Tosefta for Arakhin 19:7
ובשנים עשר יום בשנה החליל מכה לפני המזבח
ON TWELVE DAYS IN THE YEAR WAS THE FLUTE [HALIL] PLAYED BEFORE THE ALTAR:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On these days all the thanksgiving Psalms (Hallel. Ps. CXIII-CXVIII) were sung. The meaning here is doubtful: either, 'on these days the flute was played before the altar, whereas on other days it was played together with all other instruments on the Dukhan by the Levites', or on these vfn days alone the flute was played, on other days other instruments only. The technical term 'beat' () applies to the flute, because tunes are evoked thereon by beating with the fingers on the holes.');"><sup>4</sup></span>
Tosefta Arakhin
The flutes do not push away the Sabbath. Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Yehuda says, it does push it away (i.e., the flutes may be played on the Sabbath). [And] one would not play with two flutes [simultaneously] but rather with one flue. They would not conclude [the service] except with a reed [flute] because this concludes [the service] nicely (Arakh. 10a:3). Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel says, hydrolim were not used in the Temple because they confuse the voice and ruin the pleasantness. Who are those that play before the altar? They were servants of the priesthood, the words of Rabbi Meir (Arakh. 2:4, Sukkah 51a:1). Rabbi Yehuda says, servants of the Levites. Rabbi Yosei says, [they were] family members of the House of Happegarim [and family members of the] House of Tzipperaya, from [the city of] Emma'un, and they would marry [their daughters] to the priesthood. Rabbi Chananiah ben Antigonos says, I knew them and they were Levites.
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