The Biblical Neivel: Three Opinions

On Erev Pesach, as the multitudes offered their pascal lambs in the Azarah of the Beis HaMikdash, a group of Leviim stood upon the duchan to provide musical and choral accompaniment during the avodah. This was more than just an annual performance, for the Leviim would sing and play every single day in the Beis HaMikdash. One of the instruments that featured daily was the neivel (pl. nevalim). This musical device is mentioned often in the verses of Tanach and was certainly well-known in its day, yet its exact description varies wildly among the sources.

Rambam

There is a three-way debate among the Rishonim regarding the design of the neivel. Rashi (to Yeshayah 5:12 and Tehillim 81:3) and Rambam (Commentary to Arachin 2:3) both write that it is a stringed instrument. Some therefore match the neivel to the lyre (a small, U-shaped harp) or the lute (somewhat like a guitar, but with a more rounded body), both of which are types of instruments that existed in antiquity. Indeed, Rambam (loc. cit.) describes the neivel as having the shape of a bottle, which is reminiscent of a lute.

Ancient lyre

Ancient lute

The Mishnah (Kinnim 3:6) gives us further information regarding the design of the neivel:

     The ram has one voice while it is alive but seven after it is dead. How so? Its two horns [can be used for] two trumpets, its two thigh bones [can be used for] two flutes, its skin [can be used] for a drum, its stomach [can be used] for nevalim, and its intestines [can be used] for kinorim.

We learn that the stomach of an animal was used in the production of the neivel, but we do not know which part of the instrument was made from the stomach. If history is any indication then it seems unlikely that the stomach was used for the strings of the instrument. For this purpose it was — and still is — common to use the intestines, as the Mishnah indicates was true of the kinor [which is ostensibly a harp]. Rather, it would seem that the body of the neivel itself was made from the stomach. Possibly, the animal stomach was stretched and dried to form a large hollow cavity for the body of the neivel. Alternatively, the sound box could be made of a wooden frame that was covered with the stretched stomach. Such a design would not be unique in the ancient world, for we have examples from a variety of civilizations where dried gourds or animal skins or animal shells were used, in whole or in part, to form the soundbox of stringed instruments.

Rashi

A second opinion is that the neivel was a wind instrument. Its design resembled a blacksmith’s bellows [perhaps something like a bagpipe] (Rashi to Arachin 13b ד״ה דנפיש קליה). According to this opinion, it would appear that the stomach was used as the inflatable bag of the neivel. 

 

Ancient Bagpipe

Rabbeinu Gershom

A third view is that the neivel was a percussion instrument consisting of a round wooden frame, such as might be used for a sieve, with an animal’s stomach stretched over it. It would make a loud noise when hit with a hand or stick (Rabbeinu Gershom to Arachin 10a ד״ה נבל). This description matches that of a tambourine.

Tambourine

A further hint to the true identity of the neivel can be gleaned from the Gemara (Yerushalmi Succah 5:6 [31a]): Why is it called a neivel? Because it shames [מנבל] other instruments with its sweet sound (see Pnei Moshe ad loc.). 

Regardless of our personal preference for either string sonatas, bagpipe music, or drum riffs, we fervently hope that this year we will hear the song of Zion once again ushering in the festival of Pesach.