The Benuni

This niggun was composed by Reb Aharon Charitonov, the shochat of Nikolayev.

He first sang the niggun to his friend, Reb Osher (Grossman) Nikolayever, who wasn’t so fond of it. He thought Reb Aharon shouldn’t bring this niggun to the Frierdiker Rebbe. A few years later, though, he did. The Frierdiker Rebbe really liked it and called it “the beinoni”, as this niggun is intune with the beinoni’s level.

The niggun’s melody is unique. Musically, it isn’t especially percise, but it is full of unbound, heartfelt emotion and soulful expression. This niggun, so to say, leaves the rules of music and enters the realm of the soul’s pure outburst. The ups and downs in the tune brings one to dveikus.