Year
2009
The Soul Descends Into the Body
Kulmus Hanefesh: A Musical Journey into the Hassidic Niggun
Kulmus Hanefesh: A Musical Journey into the Hassidic Niggun
The soul descends into the body
Soloists: Jonathan Niv and Matti Kovler; narrator: Baruch Brenner
The soul descends into the body.
It shouts 'Vey, Vey.'
A descent is necessary for the ascent,
which makes everything worthwhile.
This tune, familiar to large audiences because of its inclusion in the legendary theater play "The Dybbuk" by S. An-Sky (pseudonym of Shloyme Zanvl Rappoport, 1863-1920), is unusual in the niggun repertoire in that its lyrics are not biblical. It seems to have been written by an unknown poet to an existing tune. The connection between the Kabbalistic notion of the soul's descent to the world before being able to ascend and the niggun's melody with its rises and falls emphasizes the mystery and the yearning of the soul to return to its origins.
