The Gemarah says that the flute was dented and sent for repair to Alexandria. The second example was pouder for Ketorats which was dented and again sent to Alexandria for repair. When the repairs were done, performance were not restored until the repair done were removed.
What is the meaning of the Gemarah?
To restore soft metals by hammering the surface may cause changes in metal structure and possibly the frequency of sound produced. Filling the dentation would cause even greater changes in oscillation of sound inside the metal tube. I think there is something more deeper here than a mechanical repair job which was ont successful. Any comments.
Shabtai Nacson, Toronto,Canada
I presume that your question is how the workers of the Mikdash were able to "remove" the additions that the artisans who arrived in the Mikdash from Alexandria "added" to the Machteshes ha'Ketores and the Tziltzal. If the artisans corrected the flawed sound of the instruments, they must have hammered it into shape, not "added" material to correct the sound. How does one "unhammer"?
In answer to your question, first of all, even though the Gemara undoubtedly has a "deeper meaning" as well, it must also be explainable in a literal sense. In the case at hand, I think your confusion is based on a misinterpretation of the words used by the Gemara. Here is what we wrote in our Background to the Daf:
12) [line 31] TZILTZAL (TZALTZUL) - cymbal
13) [line 33] MACHTESHES - mortar
Rashi writes that the Alexandrians were brought in to correct the sounds of the above-mentioned instruments. (Even though a mortar is not a musical instrument, the mortar used to make Ketores gave forth melodious sounds while crushing in order to make the Ketores even more sweet-smelling, see Rashi.) Since the Gemara is not discussing hollow instruments, it is easy to see how the Alexandrians may have added on material to the instruments externally to change their sound.
Of course, there no doubt is a deeper meaning to this Gemara as well. Perhaps the Gemara wants to demonstrate that true honor to Hash-m will not come from the Egyptians, a nation known for their arrogance and called "Rahav" in Tehilim (see Rashi to Tehilim 87:4, 40:5). The way to honor Hash-m is through a "Kol Demamah Dakah" (see Melachim I 19:12), a tenuous and fine sound, representing humility. One who worships Hash-m in such a way will find favor in the eyes of Hash-m and man.
The instruments producing the Ketores and the Tziltzal produced a particularly soft and fine sound for this reason. The great and proud artisans of Alexandria might be able to fix any other musical instrument, but these were outside of their realm of experience, if not in a physical way in a spiritual way.
Best wishes,
M. Kornfeld
Kollel Iyun Hadaf