Tranena S'fosai

R' Shmuel Betzalel

The tune of this niggun is originally a Nikolayever niggun, and was taught by Reb Shmuel Betzalel Althaus to the group of Talmidim Hashluchim in Melbourne, Australia in 5728-9. Upon returning to 770, they gathered for a farbrengen in the back room of the small zal in 770.

A short while later, Rabbi Hodakov told these bochurim, that when they had been singing this niggun, the Rebbe had left his room, on his way out of 770 after a night of Yechidus. Rabbi Hodakov observed that when the Rebbe heard the niggun he paused to listen, and seemed to be deriving much pleasure from the niggun. Perhaps, the Rebbe recognized the niggun from the years he had lived in Nikolayev, as a child. Therefore, Rabbi Hodakov asked, this niggun should be sung at the upcoming farbrengens.

Excited, the bochurim made sure to sing it at the ensuing farbrengens. Before long, it caught on and became a niggun sung quite often at the Rebbe’s farbrengens.

It was no wonder that when looking for a tune for a niggun in honor of Yud Alef Nissan 5732, a group of Chassidim chose this one, and matched the words of the posuk accordingly.

It is noteworthy that the Rebbe held a farbrengen each day of Pesach that year, something very unique. At each farbrengen the Rebbe explained another posuk of the new kapitel – Ayin Alef.