“A groisse shkoyach. mamush, a groise mitzvah hot ir gehat”
There’s nothing like a song to make the time pass in the car. Which melodies did these gedolim share on the way?
Rabbi Sherhoffer: Like his father and grandfather, the Skulener Rebbe composed heilige chassidishe niggunim. He always had a tape recorder on him and the moment a song came to him, he’d start humming, close his sefer, and record yet another holy niggun for posterity. It was a privilege to be there watching him during those moments of inspiration. It was eminently clear that he was a pure conduit, and these songs came directly from Shamayim.
Rabbi Dunner: At times Rav Dovid Soloveitchik would enhance our drives with Yiddishe niggunim. He sang with such hartz, such emotion. He would also relate stories of gedolei Yisroel whom he merited to see with his own eyes, like Reb Chaim Ozer and Reb Boruch Ber. He told these stories with such detail, you felt you were there. On witnessing Reb Boruch Ber say Asher Yatzar, he said, “It gave you enough yiras Shamayim for a lifetime.”
When we left a chasunah of a child of the Gerrer Rebbe, shlita, the Rebbe escorted Rav Dovid out. Rav Dovid told me that the chasunah, with its thousands of chassidim, reminded him of his childhood visits to Warsaw.
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