Parshah Rabbit Hole - Bereishis: The Origins of Music, Money and Gremlins

(20) Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who dwell in tents and amidst herds. (21) And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.

אבי יושב אהל ומקנה THE FATHER OF SUCH AS ABIDE IN TENTS AND OF SUCH THAT HAVE CATTLE — He was the first of those who pastured cattle, and he dwelt in tents, a month here and a month there, on account of the pasture necessary for his sheep; for when the grass was finished in one place he went away and pitched his tent in another place. There is a Midrashic statement (Genesis Rabbah 23:3) that he built temples for idol worship, (for ומקנה may be read ומקנה –– provoking jealousy), just as you say, (Ezekiel 8:3) "the image of jealousy which provoketh God to jealousy" (המקנה); similarly his brother handled the harp and guitar to make music for idol worship.

And Adah bore... She merited that her son would be the leader of all who dwell in the tents of G-d. So too, those who dwelled with herds were also secluded in the wilderness, devoted to private service of G-d, blessed be His name, and he was their leader.

And Adah bore. This episode recounts how trade and craft were developed through the children of Lemach. Yaval was the progenitor of those who dwell in tents and with herds, meaning that he began working with animals for their wool and milk, or perhaps he began the practice of farming them for meat even though it was forbidden to them. And from him they learned how to make tents and to raise livestock and acquiring more, eventually developing the concept of acquisition and commerce and the concept of personal property ownership. And it is known that the history of human civilization is deeply rooted in trade.

And his brother's name was Yuval. ... And from him began singing and music, in the manner of "Take a lyre, go about the town, harlot long forgotten." (Isaiah 23:!6) For this is the way of the frauds [idol worshippers] to sing the song of the harlot in their taverns as well as in their houses of worship. For even though eventually music would become respectable, it was originally invented to draw the hearts of women. Therefore [the instrument] is called ugav (pipe organ) from the phrase "shir agavim" (love songs).

Yuval. Etymologically related the word hovalah (bringing), because he intuited that the livestock would be drawn after the music. Therefore he invented musical instruments for use with the animals, becoming the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe. These are two types of musical instruments which serve different purposes. The lyre is particularly suited for restfulness and sleep. The pipe is the opposite - it stimulates hunger. These two effects are both required for tending to livestock, each in its appropriate time.

And this is the idea behind Yuval, "Ancestor of all who hold a lyre...". The name Yuval is related to the word for walking, because it transports and draws upward through the lyre and pipe organ in a manner of song through which, as mentioned above, ascent is affected...

The primary example of nullifying the "something" to the "nothing" is through the animal sacrifices which were given in the Temple. The animal soul stems for the "face of the ox on the left." (Ezekiel 1:10), and through sacrifice it ascends to and is incorporated into its root - the face of the ox on the chariot. Therefore the sacrifices were accompnied by song - as is mentioned in the explanation of "his brother's name was Yuval." It [the animal soul] ascends to greater and greater heights...

According to Josephus, from the sound of Tuval Kayin hammering on iron and copper, his brother Yuval learned the craft of music...

And his sister was called Naamah because she invented the concept of singing and vocal music. For this reason the Targum Yerushalmi interprets the verse as "the sister of Tuval Kayin was Naamah. She was the master of elegies and songs." Perhaps the intention was to express that she was the originator of singing because when her brother, Yuval, was playing music, Naamah would create songs that fit with each musical composition...

The meaning of "ancestor" is "first." All of this is written in order to make it known how various skills and trades were proliferated throughout the world. So too, the story of the Generation of Division (Tower of Babel) is told in order to make known how human beings spread across the earth, to negate the beliefs of the heretics who say that the world is ancient, G-d forbid.

And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Na’amah. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Na’amah was Noah’s wife. Why was she called Na’amah? Because all of her deeds were pleasant (ne’imim). The Rabbis said this is a different Na’amah. Why was she called Na’amah? Because she beat on a drum to draw people to idol worship.

In Bereshith Rabbah there are some Rabbis who say that Naamah was Noah’s wife. “And why did they call her Naamah [which means lovely]? Because her deeds were lovely and pleasant.” By this the Rabbis meant to say that she was famous in those generations because she was a righteous woman and she gave birth to righteous children. This was why Scripture mentioned her. If so, a small remembrance of Cain was left in the world. However, if we say that she was not the woman from whom Noah begot his three sons, there is no reason for Scripture mentioning her. However, our Rabbis have another Midrash concerning her...

Rabbi Ba said she was the mother of sheidim and that she gave birth to them, because the name of the of mother of Ashmedai, king of the sheidim, was Naamah.

At the time when the day was supposed to become sanctified, the souls of the sheidim came out in order for their bodies to be created, but the day was sanctified [as Shabbos] and their bodies were not created, and the world remained incomplete and lacking. When the Jews were sanctified and their spiritual level reached its full potential, and the Levites were on the left side, they then repaired the blemish on the left side of the world....