The 9th of Kislev marks the 8th Yartzeit of Reb Shamshon Charitonov, an exceptional Chosid with great musical talent.
Reb Shamshon, as he was fondly referred to, was born on the 6th of Cheshvan 5679 (late 1918) in Nikolayev, Russia to his father Hachossid Reb Sholom OBM.
Reb Shamshon was an exceptional personality and a pnimiusdiker (inward and humble) chossid. When he would attend a minyan or a farbrengen, he did not stand out nor was sensed by the people present.
In his avodas Hashem, Reb Shamshon had significant qualities, which ordinary people did not have.
Generally, every morning Reb Shamshon would don his tallis and tefillin early morning in order to recite the Krias Shema before its zman ends. When he recited the shema loudly, it was obvious that this unique Yid has practically experienced mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice). When one would hear Reb Shamshon, particularly as he would say the verse of shema, one would feel completely shaken up.
He would pray the entire tefila, word by word, with the fullest concentration, sincerity and seriousness. He never rushed through a davening, a benching (grace the meal) or the shema before retiring for the night.
His eating was a lesson for itself. If one would say ‘he ate little’, that would be considered an understatement. During eating he would have a book of Chassidic stories which he would read.
When he would relate a Chassidic story it was accurate and a reliving experience. It would be as if the story just took place and he was prone to begin crying profusely in that same moment. Reb Shamshon understood a story with the “between the lines”. He sensed the point of a story or a chassidic quote.
Reb Shamshon had a deep understanding in a chassidic concept. He was gifted with a deep sensitivity to a Chassidic thought or insight, in a basic, smooth and with great depth format. His analysis of Chassidic concepts did not allow that they get confused one with another.
His musical talent was exceptional. He would sing very sweet and precise and had an attentive sense to the character and meaning of every stanza in the nigun. When Reb Shamshon would sing at Friday evenings -Shabbos seuda, close his eyes and begin singing, it was very difficult to describe the qualitative singing, one merited to experience at the table. We all felt as if we were literally uplifted into another world.
On Motzoei Simchas Torah 5729 (late 1968), when the Rebbe distributed kos shel brocho (from his kos), the Rebbe commented to Reb Shamshon, “In music, you are very precise even with a 1/16th of a note.”
On the ninth of Kislev 5770 (late 2009) at 1:50 AM, Reb Shamshon was nifter in Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn and his soul returned to its Creator.
We should merit and very soon to the ultimate redemption, the arrival of Moshiach, when we will be reunited with Reb Shamshon iy”H.
AUDIO: Reb Shamshon Charitonov sings Nigunim
R Avramel please lets have a bit more from this hartziga nigunem
Thanks for those mamesh very hatd warming
BS”D his memory should be a Blessing to his family and to clal Yisroel
Thanks for posting. Thanks for remembering the great chasidic composers who contributed so much to the most beautiful of chabad liturgy.
Reb Shamshon also sings “stavya pito” on “nichoiach”. It is said that the Rebbe praised the way he sings it there.
He also is the soloist in the 3rd stanza of the “benoni” on “nichoiach”.
His singing can literally take one to a higher world…
Beautiful Soul steering!