Niggun Stav Ya Pito

The niggun "Stav Ya Pito" is one that the Rebbe taught at a farbrengen on the night of Simchat Torah after hakafot in the year 5723 (1963). During the farbrengen, which took place in the early morning hours, the Rebbe explained the meaning of the niggun:

"This is a niggun that chassidim heard in Ukraine from simple people and utilized it for avodas Hashem... This niggun was commonly sung during times of joy and also on Simchat Torah." The Rebbe continued to explain that a person arrives at Simchat Torah after the avodah of the month of Elul and sees that he is still lacking in several aspects of avodas Hashem, he has no choice but to take a little "l'chaim." When one finds himself in such a state, due to his sins, there isn't enough "wine that gladdens" - a metaphor for contemplation of Hashem's greatness, rather one needs "wine that intoxicates" - to immerse the animal soul in this matter until it 'becomes intoxicated' and transcends limitations and boundaries. The niggun says that one must know ("treba znati") how to take the intoxicating wine ("yak gulyati") and how to utilize the intoxicating wine so that it brings practical results ("yak brechati").

Lyrics of the Niggun and Translation

The niggun is in Ukrainian with some words in Lashon Hakodesh and Yiddish mixed in.

The lyrics are (words in parentheses are said when repeating the song a second time):

Stav ya pito uvo pyatnitsu (sobato), uvo pyatnitsu (sobato). Prapav ya, ya prapav svoyu telitsu (rabato). Treba treba znati yak gulyati, treba treba znati yak brechati. Oy cheshbon tzedek atdavati, pered panam chazyainam atvetshati. A mi pyem, da pyem da mi gulayem. Un mir trinken yayin azoy vi mayim, Un mir zogn ale tzuzamen l'chaim, V'atah tishma min hashamayim.

And in English translation:

I stood to drink on Friday (Shabbat), on Friday (Shabbat), And through drinking I lost my calf (my work). One needs to know how to celebrate, and one needs to know how to converse. Oy! A righteous accounting we will need to give and we will have to justify ourselves before the Poritz. So let us drink and drink and also celebrate, wine we will drink like water, Together we will say l'chaim, And You shall hear from Heaven.

The Niggun in Nichoach

In 5723 (1963), the Nichoach company produced a record, and among the songs was also the Rebbe's niggun "Stav Ya Pito" sung by R' Shimshon Charitonov. When they brought the record to the Rebbe before its publication, the Rebbe gave his comments on the other niggunim, and when he heard R' Shimshon singing the niggun "Stav Ya Pito," the Rebbe said that R' Shimshon sang the niggun exactly as he himself had heard the niggun at that time.

This niggun is number 260 in Sefer HaNiggunim.

External Links

• To listen to the niggun on the Heichal Negina website
• To listen to the niggun sung by R' Dovid Horowitz
• The niggun on the 'Nigunim of the Rebbe' record
• To listen to the niggun on the Nichoach #4 record sung by R' Shimshon Charitonov
• A project on the Shturem website, "Stav Ya Pito": 50 years to the niggun, 20 Menachem Av 5731: "Stav Ya Pito" with the Rebbe, Listen to the performance about which the Rebbe said: "R' Shimshon plays exactly" "The Rebbe sang the niggun many times. It was pleasant and awesome" from the memories of Rabbi Yisroel Yehuda Levin
• Dovid Taytag in a new performance of the niggun Stav Ya Pito