Niggun on Kapitel 73, composed in honor of the Rebbe's 72nd birthday on Yud Alef Nissan 5734, by R' Bentzion Shenker.
מיומן יום ב' דחג השבועות תשל"ד:
בין שיחה לשיחה נעמד הרב בן-ציון שנקר והתחיל לנגן ניגון שהלחין על פרק עב. בהתחלה זה היה חלש, אולם בהמשך כולם הצטרפו והרבי עודד בשמחה רבה. אחר- כך דיבר על הפסוק של הניגון ("ואני קרבת אלוקים" וכו') . . . אחרי מעריב הבדיל והתחיל לחלק 'כוס של ברכה'. במשך החלוקה עודד כמה פעמים את השירה, וגם בזמן שניגנו את הניגון של בן- ציון שנקר.
R' Bentzion Shenker related:
At the time I lived in Crown Heights near Rabbi Yosef Weineberg, who used to deliver radio lectures on the Tanya. One day he came to me and said, “You know, every year on the Rebbe’s birthday - which is the 11th of Nissan - we present a Niggun to the Rebbe. But this year, the Niggun didn’t seem to catch on. Would it be possible that you compose a niggun for the Rebbe?”
I didn’t know what to say, because I wasn’t even sure how to go about it. So I asked him if it had to be in the style of Chabad, but he said it didn’t have to be. He gave me a free hand to compose anything I wanted.
So I started thinking about it, and I came up with a melody to a verse in Kapitel 73, which is the Kapitel one says at age 72. When I had the niggun ready, I called him and asked, “What do you want me to do with it now?”
He said, “Come to the next Farbrengen and sit behind the Rebbe. And when I give you the signal, start to sing.”
So that’s what happened. At the signal, I started to sing: “ואני קרבת אלקים לי טוב - As for me, the nearness of G‑d is my good.”
At first, everybody was stunned. But then the Rebbe turned around and smiled, so I continued to sing, making the beat a little faster. All of the sudden the Rebbe became very animated, and he started waving his hands. Everybody picked up the melody, and we sang it over and over.
My wife was sitting in the women’s section, and a lady who didn’t know that she was my wife said to her:
"ס'איז אנגענומען! דער רבי האט דאס אנגענומען!"
"It’s been accepted! The Rebbe has accepted it!”
Hear him tell the backstory:
https://youtu.be/kvMNSyxgYMc
Read more:
https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/2981607/jewish/A-Modzitzer-Niggun-at-a-Chabad-Farbrengen.htm
The Niggun being sung at the Rebbe's Farbrengen:
https://youtu.be/hc_rc9-B7J8
About this video
“LOST MEDIA: R' Bentzion Shenker sings Va'ani Kirvas Elokim | ר' בנציון שנקר שר ואני קרבת אלקים” is a video from Lubavitch Lebt ליובאוויטש לעבט, published on May 30, 2025 and available to watch on VideoVinkel. The total runtime is 3:26. It has been viewed 1,901 times so far. Press play above to stream the full video right here, or open the original on YouTube.
“LOST MEDIA: R' Bentzion Shenker sings Va'ani Kirvas Elokim | ר' בנציון שנקר שר ואני קרבת אלקים” was uploaded by Lubavitch Lebt ליובאוויטש לעבט on May 30, 2025. You can browse more uploads from Lubavitch Lebt ליובאוויטש לעבט on VideoVinkel.
How long is this video?
The total runtime is 3:26.
How popular is it?
As of the latest sync, this video has been viewed 1,901 times and liked 38 times.
Where can I watch it?
You can stream this video right here on VideoVinkel — just press play at the top of this page. The original is also available on YouTube.
Enjoyed this video? Find more uploads from Lubavitch Lebt ליובאוויטש לעבט.
