Reb Meir Sholomo's Volach (135)

Reb Meir Shlomo Halevi Yanovski, was the Rov of the city Nikolayev, Ukraine. And he's the maternal grandfather of the Rebbe.

A message once arrived to Reb Meir Shlomo, that Harav Levi Yitzchok in Yekaterinoslav was severely ill. “Reb Meir Shlomo became very serious. With one foot on a bench, he began to sing his famous voloch, in the sweetest, most beautiful form. When he finished, he said earnestly, "If something is bashert (destined) to happen to him, I want to be his replacement…"

We know this niggun today from two brothers, Reb Shmuel Betzalel and Reb Pinchos Toddris Altouse. But they sing two separate versions. Reb Pinye has the more accurate version. Reb Shmuel Betzalel admits that the middle stenza is not accurate.