The Mysterious Niggun of the ‘Rising Lion’

First published in the inaugural issue of HaKriah V’Kedusha, the niggun “Hechayeinu Keil” is a poem-song assumingly composed by the Frierdiker Rebbe during the Holocaust years. It is a plea for Hashem to “rise like a lion” and for Moshiach to defeat our enemies and end the painful struggles of exile.

By Anash.org writer

The niggun “Hechayeinu Keil” is a moving song-poem, first published in the inaugural issue of HaKriah V’Kedusha, which came out under the direction of the Frierdiker Rebbe for Tishrei of 5701 (1940), during the horrific years of the Holocaust. It offered much-needed chizuk to Yidden at that time and was printed under the title The Song of Redemption (Shir Hageulah). Although the author signed as “T.Z.C.,” most assume the Frierdiker Rebbe himself composed it.

As with many elements of HaKriah V’Kedusha – which included hidden hints and wondrous ideas, often published anonymously – the acrostic of this poem, when read in reverse, spells out: “Bias Moshicheinu b’Hey-Tav-Shin-Gimmel im yirtzeh Hashem” – hinting that the year 5703 (1943) was an auspicious time for the coming of Moshiach.

On Rosh Hashanah of that year, the Frierdiker Rebbe reportedly said that there was strong hope for Moshiach, and that a hint was embedded in the song, as that year was considered an auspicious time for the Geulah.

The tune for the song was composed by Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Rosenberg (1919–1995), a gifted Chassidic composer and graduate of Tomchei Temimim in Poland, who was learning in Shanghai. The bochurim there – thousands of miles from the Frierdiker Rebbe – would sing it at their farbrengens. He later settled in Montreal, where he became a prominent member of the Chabad community. Rabbi Rosenberg composed several melodies that became popular across Chabad circles worldwide.

The actual song-poem Hechayeinu Keil is a moving tefilah for the Geulah. It describes how Hashem – referred to as Ariel – will “rise like a lion” to redeem us. Moshiach, descended from Peretz, mighty in battle and filled with Divine spirit, will defeat the nations, lead the victory, and bring us home. The powerful enemies will vanish, and the painful struggles of exile and chevlei Moshiach will come to an end. We ask Hashem to strengthen us until that day, when true and eternal life will begin.

May we merit indeed to see the true rising lion defeat our enemies and Moshiach lead the victory and bring us home!

VIDEO: Lyrics below

Lyrics:

הַחַיֵינוּ אֵ-ל עַד מוֹעֵד
יִתְגַלֶה עוֹזֵר וְסוֹעֵד
אַרִיאֵל יָקוּם כְּלָבִיא
גְּאוּלָתְךָ לָנוּ לְהָבִיא
שְׁבוּתֵנוּ לְהָשִׁיב לְאֶרֶץּ
תּוֹלְדָתוֹ מִבְּנֵי פֶּרֶץ
הוּא מֶלֶך וְהוּא מָשׁוּח
בַּעַל זְרוֹעַ וְגַם אִישׁ רוּחַ
וְהוּא בָּא וְעַד קָט יִתְעַלֶה
נִצְחוֹנוֹ חִישׁ יִתְגַלֶה
חַזְקֵנוּ אֵ-ל עַד בּוֹאוֹ
יוֹם יַחשׂוֹף גּוֹאֵל זְרוֹעוֹ
שֶׁנִזְכֶּה וְכֵן נָשִׂיחַ
מֵחֶבְלֵי הַמָשִׁיחַ
תַּקִיפִים יָרְדוּ דוּמָה
אוֹתָנוּ הִשְׁאִיר לְאוּמָה
יְחַייֵנוּ מִיוֹמַיִים בָּשְׁלִישִי נִמְצָא חַיִים