One of the oldest traditional tunes still in use today

F

rom Rosh Chodesh Elul, the Sephardic communities have already begun to prepare for Rosh Hashanah with daily Selichos. Paytan Moshe Chabusha says that the classic tune for “Adon Haselichot, bochen levavot… chatanu lefanecha, rachem aleinu” is a true Sephardic Jewish niggun, as opposed to many popular liturgical tunes, which were actually adapted from local Arab musicians. Pointing to the fact that “Adon Haselichot” is sung throughout the Eastern Jewish world, Chabusha estimates that it’s one of the oldest traditional tunes still in use today.

"I

would love it if all the Werdyger family members could get together and record Zeide Werdyger’s favorite tunes. There are so many special songs that are etched into our memories, like the songs Zeide [Reb Dovid Werdyger a”h] would sing at family simchahs, or his favorite Gerrer niggunim that he selected to sing for Shabbos zemiros.”

—Singer Yisroel Werdyger

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 776)