In advance of the much anticipated release of the new CD album “Redemption” by Mayer Rivkin, Infinity Productions has released the new single “Kol Bayaar,” a song composed by the great tzaddik, the Shpoler Zeide.
The new album, which features 13 songs with English lyrics on the theme of Redemption and Moshiach, includes seven solos by the producer’s son, Mendel Rivkin.
This new album is being released now, in honor of and to mark Mendel’s Bar Mitzvah, today, the 3rd of Adar 5770-2010. The introduction of the song is sung here in Hebrew and continues in English according to a translation of the original nigun, developed in Chabad summer camps.
The following is a description of the song as offered by the vocalist Mayer Rivkin:
The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidism, and his disciples perceived the Divine in every detail of the physical world. From the world around them, they used metaphors to bring to life how we should relate to the Divine.
One of the early great Chassidic masters was Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib (1725-1812), renowned as the “Shpoler Zeide” – the “Grandfather (living in the town) of Shpola.”
His devoted love for his fellow Jews and his many miraculous rescues of Jews from distress, made him into a legendary personage.
The song is a profoundly poignant expression of the Divine-human relationship – of G-d in search of man, and man in search of G-d. Our Divine Father grants free will to choose our path in life, while at the same time endowing us with power to find the right path. Though we may wander from Him, eventually we are prompted to return. But then reality sets in, and we realize how past misdeeds may have erected a seemingly impassable barrier between us and the Divine.
Our implied plea is that, as our compassionate Father, G-d should overrule the “guards” He has placed to prevent approach by wrongdoers, and should allow His children to return even in defiance of His own rules.
Like other great Jewish saints, the Shpoler Zeide used to pray, every night at midnight, the prayer of Tikun Chatzos lamenting the “exile” of the Divine Presence that parallels and is caused by the Jewish people’s state of spiritual exile.
In preparation for this prayer, he would sing this deeply moving song: “Kol Bayaar” – “a voice in the forest.” In the original composition, each Hebrew verse is followed by its translation in Yiddish and then Ukrainian.
The first verse describes how our Divine Father seeks His children who wandered off and have become lost in the forest of this world’s attractions.
The second is His call asking where we have gone that we have so forgotten about Him.
The third is His plea for them to return home, for He feels so “lonely without us.”
In the fourth verse, His children reply that we are ready to return, but unfortunately cannot enter His palace, for the “guards” standing by the gate refuse to admit us.
Ultimately, in the last verse, Hashem offers his advise and instruction, that the way to connect with Him and bring the long awaited Redemtion, is through the learning of Torah.
AUDIO: Kol Bayaar
Can’t listen? try here
B”H
My Zaide came from Shpole. I’m trying to find people who are from my family or knew of my family. Our last name was Pesikoff/Pesikoffsky.
Chanah Ariella Rosencrantz
[email protected]
I was born on Vav Tishrei this is a really great inspiring song.
LOVE IT
WOW MY HEART GOES OUT TO JUDAISM…
Please!!!
BRINGS BACK SOME NICE MEMORIES 🙂
I heard from an alter chasid, perhaps 30 or 40 years ago, the Shpoler Zaida and Reb Leibs Sora were the same person. Another man said one of the two was a Levi, I don’t remember which one, so they could not be the same. Some one else said The Rebbe commented on this. Who has a good memory to further explain? Please ……
Hey cousin, i am also an eighth generation einikel
aye cr…is that your little brother singing?…cooooool.
Wow – This is the best I’ve heard Mendel sing! Not to downplay ur vocals, Ta : ) The music sounds great, as well.
avremel, the 3 jewish stars….and mayer & mendel Rivkin:
now that’s a line-up i would spend some serious cash for a ticket. this father and son duo blew me away. have been singing this niggun to myself all of last night…checked in with col at the office an hour ago…cant get this tune out of my head. the rivkin’s are the genuine item. that for killing my concentration at work.
Just looked it up in Sefer Hanigunim. The Shpoler Zeide’s name is Arye Leib (not yehuda).
Please…. as a descendent from the Shpoler Zeide (eight generations), I would like to set the record clear. Research has been done within the family as well as with historians about the exact name of the Shpoler Zeide . The conclusion is that his name was Yehudah Laib Not Yeudah Aryeh Laib. All einiklach from the Shpoler Zeide are called Yehudah Laib.
Thanks for posting this beautiful song along with its explanation.
Shliach
his name is not Yehudah Areyah Leib. it is either yehudah leib or aryeh leib…
our tradition says it’s yehudah leib after the maharal…
you can see it in Sefer Hanigunim (Nichoach), Cheilek Aleph, page 48. loads of great stuff in that book. pick one up today.
and Hashem considers as if we learn Torah day and night. Sorry Mendel you still gotta go to Yeshivah and learn all day…
Great job with Kol Bayaar. Didn’t know you were so good.
Happy Bar Mitzvah Day. May your parents have mucho Nachas from you.
yes indeed mayer, you did it again. your son mendel is also amazing. may you have much yiddish and chassidish nachas from him.
as usual meyer, your graphics are amazing. what a beautiful pix of the forest. if i ever wander off in a forest, that’s the one i want it to be. oh…the song? how sweet it is! nice job.
for an older guy. voice clarity, range, control and pitch, like a much younger man. the boy is just starting out but, definitely going places. gotta love that harmonica.
will iy’h see you sunday. will you sing for us? how so hartzig you and your father sing.
never new this song was composed by the shpoler zeide. where did you get this info?
very nicely done.
This authentic rendition of a nigun, faithful to the original tune, faithful to the original emotion of the nigun, if beautiful.
A popular version of this nigun, which distorts the tune and emotion, cannot be compared to the real thing!
Great job Mayer we all knew you were great and this truly shows it. And to Mendel mazel tov and you have a truly stunning voice!!!
the single is amazing! when is the full album coming? really looking forward to it. if the other 12 songs are as great as this one, then you’ve got a hit on your hands.
until now, that is. i would pay triple what i paid for the soul to soul concert to hear this father and son team. book them and i will put my money where my mouth is.
listened to this with my new dell 30 watt speakers and powered subwoofer system that i plugged into my laptop. all i can say is WOW! am usually more articulate and can manage more than just a wow….but this stuff is just……WOW!
now thats what ime talkin about!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is the real thing.
good music, great vocals and true lubavitch soulful heart.
thanks so much.
mayer and mendel – you touched my heart and you touched my soul! please make more and more and more of this music.
Its giving me goose bumps just listening to it