New Music Video: ‘Mozhesh Da Nye Chotshesh!’

Sydney-based educator Rabbi Chaim Munitz has released MOZHESH, a new animated music video inspired by a well-known Chassidishe story about the Shpoler Zeide, Reb Leib, and a lesson that would ultimately shape his life’s mission.

The film, produced under his creative platform Chaim’s Corner, combines an upbeat original song with cinematic 3D animation, transforming a centuries-old Chassidishe story into a musical experience for audiences of all ages.

A Wagon, a Muddy Road, and a Powerful Lesson

The story tells of Reb Leib, later known as the Shpoler Zeide, who was travelling on foot to Mezritch to visit his Rebbe, the Maggid of Mezritch.

Along the way, he encountered a wagon driver whose heavily loaded wagon had become stuck in the mud.

The driver called out for assistance, but Reb Leib initially declined, explaining that he wasn’t strong enough to move such a heavy load.

The driver responded with words that would change his life:

“Mozhesh, da nye chotshesh!” — “You can, you just don’t want to!”

Reb Leib joined the driver, and together they managed to free the wagon.

But the encounter left Reb Leib deeply troubled. He understood that the driver’s words carried a message for him personally.

When he arrived in Mezritch, the Maggid revealed that the Baal Shem Tov had recognized Reb Leib’s unique ability to lift struggling souls out of their spiritual difficulties. Reb Leib had been reluctant to accept the responsibility of becoming a Rebbe, but the encounter on the road had shown him that he was capable of fulfilling that mission.

The wagon stuck in the mud was more than an obstacle on the road. It was a lesson about recognizing one’s abilities and using them to help others.

Turning a Chassidishe Story Into a Song

For Munitz, the story offered an opportunity to share a timeless message through a different medium.

“I’ve always loved this story, particularly the words ‘Mozhesh, da nye chotshesh,'” he explained. “It’s such a simple but powerful message. We often convince ourselves that something is beyond our abilities, when sometimes what we really need is the willingness to try.”

The song opens with the lyrics:

Everybody’s got a wagon,
Everybody’s got a load,
Everybody finds a little mud
Somewhere along the road.

From there, the music follows Reb Leib’s encounter with the wagon driver before expanding into the deeper meaning of the story.

As the song progresses, the animation moves beyond the muddy road to depict Yidden carrying emotional and spiritual burdens, illustrating how encouragement and a helping hand can lift someone who is struggling.

Bringing the Story to Life With AI Animation

Following his previous animated film, The Fire Horn, which brought a mashal about the shofar’s wake-up call to life, Munitz wanted to experiment with a different approach.

This time, rather than producing a narrated short film, he created a complete music video, combining an original song with Pixar-style 3D animation.

Using AI-assisted music and animation tools, Munitz developed the characters, environments, and individual cinematic sequences before assembling the final production through traditional video editing.

The result takes viewers from the muddy roads of an Eastern European village to the emotional struggles of ordinary Yidden, using music and animation to connect the physical wagon with the spiritual message behind it.

“One of the exciting things about these tools is that they allow an individual creator to take an idea and bring it to life in ways that would previously have required an entire production team,” Munitz explained.

“But the technology is just the tool. The real goal is to create something meaningful that people will enjoy watching and hopefully remember.”

A Message That Goes Beyond the Wagon

At its heart, MOZHESH is about recognising that we are capable of more than we sometimes believe. But the story carries an even deeper message: just as Reb Leib discovered his ability to lift others out of the mud, each of us has the power to help someone struggling with their own burdens.

Through its combination of storytelling, music, and animation, MOZHESH brings this timeless Chassidishe message to life for children, teenagers, and adults alike.

Because sometimes the difference between remaining stuck and moving forward begins with four simple words:

Mozhesh, da nye chotshesh.

You can, you just don’t want to.

Watch the full music video:

A Note About the Story

This animated film is based on the version of the story recounted in Once Upon A Chossid by Yanki Tauber, published by Kehot Publication Society and available on Chabad.org.

The creator acknowledges that several versions of this Chassidishe story exist, with variations in certain details. Some creative adaptations have also been made for the purposes of the song and animation.