Nign

#98

Editor's note: Sung by A.Y. [possibly Avrom Yudin], New York City, 1947; The singer of this nign and all the other melodies without texts from Koydenov (Koydanovo), was born in Baranovits (Baranovichi), bordering White Russia (Belarus). His grandfather was an ardent Hasid of the Koydenov sect

Singer's Comments: We would sing this Koydenov nign, beginning with the four Hebrew words: Yedid nefesh av horakhamim - Beloved spirit, compassionate Father, expressing our tenderness to God, as Simkhes toyre, before we proceeded to the hakofes ceremonial in the synagogue. The beginning was sung gently, pleading to God to open up His compassionate heart to us. Grandfather would start the tune and the rest of us would join in. The further along we went with the melody, the more ecstatic it became, until we would start to dance, and that, too, grew more spirited as we danced and sang. Some of us danced until we dropped