In Parshas Naso, the Levi’im are assigned their roles, and they had two main jobs – avodas masa, transporting the mishkan, and “avodas avoda, work of the work.”
One understanding is that it refers to the skinning and flaying of sacrificial animals, which are not the actual korban, but necessary for it.
The other explanation is that avodas avoda referred to singing and playing music during the offering of korbanos.
While skinning and cutting up animals certainly seems like work, why would singing and playing music be categorized as such?
Rabbeinu Bachya says that the singing was important because it enabled, “ivdu es Hashem b’simcha, serve Hashem with happiness.”
Indeed, sometimes being happy takes work, and you have to do what it takes to get yourself in the right mindset. The music helped those serving Hashem to feel the joy of serving Him, and to make their work feel less like work.
Being happy is serious business, and that’s why the musical accompaniment was truly an important avoda.
