Watch: Singer Benny Friedman and chazan Aryeh Hurwitz present Hachayenu Kel – the ‘Shir Hageulah’, first published in 5703 in Hakriah V’Hakedusha and sung in the presence of the Frierdiker Rebbe.
For the first time EVER, a treasured Chabad niggun comes to life.
This is a masterpiece you don’t want to miss.
Hachayenu Kel was first published in 5701 in the first issue of the publication “Hakirah V’Hakedusha”, and was later sung in the presence of the Frierdiker Rebbe, R’ Yosef Yitzchok of Lubavitch.
The words are said to have been written as a poem by the Frierdiker Rebbe himself. The melody was then composed by Rabbi Yisroel David Rosenberg, who was one of the students of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Shanghai.
The bochurim learning in Lubavitch Yeshiva in Poland had escaped to Shanghai during WWII, and would sing this song in prayer and in the hopes of seeing redemption immediately, and to be reunited with Klal Yisrael.
One of the talmidim of the Yeshiva was Rabbi Mordechai M. Bryski OBM who lived with this niggun and cherished it. An inspiration in his own right, Rabbi Bryski would sing it at the chassunos of all of his children and grandchildren.
Aryeh Hurwitz recalls his first experience with the powerful nigun: “This is the original niggun exactly as we learned it for the first time by Rabbi Yisroel Gordon in Yeshiva Summer Program in Morristown, NJ. I truly believe the song is known today thanks to Rabbi Gordon.
“As a young bochur, I felt this niggun was special. I spent years searching for a proper recording of the niggun but didn’t find one. That’s when I discussed recording it as a duet with Benny, who equally felt that it’s about time it was recorded with the proper respect it deserves.”
After many hours of studio sessions, Hachayenu Kel was mastered. We present to you, for the first time, a Hachayenu Kel lyric Music Video.
This song was dedicated in honor of:
Rabbi Mordchai M. Bryski, who cherished this niggun and brought it with him from his time in the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Shanghai, China.
Rabbi Yisroel Gordon (may he be gezunt) who taught this niggun to hundreds of his talmidim with love, and with the firm belief that it would bring his talmidim closer to Hashem and closer to the Geulah Shleimah.
This will appear as the 7th track on Aryeh Hurwitz’s upcoming debut album “Mezinke”. Look out for more!