"Ribbon Haolamim Yodati Yodati Yodati…”—it seems like everyone was singing Rabbi Pinchas Breyer’s song last year. In fact many contemporary songs like this one continue the tradition of adopting the words of powerful pesukim or midrashim emotional descriptions and passionate pleas but not all today’s listeners and fans understand what they’re singing or can relate the concepts to parallels in their own lives.

And that’s what motivated Baruch Levine to work with Torah Umesorah on a new project called “Know your Niggun” — popular songs presented together with English translations and visualizations. The first release will be an audio-visual “Ribbon Haolamim ” sung by Levine and a children’s choir. The lyrical flowing translations created by celebrated lyricist Ruchie Torgow fit into Rabbi Breyer’s soaring melody and are accompanied by footage of such dramatic scenes as soldiers planning war tactics the Titanic sailing forth in splendor and prowess the ruins of ancient towers and strongholds. Seeing it brings the timely message home — despite the bluster and glory despite the precise planning technological know-how and even the laws of nature ultimately every earthly being is kachomer beyad hayotzer — like clay in the hands of the potter.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha Issue 677)