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Rating: 
Summary: Great book
Review: An extraordinary book exploring the nature of music, as it is viewed by the masters of the Kabbalah - Jewish mystical thought. I for one highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing and thoughtful
Review: Challenging and freindly. A truly deep yet down to earth work. It conveys a considerable amount of information, in a contemporary style. It covers a whole array of aspects beyond music, which made it so intresting to me.
Rating:
Summary: Reveals the soul dynamics of music
Review: Readers of my Jewish CD reviews know that I have spent considerable energy explaining Hasidic music here on Amazon. But the limited space of a review doesn't lend itself to exploring the "kabbalah of music" in depth. Now there is a book which does exactly that. Even if you have a tin ear, "Inner Rhythms" will help expand your understanding of how music is used by Hasidim and others to reach the highest spiritual levels that cannot be accessed in any other way. As Rabbi Bachya ibn Pakuda said in the eleventh century, "Speech is the pen of the heart, song is the pen of the soul." This book will no doubt have a much wider appeal than Rabbi Pinson's first book, "Reincarnation in Judaism." For one thing, it's better writing. "Reincarnation" established Rabbi Pinson as a meticulous scholar, but it dealt mostly with esoteric theory and was a rather academic read. Not so with this, his second book. "Inner Rhythms" speaks directly to the heart. Make no mistake: the careful Torah scholarship is still there, with copious footnotes explaining the sources. But, in addition, it's clear that Rabbi Pinson has experienced these musical soul phenomena. Himself a practicing Hasid, he has personally stood among throngs of Hasidim singing the very songs and prayers about which he writes. When he illustrates his points with stories taken from the entire spectrum of Jewish thought, you know that he understands the spirit as well as the words of these tales. (The stories alone make the book worth buying!) The result is a book that not only gives us the kabbalistic theory of music, but also illuminates how music can be used to bring greater spirituuality into our daily lives. For Jews and gentiles alike, this is a book that will forever change the way you hear music. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Reveals the soul dynamics of music
Review: Readers of my Jewish CD reviews know that I have spent considerable energy explaining Hasidic music here on Amazon. But the limited space of a review doesn't lend itself to exploring the "kabbalah of music" in depth. Now there is a book which does exactly that. Even if you have a tin ear, "Inner Rhythms" will help expand your understanding of how music is used by Hasidim and others to reach the highest spiritual levels that cannot be accessed in any other way. As Rabbi Bachya ibn Pakuda said in the eleventh century, "Speech is the pen of the heart, song is the pen of the soul."
This book will no doubt have a much wider appeal than Rabbi Pinson's first book, "Reincarnation in Judaism." For one thing, it's better writing. "Reincarnation" established Rabbi Pinson as a meticulous scholar, but it dealt mostly with esoteric theory and was a rather academic read. Not so with this, his second book. "Inner Rhythms" speaks directly to the heart. Make no mistake: the careful Torah scholarship is still there, with copious footnotes explaining the sources. But, in addition, it's clear that Rabbi Pinson has experienced these musical soul phenomena. Himself a practicing Hasid, he has personally stood among throngs of Hasidim singing the very songs and prayers about which he writes. When he illustrates his points with stories taken from the entire spectrum of Jewish thought, you know that he understands the spirit as well as the words of these tales. (The stories alone make the book worth buying!) The result is a book that not only gives us the kabbalistic theory of music, but also illuminates how music can be used to bring greater spirituuality into our daily lives. For Jews and gentiles alike, this is a book that will forever change the way you hear music. Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: Getting In Tune With G-d
Review: This book is a "must read" for anyone concerned with his (or her) relationship with G-d. It tells how Chassidic music can facilitate a closer relationship. The rhythm of feeling closer to G-d and then realizing how great a distance still remains becomes clear to the reader. However, one is left with a belief that one can always get closer with the appropriate Chassidic music.
Rabbi DovBer Pinson discusses the source and nature of Chassidic vocal melodies. (There is some reference to instrumental and dance music.) He tells how the melody reflects the emotions of the creator (or perforemer) and the listener. Chassidic melodies are used to reach Deveikut (oneness with G-d), to create Simcha (joyousness), to reflect Marirrut (sadness from feeling distant from Ein Sof), to reach upwards through prayer, to carry G-d's message to us through Torah study, to aid one in Yechidim (drawing G-dliness into this world), and to create a pathway to reaching Bitachon (trust in G-d and a realization of G-d's goodness). Along the way Rabbi Pinson explains why we praise G-d, types of Chassidic songs, the Sefirot and Tzimtzum. There are also many entertaining and illuminating stories . The notes and references are copious and many help to clarify the text. The writing is easy to read although the meanings are deep and may take more than one reading. Being Jewish and a musicologist, I would like to see musical examples in an Appendix and/or an audio tape or CD along with the book. Perhaps they'll appear in or with a future edition.
Rating:
Summary: Getting In Tune With G-d
Review: This book is a "must read" for anyone concerned with his (or her) relationship with G-d. It tells how Chassidic music can facilitate a closer relationship. The rhythm of feeling closer to G-d and then realizing how great a distance still remains becomes clear to the reader. However, one is left with a belief that one can always get closer with the appropriate Chassidic music. Rabbi DovBer Pinson discusses the source and nature of Chassidic vocal melodies. (There is some reference to instrumental and dance music.) He tells how the melody reflects the emotions of the creator (or perforemer) and the listener. Chassidic melodies are used to reach Deveikut (oneness with G-d), to create Simcha (joyousness), to reflect Marirrut (sadness from feeling distant from Ein Sof), to reach upwards through prayer, to carry G-d's message to us through Torah study, to aid one in Yechidim (drawing G-dliness into this world), and to create a pathway to reaching Bitachon (trust in G-d and a realization of G-d's goodness). Along the way Rabbi Pinson explains why we praise G-d, types of Chassidic songs, the Sefirot and Tzimtzum. There are also many entertaining and illuminating stories . The notes and references are copious and many help to clarify the text. The writing is easy to read although the meanings are deep and may take more than one reading. Being Jewish and a musicologist, I would like to see musical examples in an Appendix and/or an audio tape or CD along with the book. Perhaps they'll appear in or with a future edition.
Rating:
Summary: A truly fascinating read
Review: This book is what I have been searching for! Rabbi Pinson brings music and spirituality together in a most compelling and fascinating manner. Kabbalah is beautiful and never more so than in this wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: Clear and profound
Review: This is by far the most clear and profound book I have ever seen about music and the Kabbalah.
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