The Baal Shem Tov, or Besht —  the founder of Chasidism — 
met the soul of the Messiah during an ascent to heaven. 
The Besht asked him, "When will the Master come?" 
The Messiah answered, "When your wellsprings break forth to the outside!" 
(from a letter written by the Besht to his brother-in-law about one of his soul ascents) 


 
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Hayom a la Chabad


Note: The program used to record this nigun turns out to be awful, but this is the track I was able to prepare in time. I went back to Amherst Chabad to re-record it but both tries (with a new program) didn't come out properly. I'm getting used to new technology (iPhone) since my iRiver bit the dust. Please forgive the recording quality!

This version of the famous and joyous song at the end of Rosh Hashanah musaf uses a standard Chabad nigun. The words of the piyut wish for us all that the day of Rosh Hashanah (and the effect of our prayers) be a day of blessing, joy and life. I think every version begins the same way:

"Today you will be strengthened!" Hayom t'amtzeinu
"Today you will be blessed!" Hayom t'varkheinu
"Today you will be made great!" Hayom t'gadleinu
...
"Today you will be inscribed for a good life!" Hayom ticht'veinu l'chayim tovim...

Click to pause or restart: Download Hayom
The Chabad nusach has considerably fewer verses than the more familiar ones, but the tune goes with any version. The three verses recorded here form an alphabetic acrostic in the first different letter of each verse (the second letter of the second word).

Most ways of singing this simple song are wonderfully joyful, whether Chasidic or not. Even if you have one you already love, it never hurts to expand one's repertoire. It's worth a try for one of the days of Rosh.

Thanks to Rabbi Chaim Adelman and Chabad House of Amherst!


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