Halachic Debate on Listening to AI-Generated Music During the Three Weeks Mourning Period
The article explores the halachic considerations regarding listening to music created by artificial intelligence (AI) during the Three Weeks, a period of mourning in Jewish tradition between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av. AI music is produced by algorithms that start from random noise and gradually shape sound waves, capable today of creating full songs including instrumental and human-like vocals.
Jewish law, based on Talmudic sources and codified by authorities such as Maimonides and the Shulchan Aruch, traditionally forbids playing musical instruments throughout the year following the destruction of the Temple, reflecting the deep sorrow of that event. While the common custom today permits listening to music year-round, the Three Weeks are an exception where dancing and joyous celebrations are prohibited, and many authorities extend this to forbidding attendance at concerts or festive events.
Some contemporary rabbis have ruled that listening to music from electronic devices is also forbidden during this time, even though such devices did not exist at the time of the original decrees. The prohibition is explained either because the music is a recording of instruments or because the music induces joy, which is inappropriate during this mourning period. Regarding AI-generated music, opinions diverge: one view permits it since it is not a recording of actual instruments, while another forbids it because it produces the same joyful effect as traditional music.
The article leans toward the stricter view that the key factor is the joy music brings, regardless of its source. It distinguishes between loud, happy music, which should be avoided, and calm, relaxing music, which some permit during the Three Weeks but not during the more stringent Nine Days. Sad or contemplative songs are allowed even during the Nine Days, as they promote reflection on the Temple's destruction. Live instrumental performances are prohibited entirely during this period, with leniencies only for essential purposes.
Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon, a religious Zionist halachic authority and regional rabbi of Gush Etzion, emphasizes that public musical events are forbidden during the Three Weeks, and any exceptions should be consulted with a rabbinic authority. Listening to music privately through headphones is preferable if permitted.
Overall, the article highlights the nuanced halachic debate on AI music during this solemn time, balancing tradition, modern technology, and the spirit of mourning.
