Better than Serving Cake

The story took place in Seagate, Brooklyn, in 1980 during the short period that the Ribnitzer Rebbe, Rav Chaim Zanvil Abramowitz ztz”l lived there. The Skulener Rebbe, Rav Eliezer Zusa Portugal ztz”l, was coming to visit Seagate for a short vacation. When the Ribnitzer Rebbe was told that the Skulener Rebbe would be visiting, he asked that a message be sent over to him that he would be coming over to visit. Their relationship went way back to the time that the two of them learned  together in Russia many years before. When they met, they happily embraced each other like long-lost brothers.

After they sat down together, the Skulener Rebbe said, “Reb Chaim Zanvil, you are honoring me so greatly by coming over — it means the world to me. I have prepared the biggest kibbud that I can think of for you, in honor of your visit.” The Ribnitzer Rebbe looked around him and replied, “Lazer Zusha, the table is bare, there’s only a sefer lying next to you.” The Skulener replied, “I prepared an honor much greater than a feast. To me, the greatest honor I can give you is to sing to you one of my beloved niggunim.”

This was a new idea to the Ribnitzer, and, true to his word, the Skulener Rebbe, who composed hundreds of niggunim, started to sing his song “Z’chor Davar” — a niggun most people are familiar with today. When he reached the high part, he sang with extra gusto, really pouring all his emotion into it. After hearing the song, the Ribnitzer Rebbe, who really enjoyed it, asked him, “Is this really your niggun?” “Of course!” replied the Skulener. “Seriously?” asked the Ribnitzer Rebbe. “You yourself made this niggun?” The Skulener assured him that he, in fact, did compose it. Replied the Ribnitzer Rebbe, “Lazer Zusha, let me ask you something. The song is beautiful. But don’t you have more important things to do than to make up niggunim?”

The Skulener Rebbe smiled and replied; “Chaim Zanvil, my friend, I see you don’t understand. I don’t write songs. I write vertlach — peirush on the pshat.”