You know that feeling when you buy an album just for one song that you like, but then when you listen to it, you discover some more gems?
A while ago I was looking for L’chaim Tish Torah – Shavuos by Rabbi Yosef Moshe Kahana, mostly because of one of the songs on it – “Ashreichem.”
It was not easy to find the album. Actually, it is not easy to find any albums on CDs anymore. First, I usually try to find the album in high-definition, lossless format (hi-fi music). If I can’t find it in lossless, I prefer to purchase a CD because it offers higher quality sound than MP3. I don’t use Spotify because I like to listen to my music in my music player. So first, I tried to buy the L’chaim Tish Torah – Shavuos album in hi-fi format, but I couldn’t find it, and then I tried to find the CD. I was looking for a while without success.
One day, we went on a trip to Lakewood, and when we finished shopping my wife decided she wanted Mike’s Chicken for dinner. I also needed to buy something in a Judaica store, and there’s one right near Mike’s Chicken. It’s a small Judaica store and kind of new. So, I didn’t really expect to find “old” CDs there. But I always like to take a look at the music sections at stores, thinking that maybe I’ll find something interesting (I still have a few more albums on my list which are very hard to find today).
And then I saw it! Right in front of my eyes! When I came to pay, the CD (there were two copies) was right next to the counter. I recognized the cover from YouTube – this was the album I had been looking for most recently.
Here’s the problem: I don’t remember if it was during Sefirah or maybe the Three Weeks, but it was a time when you are not supposed to buy something new. I asked the seller if he had any more copies of the album. He said no, these were his last two. I didn’t know what to do. I had been searching for this CD for so long. And if I didn’t grab it, maybe someone else would buy it. So, I asked the seller if he would keep it for me and I would return in a few weeks to buy it. He said sorry, he couldn’t, but to come back next time I was in the area. I decided to take the risk. I left the store without the CD – but at least we had a good baguette with crispy schnitzel, pastrami, and buffalo schnitzel (which my wife finds a little spicy, but I love) for dinner. (Why am I writing about chicken on a Shavuot column and not about cheesecake?)
After a few weeks, when we went to Lakewood again, I stopped at the store again, and to my endless delight, the CD was still there. Both copies. Now I could purchase it! Besides L’chaim Tish – Shavuos, I also found another album that I had been looking for – Bring the House Down by Avraham Fried. I was so happy. If I remember correctly, I think we also had Mike’s Chicken again…
This week is Shavuot, the holiday of Matan Torah, when we celebrate receiving the Torah. I love Shavuot – who doesn’t? From the delicious cheesecakes and ice cream in the park or at shul to the learning throughout the night, it’s such a beautiful holiday.
When I was younger, I used to go to Jerusalem with friends for Shavuot. We would visit many shuls during the night, study, meet people, and have fun. It turns out that one of the years that I didn’t go, my (then-future) wife spent the holiday there. If I had gone, maybe I would have met her a few years earlier.
The album L’chaim Tish Torah – Shavuos by Rabbi Yosef Moshe Kahana is a perfect choice to get into the atmosphere of the holiday. Don’t worry, if you’re not an audiophile you don’t have to rush to Mike’s Chicken and visit the Judaica store nearby to purchase the last copy of the album. It’s also available on Spotify.
The album was produced by Kahana, with Chaim Menachem Hartman on the musical arrangements, and Pinchas Bichler (you should know him from one of the past columns in which I interviewed him) and Hershel Brisk on the vocal arrangements. It has 30 tracks – some of them are very short – and it’s the 18th in the L’chaim Tish series. It includes chassidic songs and melodies related to the holiness of the Torah and the holiday of Shavuot.
The album has some gems. So, besides song number 27, “Ashreichem,” which is my favorite on the album, I found some more songs I really liked on it. The album features rich orchestration, blending strings, brass, and piano with saxophone, clarinet, and electric guitar in the style of traditional chassidic music.
What I especially like about the physical CD is the small booklet that comes with it and has the lyrics and some info for each song, such as the composer, performer, etc. But for some of the songs, it also has more information, like the story behind the song, which can be very interesting.
While I enjoyed the entire album, the songs I like most (honestly, I like them all, but these are my favorites) are:
Track 4, “Torah MiSinai – Kaliv.” The song was composed by Kaliv’s Admor (Grand Rebbe) and is in Yiddish. “A kol fun himel ruft, Yidden greit eich tzu l’kabalas haTorah, Torah miSinai” – A voice from heaven calls: “Jews, prepare yourselves to receive the Torah, Torah from Sinai.” I liked the tempo and rhythm of the song. It’s upbeat and gets you into the atmosphere of the holiday.
Track 6, “Avinu Av,” is simply the classic “Avinu Av Harachman” which I like.
Track 7, “Toras Hashem” is another classic that almost everyone will be familiar with. I really like the intro in particular.
Track 8, “Baruch Hu” is another great one. “Baruch Hu Elokeinu sheb’ranu lichvodo…” – Blessed is our G-d, who created us for His glory.
Track 9 is “Ashrei Mi,” also a classic.
Track 14, “Ma Ahavti” gets a nice performance here. “Ma ahavti Toratecha, kol hayom he sichati…” – How I love Your Torah; it is what I speak of all day long.
Track 16, “Moshe Emes,” is perhaps one of the best-known songs which you hear in almost every shul during the dancing on Simchat Torah. Here’s the description for the song from the booklet that comes with the CD: “Several melodies are known to have been “imported” from Vorka to Karlin. Some were brought by young men who traveled from Russia to study in Polish yeshivas; upon returning home for the holidays, they brought back the local songs with them. Others were learned by Karlin Hasidim in Tiberias from Rabbi Bunim Otvotzk (the son of Rabbi Mendele of Vorka), who emigrated from Poland and settled in Tiberias. In Breslov, this melody is sung in honor of the Holy Shabbat.”
Track 20, “Elyonim Sasu – Satmar” is a song I wasn’t familiar with before, but I enjoyed it.
Another song I didn’t know before is Track 28, “Baruch Elokeinu – Vizhnitz.” “Baruch Elokeinu sheb’ranu lichvodo vehivdilanu min hato’im…” – Blessed is our G-d, who created us for His glory and set us apart from those who go astray. From the booklet: “An ancient melody, sung as far back as the days of the holy Imrei Baruch (may his merit protect us). Our holy Rebbes were accustomed to leading the congregation in this song, line by line, during the Neilat HaChag Tish of Shavuot – with a fiery holiness, and with immense enthusiasm and dveikus (spiritual devotion). The Vizhnitzer Rebbe (of righteous memory) would occasionally sing it during the Neilat HaChag of Simchat Torah as well.”
And now to my favorite song on the album, which is Track 27 – “Ashreichem.”
This is a song that has many performances, including one by Ohad Moskowitz. While I am also a big fan of his and like his performance of Ashreichem, my favorite is the one on this album.
Did I already mention that I enjoy playing this song on my keyboard? (You can watch and hear me playing it on my YouTube channel.)
“Ashreichem talmidei chachamim” – Fortunate [or happy] are you Torah scholars; “she’divrei Torah chavivim aleichem b’yoter” – that the words of Torah are beloved to you; “Ma ma ma ahavti Toratecha, Toratecha kol hayom he sichati” – How much I love your Torah, your Torah is what I speak of all day long.
From the booklet: “Ashreichem” was composed by Mona Rosenblum in honor of the Siyum HaShas (celebration of the completion of the Talmud).” The booklet tells the story about how he came to compose the song: He was studying Gemara, and when he got to this text, he wondered why no one had yet composed a song to it – these powerful words which can strengthen those who study Torah. So, he started banging powerfully on the table and singing the words. Luckily, one of the avrechim (kollel students) took his phone and recorded him. This is how “Ashreichem” became the theme song for the Siyum HaShas.
You can find L’chaim Tish Torah – Shavuos on Spotify, Apple Music, Mostly Music, and, if you happen to be in Lakewood, maybe you can find that last copy of the album in the Judaica store next to Mike’s Chicken…
Enjoy your cheesecake and Chag Shavuot Sameach!