Niggunei Chabad
This old Chassidisher niggun, which is often sung at farbrengens, expresses the feelings of a chossid’s bitterness as he demands of himself, “How is it that I eat, drink and sleep with ease and with a geshmak, but when it comes the time to learn or daven I am missing the geshmak?" My “Zich” enjoys Gashmios but not Elokus. The final part of the niggun is wordless, hopefull ... Read more
Hinei Ma Tov is a niggun connected with Lag B’Omer. This is both because one of the most famous teachings of the Rashbi is on this Possuk, and because its subject is Ahavas Yisroel, a major theme of Lag BaOmer. Reb Shmuel Zalmanov writes in Sefer Haniggunim, that this Niggun originates from Sfardishe Yidden living in Eretz Yisroel ... Read more
Before a Chossid enters the Rebbe’s chamber for Yechidus, where he will reveal to him what bothers his Neshomah and request advice in his Avodas Hashem, he must prepare himself. This is done by purifying oneself and making a thorough ‘Cheshbon Ha’nefesh’ through which he arouses his deepest feelings for Teshuvah and seeks to ascend to a higher, more spiritual life ... Read more
A loose translation: “You, my dudale (beautiful tune) you’re mine, happiness you are mine, happy you shall make me, although we find ourselves across the barrier”. This niggun was sung by the Chossid Reb Yonah Kahan or Yonah Poltaver as he was better known, he was a great baal menagen and composed various niggunim one of them being the famous niggun “Sheha’shalom Sheloi..” ... Read more
Since the founding of Chassidus, Niggunim have been a very important part of a Chasid’s avodas Hashem. At farbrengens, by the Shabbos table and in davening, these soul stirring songs have always been heard. However, until Reb Nota Peharer came around it lacked an organized touch. It is thanks to his great effort in arranging the niggunim in an accurate and meticulous fashion, that we have negina as we know it today ... Read more
When visiting the Rebbe on Shavuos 5720, Reb Pinye Althois sang a new version of “Ve’harikoisi Lo’chem Bracha.” A few weeks later, at the farbrengen on Yud Beis Tammuz, the crowd sang the usual version. The Rebbe turned to Reb Pinye’s son and said, “Sing your father’s Ve’harikoisi. Do you know it?” And the crowd sang this niggun. From then on, this niggun was sung quite often at the Rebbe’s farbrengens, with the Rebbe referring to it as the “new Ve’harikoisi Lochem Bracha.” The Rebbe was often heard singing along with the crowd in an undertone ... Read more
“It is well known that each country has a national anthem, which is sung on special occasions in the country ... The song represents the style of the land, and in this case it is especially clear; as it is well known that the song was composed during the revolution. “A few years ago, Chassidim began to sing the French national anthem to the words of ‘Ho’aderes V’haemunah,’ and a short time later, a strange thing happened - the French government changed the notes of the niggun, altering its beat and softening its tone ... Read more
Reb Shmuel Katan came from Eretz Yisrael to spend Tishrei 5729 with the Rebbe for the first time. During kos shel bracha on Motzoei Simchas Torah, the bochurim somehow found out that he had a violin with him, and on their initiative he ran to the house where he was staying to bring it. He related: “I stood in line to receive kos shel bracha, which I received from the Rebbe’s hand. Overcome with emotion, I said, “Rebbe, I would like permission to play the violin.” ... Read more
Motzoei Rosh Hashana 5740. Towards the end of kos shel bracha, the Rebbe told the chazzan, Reb Moshe Teleshevsky, to put the words of the possuk ‘Uveyom Simchaschem’ to the niggun that was being sung at the moment. The Rebbe added that in a piyut, the first words are repeated after each stanza, as in the piyut ‘Ulay Yerachem’ ... Read more
The righteous man - the Tzaddik Reb Michele Zlotchover was a talented composer and one of the main singers of his Rebbe, the Ba'al Shem Tov. Once Reb Michele was ill and could not bask in the presence if his Rebbe, he composed at that time the melody known as "Reb Michele Zlotchover's Melody of yearning." ... Read more
The words go back to an old liturgical poet, Reb Yisroel Nejara. He lived in Tzvas, at the same time concurrently with the Arizal. He composed many beautiful Piyutim (liturgical poems) which are the basis of many Shabbos Zemiros. so these are his words. The tune is a little bit more recent, the tune goes back about 120 years ago. It was brought to Lubavitch right after the passing of the Rebbe Maharash ... Read More
The tune of this niggun is a niggun Rikud from Nikolayev. Many niggunim that were composed for Yud Alef Nissan were recorded for the Nichoach series. When a list of niggunim being prepared for volume 8 of Nichoach was submitted to the Rebbe, the Rebbe added in ksav yad “V'elokim Malki Mikedem” ... Read more