against; our job is to support and encourage him.
His comment about Jewish music may not have been politically correct, but it was his oppinion, and like everyone else he is free to state it. If you think he will be a bad influence on your children, make sure your daled amos are 100% kosher. Then, even HE will not be able to penetrate. To blame a solitary human being, whome you do not know is horrifying. In any case, I think he is most probobly a better person than you are.
To those of you that are disturbed by by the style of reggae, just think back to Avraham Fried, Mordechai Ben David, and other earlier Jewish singers. Where do you think they picked up their tunes, and style? Recently I was in a store and heard an old MBD song playing. Actually it wasn’t MBD, the tune was. I am sure when they first started out, their music was also controversial. As for mixed crowds, dancing… all Jewish singers do. The spotlight is so bright you can’t even see the crowd, let alone if someone is male or female.
Why are we looking into his business anyways? Is your whole life in order? Are you a beinini, a tzadik…? Or are we just looking to place the blame of our problems elsewhere.
If you really think it will be helpfull, put gates up around your beautiful community of Crown Heights. Make it into a Ghetto, and before letting anyone pass through, make sure they only listen to Niggunim. That is really the only form of PURE music.
Don’t kid yourself! You know that wont work. Unfortunately, other Klipos have already passed through. If we want Lubavitch to continue we must be as open minded toward our own as we are to others. Forbidding everything never works.
There is so much to learn, and so much to say, but we know what the main thing is.
DO A GOOD DEED TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE AND BRING MOSHIACH NOW. That is the only thing that can help us all.
outside the box, but be carefull
as a gem in the sewer, as a prince in a prison. but in prison we remain a prince and in the sewer we shine. we dont have to brush ourselves off cause we don’t get dirty. to be able to work with wordly materialism and remain an inch above and beyond is unique to those of us who engage with the rebbes work. it is with the rebbes Koiches that young bocherim go out in the shmutz to find souls for teffilin and come back for shabbos shining more then before. the reason why in williamsburg a bocher goes over the brige and returnes with many new things he’s learned is becouse he has not gone with the rebbes Koiches. we, on the other hand, becouse of the Koiches we are given, have the ability to polish the gold without being affected by outside influence.
Chabad House
I tought someone how to put on tefilin and he is slowly becoming frum – all because he got inspired by Matisyahu.. actions speak for themselves..
b kind be careful
keep up with your "im better then you" and "your makeing a chilul hashem" comments, and watch Matisyahu, become a breslever or a carlbach, and then he will give you a grand ya-she-kay-ni, and that will be the end of it.
Not a Mat. Fan, But Understand The Idea!
Mattisyahu clearly maintains that his music is not for our crowd.Yet, instead of setting standards and limits at home, parents bash and criticize him. Enough of that!
Mattisyahu is creating a huge Kiddush Hashem by introducing and addressing the "inyan" of Aibershter and Moshiach in his music, and spreading it among "umos haoloam".In fact I am informed that M. has requested frum teenagers leave his concerts being that they are geared only for goyim.
I couldn’t agree more with all those positive thinkers out there, and not at all because I have to "be real because of the times we live in"!!
Also, I’m sure the financial aspect helps alot, but I believe he does intend to do this as his way of serving Hashem.
Another CA Shliach (PROUD OF MATISYAHU)
Matisyahu is good for the world there are millions of jews outside Crown Heights that listen to all kinds of music and the only place they get good messages are from Matisyahus songs he is a KIDDUSH HASHEM and a KIDDUSH SHEM LUBAVITCH.
Noone said his music is for bachurim so do your job raising your children and don’t blame Matisyahu for doing his job of teaching sichos and maamorim to the world.
Why would you be merachek a gift like Matisyahu? Why are some people so stupid?
Matisyahu is a real chossid
HE has probably brought more jews back to yiddeshkeit than all the complainers above…..
Pay some respect to someone whos doing such a great job..
And to all CH mothers and fathers, stop blaming your faults in raising your children on Matis… focus on the real cause of problems.
lubavitch chosid
why does matisyahu have to go around and advertise he is a lubavitcher?because he is a freak show and thats how he is going to make money.his 15 minuties of fame will soon be over and then thank gd he will stop ruining our kids.matisyahu stop useing lubavitch for your selfish gain.enough!!!!!!!!!!!
Music
Why does anyone care if he doesn’t like Avrom Fried or M.B.D.? I don’t think there was big bands and orchestras in the times of the TEmple. It is all borrowed from the surroundings, just like MAttis is doing. He didn’t say niggunim, or nussach yom tov suck. Why is modern Jewish music Holy? The Rebbeim didn’t write it?
.......!!!!!!
ppl y u all saying such bad things,
his music is amazing!!!
& lubavich teen and whatever i think u r definatly rite stright 2 the point
am also a lubavich teenager and i think matisyahu has the most brill voice and iav never heared such cool jewish music be4!!!!
Dear Matisyahu
You had the positive chutzpa to become frum, and then you had the chutzpa to perform the way you do making a great Kiddush Hashem.
Now I am sure you will have the beitzim to tell all naysayer to K.I.T.
Here’s my humble suggestion by the old Tzivos Hashem building (smack in the center of Crown Heights) turn in into a mansion and tell all the peasants to be menasek you, because you are doing a good thing if they don’t like it let THEM go to Lakewood.
I understand parents not wanting their kids listening to reggae, just as we wouldn’t want Crown Height minyanim to be run like I run my Chabad House minyan, but that’s not what we are advocating there’s a time and place for everything if they can’t understand too bad.
......
Question to all: before mattisyahu came around, how many frum jews were listening to Reggae music?(and liked it). I have a feeling it wasn’t too many. You people are all full of it, you just need an excuse to listen to something Goyish.
response
to music.
no big bands in the time of the temple?
no trumpets? no cymbols?
what did the Leviim do?
to music
There were no bigger bands then in the times of the temple! And BTW, Jewish music does not have to be holy, it has to be jewish.
Me myself and I
to those who think “jewish” music DOESNT suck. . .
ask urself how much of it is actually jewish?? Youd be surprised how much of the “jewish” music comes from movie soundtracks. . . or older more obscure non jewish songs. . . this applies to all Types MBD, ALL of the newer artists, and even Tzlil V’zemer. . . Listen to a song by the gamma rays called “its a sin” you would be very surprised!!!
CHAP-A-CHILL
CHEVRA! CHAP-A-CHILL!
me91
i agree b.l. and if anyone has a problem with his music just dony listen to it and ull be ok
sdgg
I don’t have patience to read all the perivious comments, so I may be repeating someone. Chill out! When Mattisyahu said Jewish music sucks, he was stating AN OPINION. I don’t think that that statement is going to push any "at-risk teen" over the edge. Hey, all at-risk teens have plenty of first hand experience Jewish music. He was just stating what got him to start composing.
goin chasiddush
Every body chill!! man we are in the 2006 come on get with the program!!
its time for chabad become A BRANCH of YOUNG ISRAEL
If Mattasyahu was around earlier he would be singing
by "Kois shel Bracha"!! yo yo yo chabad is with it
G-D should save us from ourselves
brill music!!!!!
ppl stop saying such bad things!!!!
i think matt is amazing he has a brill voice and i agree with lubavich teen and watever they r both stright 2 the point am also a lubavich teen and i think his music is just incriedable i have never heared any jewish music so good!!!!
What happened
If anyone is familiar with the media they tend to misconstrue statements made by people. For all we know that is the case here.
What happened to giving someone a benefit of the doubt
go matt!!!!!!!
so u guys are worried about matt preforming in bars…where alcohol i served!!! what about "farbragins" where all the 13 yr old boys are drinking…????? stop worrying soo much…look deeper into things…matt is doing a gr8 job!! and those of u worried about ure pure teens listening to him…get a life…and check out what ure teen is really doing behind ure backs because u guys are soo close minded…. get real…
PEOPLE PLEASE!!!!!!!!
Did it occur top anyone that Matisyahu and his wife might read Crown Heights . Info? These are hurtful amnd shameful things people are saying. No matter what your opinion, the Torah forbids Motzei Shem ra and Loshon Hora. and besides he is just human and please keep in mind he has feelings too!
ISchier
I should have mentioned that I do not believe the quote including the word "sucks" is accurate. I myself have had one bitter experience with journalists forging quotes. Especially because "sucks" has lost its offensiveness in the goyishe world, it is not above a journalist to fabricate such a quote.
That being said, I also believe that Matisyahu is a commercial act. Yes, he may do some fleeting good, but there is little substance to what he does and there are many questions as to whether it is appropriate.
Take it or leave it – a commercial act like his is really not worth all the attention we are giving it. If you’re on shlichus and you think he can reach out to your target audience, by all means bring him over if you can and play his albums at your Chabad House. If not, or if you are a parent or mechanech, just let the whole thing slide – don’t ban the albums but don’t encourage them either. And bashing him will only encourage some to listen to him.
He himself says his music is not for us, though it could well be OK for a teen who is going through a rebellious stage.
His concerts are definitely not for us.
fan!!!!!!!!!!!!
mat is gr8!!
stop with all the insults
chill out u crwn htzers-go mattis
yo yo yo go *chavi and amatisyahu california fan
you guys rock well said-good on ya-
and to matisyahu please dont mind these other people they r on their own mission :u rock uve inspired me with music and judaism aswell.and hope u rise 2 even gr8ter heights
where is the ahvas yisroel
to lubavitch chassid-u should be ashamed of yourself
calling yourself a lubavitcher + a chossid if ur really a chossid u would not be talking like a behayme-its sick-to talk about another jew like that
sheindy
al tistakel bakankan ela bema se jes bo
don’t look what kind of music he plays
but look on the words he sings and with those words he is mekarev a lot of people.
goin chasidush
we all love Matisyahu we love every Yid no matter who your are when Menachem Bagin came to the Rebbe about to give away the sinai dessert in the camp david accords the Rebbe loved him as a yid although he strongly disagreed with his apporach likewise with Mattisyahu we love him as a yid
but the responsibility that is on his shoulders is great the fact that so many kids look to him as a rolemodel lubavitcher is the problem i am not talking the mattisyahu who davens and learns chasidus we are talking about the mattisyahu on stage for a person who considers himself lubavitch for modern orthodox family all the way but not for a lubavitcher chosid.
how far we have come we should let our standards down chabad was the standard the world always looked up to us and continues to look up to us the Torah, Chasiddus will never change the problem is with us me you you and you
JIM
This subject reminds me of a saying regarding the Jewish Press: METAMEI ES HATEHORIM UMETAHEIR ES HATEMEIM. Matysyahoo is definately not o.k. for a Chossid. This is especially evident by his opinion that his music connects him to G-d, while (the previous 4,000 yrs. of) jewish music s-cks. As far as I can see, contrary to what they say about his humble demeanor, all the adulation (of malcreants for the most part) is starting to get to his head, and most unfortunately, his soul.
Matis Rocks
His concerts may not be for us……guess what? I’ve been to 7 of them! and I’m going to keep going! matis, You da man!
reggae, refined
not only does jewish music have traces to Goiyishe origins, but throughout the history of jewish melody there were many niggunim which are holy that were taken from various non jewish people, adopted by tzadikim who elevated the melody and transformed it to Kedusha.
napolians march, shamiel, Haaderes Vihaemuna and many of the other russian nigunim, all sung at farbrengens, all from non jewish artists. of course, it is only tzadikim who are capable of this elevation.
BTW, if you recall by the rebbe we sang many songs which were composed by various pple from anash, in both modern hebrew and english. "wake up Yidden", "from 770" and am yisroel.
this is not to say that reggae should be considerd jewish, but there are those few artists who’s twin jurneys along the teachings of chasidus and the upbringing of a multi-colored culture are a rare combination, and it is only these who have the abilitys to illuminate todays world with their unique light.
Chutza
now here is prime example of Hfotzas Hamaayones – CHUTZA – into the depths of the klipa of shvartze music.
Leidigeiers
dear matisyahoo
dont even look at all of the negative discoragment we all get in life, especially from all of the pessimistic people who have nothing better do do then post dumb comments on their computer. these are the class of poeple who don’t come close to the level you are at and have nothing to contribute to the world exept for filling the roles of all of the discoreging spoilers, which hashem created for us to overcome. dont even bother looking at them and keep up all of the awsome work which hashem has entrusted you with, so that the rest of us shluchim who do more then sit on our tuches will follow your lead in the battle to concurring the world and bringing moshiach.
I think
I think its good for non jews and half lubavitchers but not for real Lubavitchers
Music
Yeah I am sure the Levim were singing to big band orchesta music from the forties like Avroham Fried and M.B.D.
My detractor wrote: And BTW, Jewish music does not have to be holy, it has to be jewish.
That is exactly the point, what does it mean Jewish Music. Because most contempary Jewish music is based on tunes from 5o years ago, does that make it Jewish?
For you who say that the Levim did have orchestra, that is obviously true. But, are you actually comparing the music from the Temple to A. Fried etc.?
Everything that wasn’t composed by Rebbeim or from davening is all in the same boat. It is hypocritical to start choosing which "Jewish" music is really "Jewish". You can’t have it both ways.
hello???
ATT: Dear Matisyahu- no one has the chuptza to become frum. how dear you say that?!?!
from da bay area
hey this is awsome matisayhu was near in the bay area and alot of my friends went and got really inspired.( sucks i couldnt go, im stuck in school) also i was walikn down the street with my bro and this guy comes over to us and hes like hey ur like matisayhu. matisayhu rocks.
you should al lbe ashamaed of yourself
i dont understand why people here are writing such nasty comments, if u have something to say, say something nice, dont say soemthing mean, b/c its not neccesary, matisyahu is good, but not for chassidish people, he is good for the not frum people, so just encoourage him to do the right thing not the bad
Levi
to analyst: I’m sorry to be so straight with you but your analysis and comments are ignorant and presumptuous. Who are you to make a judgement call on Matisyahu’s yiddishkeit?? where do you get any of your information regarding matisyahu’s relationship with a mashpia or attendance at a Yeshiva. Your comment also must assume that obviously any Mashpia couldn’t possibly allow such activity??! you take the liberty of setting a standard or a reference point for what a frum yid should be that is obviously your own and certainly must be the same for everyone disregarding any possibility for diversity based on background or personal connection to Hashem. Your comment about him being a "half baked bt" is insulting not only to him but to every baal teshuva and to the concept of teshuva as well. can i ask you a question: you were obviously raised in a frum home; do all your habits and behaviours reflect perfect observance of Torah? and even the things that you do, how much of it is second nature to you and done for that very reason! being ffb does not mean you lead the perfect life and leaving behind a past life does not mean that everything you left is evil; it means bringing Hashem into the life and the very person you were born into by Hashem’s will and cutting out those things that cannot possibly bring you closer to Hashem. every yid ffb or bt has this avodah. the only difference is where Hashem decide your starting point should be. Matisyahu isn’t just an entertainer, he is a deeply soulful yid who sings from the heart and who was given a talent he was able to develop only because he was in the environment he was raised in. Now he’s taken that and used it to ispire and bring others closer to Hashem. I imagine that brings a lot of nachas to Hashem.
Yasher Koach
Matisyahu, I hope you are reading this and are seeing how many people applaud what you are doing. Nothing good ever happens that doesn’t have its detractors, so these people are a testament to your worth. You are a great Kiddush Hashem and Kiddush Lubavitch and I get goosebumps anytime I walk into a completely secular place and Chassidus is blasting on the radio, purifying the air! You are using your kochos L’shem Shamayim. Halevai that all of us should do the same! May you and your family be blessed with good health, happiness and lots of Nachas from the people that you affect positively.
hamaaseh hu haikar!!!!
WOW!! i have never seen such a long discussion like this b4!! there’s nothing more to say, i believe its all been stated already. i myself cant stand M’s music, and i really sont believe that pple who consider themselves chassidish should listen to it. if u really want to do something about the halachic proble with his concerts, then stop talking about it, and DO something, call him up, talk to him, give ideas how he can continue to get his "messages" across, but in a more kosher way. seriously, so much talk is going nowhere if it doesnt bring to action!!!!!
shliach
we run a small day school and one mother said she was listining to the radio and she heard "Shema Yisroel" and she was amazed that just shows that he is doing a good job. besides if you think he is doing bad on his shlichus get off your lazy rear hind and go on shlichus yourself!!!!!! think about it
MATISYAHU, TRUE CHOSSID, & AIDEL NESHAMA
Matisyahu is personally a very CHASSIDISH guy. His job is one of doing ufaratza and taking the message of chassidus and 770 out to the world, to those who would not otherwise be able to mekabel it (through regular kaili).
It is a great feat to maintain one’s
personal chassidishkeit and go out in the world to such a degree. Not something to be mocked, but truly admired. He is a chossid who is bringing chassidus to a world STARVED OF EMES. If he sang 770 stuff just like in 770, the world wouldn’t mekabel it. It has to be this way to do THIS particular
ufaratza in the world. His IS taking
the message of Moshiach and chassidus
out there.
One need not have great knowledge of
chassidus to SERIOUSLY affect people.
Remember the story of the King whose
son, the prince, got sick and the advisors told him to crush his most
precious possession, the gem in his crown and feed it to the prince. One
drop of this potion revived the dying
prince. Chassidus is Hashem’s precious possession – the gem, wwhich revives the prince. A TINY amount of chassidus
is so potent that it revives a spiritually asleep world. The words of
Matisyahu’s songs are basically CHASSIDUS, and it’s diguised in RAP.
He goes out in the Rebbe’s name, 770’s
name and, being MEKUSHAR, is succeeding
and bringing about a GREAT KIDDUS HASHEM.
to awaken
ISchier
its time for chabad become A BRANCH of YOUNG ISRAEL
—————————————
tell all the peasants to be menasek you, because you are doing a good thing if they don’t like it let THEM go to Lakewood.
—————————————
Attitudes like these are what causes standards to sink in Chabad these days, to the point that many who want a truly frum environment could well leave Chabad or at least CH. This is especially the case with mekuravim who see that standards here do not match what they are taught, and they then opt for Aish or Or Samayach or Flatbush or Lakewood or Baltimore or wherever. Being "chassidish" is now a synonym for being "nebby," tznius or going out with a hat and jacket is for "frumaks" etc etc.
Frum people embracing a counterculture act like Matisyahu is indeed part of the lowering of standards here. Again, his music is fine for certain people, but just because he is a Lubavitcher does not mean that what he does is up to Lubavitch standards or meant for Lubavitchers. By all means we can be proud of him if we feel that way, but his music and act are not for Lubavitchers except maybe kids who are passing through a stage or new BT’s who are on an upward path.
NOT A MAT FAN
mattisyahu is not a shliach he is just trying to make us fit in with the goyim is that OK ????
Eliezer
its amazing how by reading a comment, you can tell the age of the person (more or less) and the IQ too.
Forget about right or wrong, i like his music. but its still wrong to make statements like "jewish music sucks" in a public article. and if matusyahu doesnt want lubavitcher kids listening to his music, and says jewish music sucks, what does he want them to listen to?
besides, anyone that has any Seichel, think abit about what that statement means. non jewish music is good, jewish music sucks. but since i cant listen to non jewish music, ill make my own non jewish type music. its suddenly not just because he wants to do the rebbes arbet. (ten l’chochom v’yechkam od)
muscatini
So I heard Mattisyahu is making a concert for "Crown Heights Parents Night Out" next Tuesday. They are even having a bus from Lakewood and Kiryat Joel (separate seating) to join this event. If you’d like to be a sponsor at this event, contact Mattis directly.
Oh my g-d
I didnt even get to read close to all these comments, yes i hope some one will read being that there allready 108 ahead of me.
one thing for sure.
you all proove there are many ways of looking at what matisyahu is doing, just be nice about it. be open minded to all the posotive parts that come out of it. it is not like he is making a consert in CH anyway.
Bruce Charit
to JIM:
ZGG (Zeier Gut Gezogt)
Bruce Charit
why do some of the matt fans sound like theyve been smoking something other then ciggarettes?
writing what they are about inspiration and judaisim, they sound like they are really HIGH:
"u rock uve inspired me with music and judaism aswell."
"i have never heared any jewish music so good!!!! "
"e/o has stuggles they need to overcome and by his life story it shows us we can make our demand but do it right! you rock matisyahu!!!!! "
"is it not the COOLEST
"oros de-tohu in keilim de-tikun"
you have ever seen and/or heard!!"
"Two great things about Crown Heights:
1. The Ice Cream Shop
2. Mattisyahu "
"i love his music i think its really cool & i have never heared anything so cool before!!!!"
Observer 770
Why doesnt matisyahu wear his hat and jacket when he davens? If davening can be done without a hat and in non chassidic garb why can’t he perform the same way? Trust me it gets really hot on stage under the spot lights even without jumping around.
Obviously it is ONLY to make money.
Shadchan
One important point everyone seem to be overlooking is the new kosher way to meet girls.
Next time you see a hot chick rollerblading to mincha join her to discuss a mamer as hachana to davening.
This is how our chassidish role model found his bashert. Maybe it should become mainstream Lubavitch practice.
Let’s make it clear. This happened in his ‘frum’ days when he was already making videos.
Mivtzoim
I have been going on mivtzoim for many years and b"h i have seen much hatzlacha in my work. But it took me many years of putting on Tefilin with people every week and talking to them for HOURS till they VERY SLOWLY became more involved. Some of them keep shabbos , wear a yarmulka at work and send their kids to frum schools. Others still don’t put on Tefilin unless I come.
Anyone telling you that someone became frum from hearing three words that may be based on a chasidic idea doesn’t have any experience with mivtzoim. Even if someone would be really inspired by a divine revelation (which will most likely be in a religious setting such a a yom kipur service rather than in a bar dancing with drunk goyim)he/she would have to spend many months or years of learning and transforming to become frum.
Amnon Yitschak performances are known to culminate with the cutting off the pony tail by an instant bal teshuva act.
Those actors get paid a lot of money for doing so. In the real world people will not become frum from listening to a guy who sounds like a shvartze screaming Crown Heights!
TRUTH
Being that we have been told by our Leader that the world is ready to hear about Moshiach, and the Rebbe told his chassidim that the time is now and we also have to live with the times, Matis’s music is totally chassidish and relevant. Each Shliach relays the message in his own way, and as a matter of fact, many lost souls can be found in clubs and there are Shluchim who venture there and have great success. Keep one thing in mind before you criticize, AHAVAS YISROEL.
Disgusted by these comments
Take 10 minutes and read through all the comments. And you wonder why Moshiach hasn’t come? Mattisyahu has affected more Jews in a more powerful way than probably any shaliach ever has. But reading the reactions to him, from supposedly "frum" and "chassidish" people, makes one who truly seeks truth desire to get as far away from you so-called "Lubavitchers" as possible. I wouldn’t worry about what the Rebbe thinks of Mattisyahu, I would worry about how this bickering must be affecting him.
carroll st.
It’s amazing to hear so many comments on this Mattisyahu article.
Well this sure is publicity….if you like him or not you’re definitely interested in Matisyahu …..Mattisyahu has affected you, or else you wouldn’t have clicked on this article….I guess we all are interested after all!
to chill out
Which part inspired you about Judaism? it just sounds a bit strange that you need goyishe music to inspire you about judaism.
(I never heard a non-jew say, that when he hears jewish music, it inspires him about christianity)Lihavdil!!!
outside the box
"JIM wrote:
This subject reminds me of a saying regarding the Jewish Press: METAMEI ES HATEHORIM UMETAHEIR ES HATEMEIM. Matysyahoo is definately not o.k. for a Chossid…. and most unfortunately, his soul. " Whoever wrote this should go and work for the Jewish Press and the New York Times. I don’t know who wrote this but that is possibly the most unresearched,blatent, general, hating, biased statement i’ve ever heard. Whoever you are I don’t know if you’ve ever actually met Matisyahu but none of the statements written by anyone here but his friends are complete lies. FOR EVERYONE ABOVE THAT SEES ANYTHING WRONG IN MATISYAHU, REMEMBER WHAT WE’RE TAUGHT IN CHASSIDUS THAT IF YOU EVER SEE A PROBLEM IN ANY JEW AT ALL, ANY JEW AT ALL, IT’S A PROBLEM IN OURSELVES. REMEMBER THAT BEFORE YOU TALK ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE PUBLICLY.
TRUE LOVE
What does Ahavas Yisroel mean?
When someone walks our streets selling drugs to our kids do we get him arrested (Mossur!!!!!)or do we allow him to destroy all our loved ones to keep him out of jail because we have ‘ahavas yisroel’ for him?
In my humble opinion it would be better to have ahavas yisroel for all of us and get him in trouble.
I remember a molester from williamsburgh who came to CH and was allowed to walk around freely for MONTHS till some ‘anti semite’ got him arrested. The guy was killed (!!!) in jail by some fellow inmates a short time later. Very sad, but our streets were safe.
Matisyahu we love you. We’ll invite you into our homes to teach you all about Yidishkeit. You only spent 4 weeks in yeshiva so you have way to go. We’ll invite you to our shabbos table so that you can hear some jewish niggunim that have inspired and uplifted entire generations of jews for thousands of years. But as long as you keep promoting goyshkeit we will have to come out against you because WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN
Jewish music
"and found inspiration in Chasidic songs and Sephardic melodies."
I recall seeing articles were he claims to base his music on carlebach. Now it is based on chasidic songs and sephardic melodies.
Someone please help me. Which carlebackh song has 400 words per minute? Which tune is found back in reggea? I know tons of carlebach and plenty of sfardi stuff. Chop em down chop em down just doesnt sound like ono hashem ono hashem. And oy oy oy doesnt sound like yibidibidoy.
" He says he heard hip-hop beats behind the traditional niggunim (melodies)."
Maybe those guys were also ‘inspired’ by our niggunim and based their music on ours. Remember, we were first!
To True Love
Your comments are sickeing. Are you actuallly comparing MAttis to a drug dealer or pedophile? You are disgusting and a simpleton.
I don’t like his thing either-but get a grip!
Parent with young teenagers
Parents of Crown Heights,
"WAKE UP AND HEAR THE REGGAE"
For those of you that are claiming that it is a chilul Lubavitch,(ie.singing in clubs, mixed concerts,etc.) you sound like the misnagdim approach to mivtzoim years ago.As told to me many times, "how can you put tefillin on someone and say a holy barocha with them when they just came out of McDonalds?!" Then they statrted doing "kiruv" work and it became kosher.(As a matter of fact, some even claim that they were doing "kiruv work" way before Lubavitch. But thats for another discussion.)As for our children listening to this, as much as it is not my first (or second or third)choice of music, however we have to understand that these days are very different then when we grew up.I would rather my son/daughter listen to this which is written by a frum jew, and has some religous even chassidic meaning to it, than the other music written by goyim that happen to be from the lowest of lows in this world. Let them listen to this music and feel that this is their rebellion to us, then chas v’sholom something else, rachmona l’tzlan!
two cents
so much senseless hatred, so much jealousy, the article was meant for PR. to sell CDs to the world not for Crown Heights people. Your kids are your responsibility!!! let the man make a living, and you know what he is inspiring people along the way.
Don’t judge people thats G-ds job.
wma
wow everyone is so opinionated and this is so controversal!!!!!! all of you who are posting negative things about matisyahu are atually speaking lashon horah (don’t b a hypocrate and say what matisyahu is doing wrong when you’re doing something wrong by speaking lashon horah! don’t pick and chose. and besides all the people that are reading your piece of lashon horah are sinning too. Be careful its a serious thing!!!!!
shliach
we have to bring the "lost" yiden who are in the bars to our level we do not have to go down to thier level that is a shliach .
I-LOVE-JEWISH-MUSIC!
"…I realized that Jewish music sucks basically,” Matisyahu says
-I AINT TOO IMPRESSED WITH HIS VIEWS!
BUT no, i don’t hate him… he’s my fellow JEW!!!
we need more achdus
we may disagree w/ one another… but QUIT THE BASHING, NEGATIVE COMMENTS/REMARKS & FOUL WORDS! we arent goyim… give your opinion like a good jew…we REALLY need more ACHDUS over here!
Who knows?
Remember the story with the boy who whistled and imitated animal sounds in a shul, on yom kippur, and the people wanted to throw him out? It was such a holy day and such a holy place – and they were outraged!
What did the Baal Shem Tov say?
DO NOT STOP HIM! Let him!
There was a gezeira, said the besht, and our tefillos were not helping, and it did not look good for klal Yisroel, until the sincerity of this farmer boy broke through the heavens and was mevatel the gezera.
Yes, just as we are to daven from a siddur and say the words properly, and not whistle or make coo-co-rikoo sounds instead of davening, we must fill our homes and our hearts with Chassidishe niggunim.
But, if were we to hear alien sounds, music that we don’t recognize, coming with deep sincerity from a fellow Jew, connecting to Hashem with all his heart; a Jew that says in front of millions on TV that no money in the world would get him to play on Shabbos, we must recognize and appreciate it. Who knows, his sounds may doing something in shomayim. He may be helping to bring moshiach closer through his path of hafatzas mayonos chutza, than any of us could dare HOPE to accomplish.
to parent with young teenagers
You say to "let the children listen to the reggea to let them feel that this is their rebellion". There is no more idiodic way of thinking then that!! Because its starts with this and then you’ll see where it goes
mendy w.
Mattisyahu said "all jewish music sucks".
The Alter Rebbe wrote alot of beautiful Jewish music. I wonder if the Alter Rebbe "sucks" according to mattisyahu?
maybe a littel mentchlichkite?
Mattisyahu is a amazing man!! if not for him so many people, jews and non- jews alike would not know about hashem and if you dont want YOU’R kids to listen to him then dont let them but i dont think you have to say bad things about him just b/c YOU dont want to listen to him! and i think that in CH people should be nicer and more understanding and STOP insulting mattisyahu.
if you diont like the articals on this webn site then dont read them. its not that hard…
i think that everyone has to think b/4 they say bad things about mattisyahu or anyone else.
and i dont think that he is doing this for parnasa only i think he is also doing it to tell people about hashem. if he says things about tanya whats wrong with singing it in a diff. kind of way that the whole world can understand not only the Lubavitchers…. isent that the point?
CH Resident
quoted: "So I heard Mattisyahu is making a concert for "Crown Heights Parents Night Out" next Tuesday. They are even having a bus from Lakewood and Kiryat Joel (separate seating) to join this event. If you’d like to be a sponsor at this event, contact Mattis directly."
Any current info, how come we aven’t been notified? What is the night-out for? Where can I get accurate details.
Think Before you speak
TO all those who have negative things to say:
If this isnt good shluchus what is?!!?!?
this has inspired many not frum ppl to think good and want to be part of chabad…
Also all you mothers in CH who are worried about you child chas veshalom listening matistahu….. there are much bigger things on your own block to worry about!!!!!!
The reason y i dont listen to non jewish music is becuz it connects u with a non jew he is a JEW
also remember where he came from he hasnt always been frum and Im sure he is sorry that he cant grow to your high spiritual levels!!!!!!!!! Many people i know have stopped listening to non jewish music and switched to him as an alternative…. thanx matisyahu you make the Rebbe Proud!!!!!!
ISchier
how can you put tefillin on someone and say a holy barocha with them when they just came out of McDonalds?!"
—————————————
The line is crossed only when one is encouraged to make a brocho on "food" from McDonalds, which of course no one from Chabad or anywhere else outside of Kingsboro Psych or Creedmoor encourages.
Some people may fear that the subject of this article is in essence getting people to make brochos on McDonalds schlockburgers – a completely ridiculous perversion of kedusha for klipa.
I disagree, but his act is certainly far from the level of mivtzoim, and it is not leshem shomayim – it is a commercial gimmick act except when he does perform at Chabad Houses (if he still does).
The real test will come if or when his act loses its novelty and popularity. Let Moshiach come first, and let everyone do his part to bring Moshiach. Certainly, Matisyahu is not doing anything to hurt more traditional Chabad hafatza.
Western NY Native
This young man’s music is the most spiritually real message to have come out in the past 30 years! His lyrics and the raw emotion in his voice reaches all – Jew and Goy – with sincerity. He is never singing to people; it is so obvious he sings for HaShem alone.
HELLO??!!!!
If you even knew Mattisyahu as a person none of you would say any of these things
mattisyahu is a great guy and u should all watch ur loshon hara b/c this site was not put up so that everyone could have a loshon hara fest…
thanx to everyone who helps make lubavitch look bad to all our non-lubab readers
keep it up and ur gonna bring moshiach for sure
to be chasidish
matisyahu is mikarev the rechokem and merachek the kerovim
What is up with mendy w
i’m not sure how old you are but from your posts i would put you at around 12 years old.
Can you not realise that he is talking about the standard ‘entertainment music’ out there. He sings nigunnim at his concerts for crying out loud
SO WHAT?
How dare he state the obvious truth that most produced Jewish music sucks?
(He obviously doesn’t mean all; he sings chassidish music on stage.)
A Tamim
Matisyahu Rocks! Chabad respect’s and honors the great work that your doing!
Matisyahu! don’t listen to all these fools! keep doing the good work!
and to all you paranoid people:
LISTEN UP!
1) it dosn’t matter to matisyahu what you think about him! He has millions of fans all over the world! a few extremist fanatics in CH (Maybe three percent of CH’s)don’t have any say in the matter! The majority of chabad loves and respect’s him!
2)If it wasn’t for maisyahu your kids would be listning to Shvartzeh men or probobly women sing about drugs, killing ETC, so thank matisyahu from the bottom of your heart!
HELLO??!!!!
Ill even go so far as to say that the reporter almost for sure channged around his words…
you know journalists…..
JIM
TO OUT OF THE BOX: FYI: y would I work for the J.P. if as stated I disagree with their Jewish ideals?. Moreover the quote regarding the Jewish press has been attributed to a famous Jewish leader (AND FRIEND OF CHABAD) Rabbi Avigdor Miller a’h. Perhaps you’re the hater?! you sound really angry and bitter. Please calm down and ask yourself why the anger? Do you get as angry when you hear rabbonim maligned?? fyi: I do know matysyahoo personally and I am very impressed with his humbleness etc. I was shocked that the quotes about Jewish music were attributed to him. Which is y I posted my comment. Even if they are not his words, he could’ve easily come out with a disclaimer. additionally he should unequivocally discourage practicing Jews from attending his concerts. No ammount of hysteria and mud slinging will change the reality: Matysyahoo remains off limits to proper Chassishkeit, END OF STORY
You go Matisyahu! From a Crown Heightser
You go Matisyahu! Keep up the Shlichus only you can do. You inspire us Crown Heightsers too ya know!
Mendy in Midwest
listen to the word not (only) to the music
it is chasidus, kabolah, torah, medrash…
if you don’t like it don’t listen
don’t hate the guy ‘cuz he has made more money singing ‘moshia now!
than you would know what to do with
you the freedom to choose
=bechira chofshis
make the right move
=uvocharto bachaim
To Matisyahu
Dear Matisyahu———–you cannot even Fathom the good you are acomplishing.
To all those Snickerers out there:
You have no right to say Anything- ‘cuz
you can’t come close.
MATISYAHU- THE BIGGEST YASHER KOACH AND HATZLACHA RABBAH!