In honor of the Rebbe’s 68th birthday, and 20 years of the Rebbe’s Nesius, the Temimim Shneur Zalman Wilschansky and Zalman Chanin matched the words “Ki Elokim” to the tune of “Dayenu”. They sang the niggun when they went to greet their friends at the airport after returning from two years on Shlichus, but the niggun had not yet been sung in the Rebbe’s presence.
Regarding the first time this niggun was sung in front of the Rebbe, Reb Sholom Chaskind relates:
“On the first day of Shavuos 5730, I was invited to the seudah which the Rebbe took part of upstairs. Those invited to the Seudah decided that we will sing the new niggun that was composed for Yud Alef Nissan with the words “Ki Elokim”. There were some who questioned how the Rebbe would react to the niggun. It was decided that between the fish and meat courses, Reb Itche Churgin would start the niggun.
I sat facing the Rebbe on the other side of the table and at the decided moment, I glanced at Reb Itche, but I realized from the look on his face that he forgot how the niggun started. I decided to start the niggun on my own. The Rebbe looked at me and I could clearly discern that the Rebbe was happy.
In Hamelech B’mesibo (a collection of conversations that took place at the Yom Tov seudos that the Rebbe took part of) the rest of the episode is recorded as follows:
The Rebbe: Who composed the niggun?
Reb Chaim B. Halberstam: The Bochurim.
The Rebbe: From here?
Reb Chaim B. Halberstam: Yes.
The Rebbe: The words are very appropriate.
Reb Chaim Gutnick: Since the tune was originally sung to the words Dayenu, I would like to ask at this opportune time that we should already have “Dayenu” of all the Tzorus!
The Rebbe: Amen!
The next day Anash and bochurim went on Tahalucha, and when they returned they stood near the door to the Rebbe’s room and sung the new niggun out loud. The Rebbe came out of his room and encouraged the singing with his hand - something that was quite unique in those years.
Hours later, at the Shavuos farbrengen, the crowd sang the niggun and the Rebbe encouraged it strongly. This was the first time a Yud Alef Nissan niggun was sung in the Rebbe’s presence publicly. The singing of this niggun intensified during Kos Shel Brocha following the farbrengen. The Rebbe even wished several people “V’zerah Avadov Yinchaluha” (words from the new niggun) in place of the regular “Lechaim V’Livracha”.
At the end of the next farbrengen (Parshas Naso), the Rebbe stood up to leave while singing “Ki Elokim” (as opposed to the regular “Ki Vesimcha”). This continued through the coming months as well. The Rebbe’s involvement with this niggun (starting it and singing it so often and so prominently) is unmatched.
One of these precious moments is captured on video tape at the farbrengen of Yud Tes Kislev 5731 when the Rebbe started this niggun himself twice during the farbrengen. (One can notice when listening to a recording that the Rebbe would stress the first word “Ki” when starting the niggun.)
In following years, this niggun continued to be sung, often in connection with sicha addressing “Shleimus Ha’aretz” and against giving away settlements in Eretz Yisroel.
In later years, the Rebbe requested that this niggun be sung by the Children’s rallies after “Ach Tzadikim” (which is sung to the same tune), and many times after the sicha.
At a rally on Chol Hamoed Pesach, the Rebbe went down the stairs of his bima to distribute coins for Tzedaka while the band began to play “Ki Elokim”. The Rebbe began to encourage vigorously with his hands for a while. When the band stopped playing the niggun, the Rebbe turned toward them with a smile and motion of his hand as if to say “why are you stopping?”
By the Rebbe