Rogers Park Explain 4 Songs

By COLlive reporter

Rogers Park announced a concert for their Crown Heights fans celebrating “Petersburg”, an album of Lubavitcher Niggunim released they earlier in the year.

Rogers Park members Yosef Peysin and Mordy Kurtz released the album as a tribute to the Rebbe’s shluchim who have connected their music with thousands of Yidden across the globe.

“We’ve been trying to do a concert in Crown Heights for a while now. The Crown Heights community makes up for a big percentage of our fan base and we never get to meet them or perform for them as most of our shows are spread throughout the States and usually at Chabad Houses. This is really a great opportunity for us,” says Kurtz.

“After our 2nd album release of “Petersburg”, people kept mentioning how they want another album of originals so we decided to get to work and will be featuring brand new unreleased songs in this upcoming concert,” says Peysin.

Rogers Park partnered with Wine by the Case to bring their music for those living in Crown Heights. On February 16 (11 Adar I), Motzei Shabbos Parshas Tetzaveh, Rogers Park will be playing at 511 Empire Blvd starting at 8:30 pm. Rogers Park will be playing original music as well as niggunim from “Petersburg”.

“Petersrbug” included niggunim such as “Zol Shoyn Kumen Di Geuleh”, Michel Zlochiver’s Niggun, Harninu Goyim, V’harikosi Lochem Brocho, and Ki B’simcha. The album is available for purchase in all Judaica stores and at https://www.nigunmusic.com.

Tickets are $25 eventbrite.com

Here is an in-depth exploration of some of the niggunim included on their album “Petersburg” as printed in the N’shei Chabad Newsletter this year:

1. “V’harikosi Lachem Brachah”

Two business partners once asked the Tzemach Tzedek for a blessing for success. The Tzemach Tzedek took a piece of paper and wrote down Alef, Beis, Gimmel and Daled. The Tzemach Tzedek explained to them that if they conducted their partnership with Alef (ahavah, love), there would be Beis (brachah, blessing), but if they allowed in Gimmel (ga’avah, ego or arrogance), the result
would be Daled (dalus, poverty).

At the farbrengen on Shabbos Parashas Chayei Sarah 5712, the Rebbe asked that a “happy” niggun be sung. The Rebbe referred to the above vort of the Tzemach Tzedek and concluded, “We should make every effort that our ahavah is ad bli dai [limitless] and then the resulting brachah will also be limitless.”

2. “Ki B’Simchah”

At the conclusion of the farbrengen 10 Shvat 5711, the Rebbe commented on the passuk: “Ki b’simchah seytzeyun u’vshalom tuvalun” When there is joy, automatically there will be shalom, peace. When all those who are mekushar to the Rebbe are b’achdus, then the harim v’hagvahos, the mountains and hills, will provide aid and v’chol atzei hasadeh, all the trees of the field, even those that are barren, will begin to produce fruit. However, all of these blessings depend on
us being united and at peace with one another.

3. “Reb Michel Zlotchover’s Niggun”

In a sichah of Shavuos 5700, the Frierdiker Rebbe spoke about the tzaddik Reb Michel Zlotchover. He was a great composer of niggunim and the Baal Shem Tov said that he was a frequent visitor of the Heichal Hashir, the sanctuary of song above, where he selected the most powerful niggunim of spiritual devotion and awakening.

Once Reb Michel was ill and could not visit the Baal Shem Tov, and composed this niggun instead. The Alter Rebbe brought this niggun with him when he returned from Mezritch.

This niggun is divided into three sections. The first expresses the tremendous desire and longing of a chossid to see his Rebbe. The second part gives voice to his tremendous joy when he would see the Baal Shem Tov, and in the third section he conveys his ibergegebenkeit (dedication) to his Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov.

The Tzemach Tzedek would sing this niggun at the most serious portions of tefillah (Frierdiker Rebbe, sichah of 12 Tammuz, 5692). The Frierdiker Rebbe (Kuntres 18 Elul 5703, pg. 34) said that before the Besht’s passing he requested that this niggun be sung. After it was sung, the Besht said, “I guarantee for all future generations that whoever, wherever, will sing this niggun with a hisorerus teshuvah [an arousal to return to Hashem], no matter which heichal I am in,
I will hear the niggun and I will sing along and be m’orer rachamim
rabim [arouse tremendous mercy] on the singer.”

4. “Harninu”

This is a Yiddish song brought over from Russia by Reb Peretz Chein, a”h, who sang it at the Rebbe’s request at a farbrengen with the Rebbe in 770. This is a happy and uplifting version that expresses the hope that Hashem will deliver brachos to his nation even though we may sometimes be imperfect in our outward behavior. (Eli Lipsker and Velvel Pasternak – Chabad Melodies.)

The message of this niggun is that even when we are going through hard times, we should not feel anxiety. It is all part of Hashem’s plan and eventually our tormentors will be brought to justice.

The words:
Vos zol men zorgen vos vet zein morgen az der shenker vil duch borgen?
Why should we worry what will be tomorrow as long as the saloon-keeper continues to give us drinks on credit?
Es meg duch zein bronfen ader vein abi in a kelishke arein
It may be whiskey or wine, as long as I have it in my cup
Harninu goyim amo ki dam avodov yikom, vnokom yoshiv l’tzarav
v’chiper admosoi amo
The nations will raise up his nation, for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and those who hurt will be repaid and his nation will be atoned for.