Music and Prophetic Kabbalah

Abraham Abulafia (1240- circ 1291) lists three connections between music and the prophetic experience. A- The playing of the Nevel reminds him of the combination of letters which create the Name; the musical notes revive the soul while the letter combination gladdens the heart B- The playing of the Nevel compared to the mystical experience of prophecy. The widespread analogy of a prophet being similar to a musical instrument upon which God plays music appears twice in Abulafia’s books. C- Music is an organic part of the technique used to attain the prophetic experience; the mystic sings the consonants with the vowels representing the musical tones. In the later prophetic Kabalah books such as the “Sulam Ha’aliyah' by Yehuda Albotini (16th century) instrumental music appears apparently due to Sufi influence.