Niggun Deveykus Rosh Hashanah (Admur Hazaken)

The Niggun Deveykus for Rosh Hashanah is a nigun of deep devekus — cleaving to G‑d — which the Chabad Rebbes in every generation would sing with devekus, fervor, and heart-stirring weeping, like a person weeping over a beloved and faithful friend who has gone. It is sung during the prayers of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and especially at Maariv on the first night of Rosh Hashanah and before the shofar blowing on both days of Rosh Hashanah.

Sheet music of the nigun

Origin of the Nigun

The Frierdiker Rebbe (the Previous Rebbe, R' Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn) related the origin of this nigun: "Rabbi Kehas — a distinguished disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and a member of the fellowship of hidden tzaddikim — was once traveling and overheard a conversation between two wagon drivers. One said to the other: 'It is written in Psalms, Be not like a horse or mule that has no understanding, whose mouth must be held with bit and bridle — a donkey thinks the bit is placed in its mouth so it won't forget how to chew, but you — don't be like that; rather, understand.' When the Baal Shem Tov heard this story from his disciple, he was seized with tremendous devekus, prostrated himself with arms and legs outstretched, and broke into the sound of a nigun of cleaving — and this is the origin of the nigun."

This nigun is certainly among the Ten Niggunim composed by the Alter Rebbe himself.

The Nigun as Preparation for the Shofar Blowing

In the Alter Rebbe's Siddur it is written:

After the Torah reading, one should prepare himself to blow the shofar, and recite the psalm Lamnatzeiach livnei Korach mizmor (Psalms 47) seven times.

The Shaar HaKolel explained this to mean that the preparation consists of reciting this psalm seven times.

However, in a sicha delivered on Shabbos Shuvah 5731 (1970), the Rebbe rejected this interpretation and explained that the Alter Rebbe's intent is a spiritual preparation of the soul — not any specific prescribed act — since there is no single preparation suitable for every person. Each individual, according to his own level, must prepare himself for the shofar blowing through whatever stirs him: whether from the Kesser Shem Tov, the Shulchan Aruch of the Arizal, works of Chassidus, the Mateh Efraim, or similar sources. From this arousal, an awakening is drawn down for the entire coming year. On a deeper level, the intent is not preparation for any particular act, but a general preparation for the service of G‑d throughout the entire year — a total surrender to G‑d from the very depths of the soul.

At the second-night Rosh Hashanah meal in 5731 (1970), the Rebbe connected this preparation to this very niggun of devekus of the Alter Rebbe.

In the early years of his leadership, the Rebbe would sing this nigun on Rosh Hashanah with quiet weeping.

This nigun is Nigun No. 9 in Sefer HaNiggunim.

In addition to the version appearing in Sefer HaNiggunim, another version of the nigun is also widely known — one that is more penetrating and solemn.

External Links

• Lev Leibman, The Nigun of the Chabad Rebbes for the Rosh Hashanah Prayers — at the Kir HaNiggunim website
• Listen to the nigun — at the Heichal Neginah website
• Listen to the nigun — performed by the baal menagen R' Dovid Horowitz (both versions)
• Listen to the nigun — performed by the Chabad musician R' Refael Persky