6657 —עיבוד ניגוני חב"ד למקהלות – החשש לשינוי צורתם ותוכנם

B"H, 24 Teves – the Hillula of our master the Alter Rebbe,
author of the Tanya and the Shulchan Aruch^[1].
5719 – Brooklyn.

Mr. Yitzchak, may he live long^[2]

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I was pleased to receive your letter and to see in it your interest in the song of the Jewish people in general, and in the songs of Chassidim and of Chabad^[3] in particular. You describe the situation, that in recent years the share of these songs in the public programs of the various choirs has been shrinking.

You are certainly right to react to this as something regrettable, and in both respects: something good is missing, and its place is taken by something trivial, and at times even harmful. Indeed, it is precisely the teachings of Chabad Chassidus that especially emphasized the importance of song and melody, as explained in many places^[4], and an important part of this is collected in the introduction to Sefer HaNiggunim, published by Kehot, which you surely have^[5].

From the above it is also understood that, as a matter of principle, the proposal to arrange a number of Chabad songs so that they can be used by choirs, etc., is very appealing. However, judging by what is being done in these fields in our confused times, there is room for great concern that the arrangement will change their form and content, possibly to the point that "the gain is cancelled by the loss"^[6]. Regrettably, in certain fields, the "arranging" of a number of matters of our holy Torah, and of a number of matters of its portion in the field of Chassidus, has turned these matters, as it were, into something harmful. You surely need no proofs or examples of this, since, as your letter shows, you are in close contact with the younger generation.

In any case^[7], it is understood that my words are in no way a rejection of the proposal; they are rather a question and a request for a detailed proposal and plan by which this concern will be removed.

As for what you write about a text suited to the songs, this makes the matter still harder. For the text must fit^[8] the content of the song, the movement of the soul of those who sing it, and that cannot always be aimed at a text. In certain places^[9] this idea is also explained, though from a different angle: that speech limits song; that is to say^[10], a song is more flexible, and very often contains several meanings that no single text can contain.

I would be interested to hear about your work with young people in this field, and whether there is any publicity about these matters.

With respect and blessing.

Publisher's notes

Printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 16, p. 515, and completed from the secretariat's copy.

Mr. Yitzchak (מר יצחק): Edel, Tel Aviv. A further letter to him: below, letter 6824.

Notes

1. Author of the Tanya and the Shulchan Aruch (בעל התניא והשו"ע): השו"ע = השולחן ערוך. 24 Teves is the day of the Alter Rebbe's passing; Hayom Yom, 24 Teves: הסתלקות אדוננו מורנו ורבנו הזקן בכפר פיענא במוצאי שבת קודש פרשת שמות תקע"ג. ומנוחתו כבוד בעיר האדיץ, "The passing of our master the Alter Rebbe, in the village of Piena, on the night after Shabbos Parshas Shemos 5573. His resting place is in the town of Haditch." This letter about Chabad niggunim was written on that day.

2. Mr. Yitzchak (מר יצחק): Edel, Tel Aviv. The Rebbe's letters to him show that he wrote of his interest in the songs of Chassidim and of Chabad and of how little they were heard in choir programs, and proposed arranging some Chabad niggunim for choirs; that he was in close contact with the young generation and worked with youth in this field; and that he had publications on these subjects. After a long interruption he wrote again and sent the Rebbe his books through Rabbi A. Ch. Glitzenstein. The Rebbe thanked him, asked him to keep sending his publications to the library, and, regarding "arranging Chabad melody so that it remains whole in its inner and central point," asked members of anash to be in touch with him about the details (letter 6824, 26 Nissan 5719). See also letter 6977 (20 Menachem Av 5719), where the Rebbe encourages the organizing of a choir of Chabad young men singing Chabad niggunim.

3. Of Chabad (חבדי"ם): חבדי"ם = חב"דיים, "Chabad" (adjective).

4. In many places (בכ"מ): כ"מ = כמה מקומות. For example, Hayom Yom, 13 Sivan: הצ"צ חבר כמה נגונים, למודו הי' בקול ונגון, ולפעמים הי' מפסיק באמצע למודו, או כתיבתו דא"ח או שו"ת, ומנגן איזה ניגון, "The Tzemach Tzedek composed a number of niggunim. He studied aloud with a melody, and sometimes he would stop in the middle of his study or of writing Chassidus or responsa and sing some niggun"; and the Rebbe Maharash related that from the sound of his niggun one could tell what he was occupied with at that moment.

5. Sefer HaNiggunim, published by Kehot, which you surely have (ספר הנגונים הוצאת קה"ת, אשר בטח ישנו אצל כב'): קה"ת = קרני הוד תורה (Kehot); כב' (and below כ') = כבודו, "Your Honor", i.e. "you". Sefer HaNiggunim, vol. 1 (New York, 1948), edited by R. Shmuel Zalmanov at the instruction of the Previous Rebbe, gives the Chabad niggunim in musical notation; its introduction collects material on the importance of song and melody, as the letter says. See also letter 6977, where the Rebbe mentions the Previous Rebbe's account of the choir at Tomchei Temimim in Lubavitch, "also copied in the index to Sefer HaNiggunim, vol. 1".

6. The gain is cancelled by the loss (יצא שכרו בהפסדו): The wording of the Mishnah, Avos 5:11: נוח לכעוס ונוח לרצות, יצא שכרו בהפסדו, "Easily angered and easily appeased: his gain is cancelled by his loss." Here: the benefit of having choirs sing Chabad niggunim could be lost, and even turn into a loss, if the arrangement changes their form and content.

7. In any case (בכ"א): בכ"א = בכל אופן.

8. Must fit (צ"ל): צ"ל = צריך להיות.

9. In certain places (באיזהו מקומן): From the opening words of the Mishnah, Zevachim 5:1, איזהו מקומן של זבחים, "Which is the place of the offerings?", which became a common phrase for "in some places" (as above: באיזהו שטחים, "in certain fields").

10. That is to say (ז.א.): ז.א. = זאת אומרת.

Summary

Replying on the yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe to a correspondent in Tel Aviv who worked with youth and proposed arranging Chabad niggunim for choirs, the Rebbe agrees in principle, since Chabad Chassidus stresses the importance of song, but fears that arranging them would change their form and content. He asks for a detailed plan that removes this concern, and notes that fitting a text to a niggun is harder still, since speech limits song.