Striking a Chord
This is one of the reasons why melody and song have such an important place in Chassidic life. The spirit of enthusiasm and joy must permeate a Jew’s daily life and all his activities: Torah study, prayer, and the performance of all the mitzvoth, and, not least, one’s efforts to spread Yiddishkeit in the environment with joy and gladness of heart.
The Rebbe
In 1979, Rabbi Moshe Perman, Director of Chabad of Caracas, Venezuela organized a music festival, geared toward a broader Jewish audience. However, it was scheduled to take place during the Days of Awe, the highly solemn period from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur. Would this be disrespectful? The Avner Institute presents the Rebbe’s gentle assurance that music even during such times does not reflect lack of piety – rather, the contrary: Music is long Chassidic tradition, and a vital tool to uplift the soul, enhance the rhythm and cadence of prayer, and unite all Jews in holy thoughts of repentance, bringing them ever closer to their Creator.
“Melody and song are contagious”
By the Grace of G-d
25 Elul 5738
Brooklyn, NY
To All Participants in the
First Chassidic Festival
Caracas, Venezuela
Greeting and Blessing:
I was pleased to be informed about the forthcoming first Chassidic Festival in Venezuela. May G-d grant that it should be with the utmost hatzlacha [success].
To “serve G-d with joy” is, of course, one of the basic tenets of Judaism and the Jewish way. Indeed, every Jew who counts his blessings, and the greatest blessing of all – the distinct privilege of serving G-d through the fulfillment of his Torah and mitzvoth, and spreading the light of G-dliness in the world at large, has ample reason for great rejoicing, and for serving G-d in all His ways with enthusiasm and vitality. However, the very repetitiousness of the daily prayers and daily mitzvoth tends to make their performance somewhat mechanical.
The nature of song and melody is rather different in that the more familiar they are, the more readily one responds to them, and their rhythmic repetition, especially in community singing, tends to intensify the feeling and uplift the soul. Moreover, melody and song are contagious, striking a responsive chord in all within hearing and inducing them to join in the uplifting experience.
This is one of the reasons why melody and song have such an important place in Chassidic life. The spirit of enthusiasm and joy must permeate a Jew’s daily life and all his activities: Torah study, prayer, and the performance of all the mitzvoth, and, not least, one’s efforts to spread Yiddishkeit in the environment with joy and gladness of heart.
Proper Balance
And although your Chassidic festival is taking place during the solemn days of the
Ten Days of Teshuvah (return, repentance), it has been explained that teshuvah is one of the greatest gifts that the Almighty has given us, in order to enable a person to restore the proper balance in his daily life, and to prepare the way for continuous advancement to all matters of goodness and holiness, Torah, and mitzvoth. Thus, the mitzvah of teshuvah, though necessarily associated with earnest introspection and profound regret for past failings, it is surely cause for the greatest possible rejoicing, since it carries the Divine assurance that sincere teshuvah – return to one’s Jewish roots and essence – is always accepted.
May G-d grant that the Chassidic Festival should achieve all its objectives in the fullest measure, as indicated above.
With prayerful wishes for a kesiva vechasima tova [be inscribed and sealed] for a good and sweet year, materially and spiritually.
With esteem and blessing,
[signature]
