10. Badkhones at the Wedding Reception

^{The badkhn Mendel Yakob, accompanied on the keyboard by the klezmer Leib Rigler, Benei Berak, 20 June 1991; Recorded by Moshe ('Musa") Berlin.}

When a professional badkhn is invited to sing a kind of moralistic sermon to the groom at the reception, he sometimes uses niggunim that are not included in the badkhones repertoire (see no. I, 8). In the present recording the badkhn chose to sing the "sermon" that he had written to the tune of "Rahem be-hasdekhda" (words from the Sabbath table hymn "Zur mi-shelo akhalnu"; melody by Yaakov Klagsbald). The Rebbe of Vizhnitz, R. Hayyim Meir Hager (1888-1972) frequently sang this niggun at the Friday night Tish, and the Vizhnitz Choir sings it on joyful occasions. It was brought to the Vizhnitz court by the composer's son, the cantor and badkhn Yehezkel Klagsbald (1904-1993), on one of his visits to the Rebbe's Tish. The younger Klagsbald was an inexhaustible source of niggunim and cantorial compositions for the Vizhnitz Hasidim. The badkhn Mendel Yakob, who was often invited to weddings in the bride's family, knew that the bride's father liked this niggun and therefore chose it for his verses. As an example, here are nine of the nineteen stanzas that he sang.

"May it be a favorable sign and good fortune for us,"
Let us begin to sing a merry tune,
Bridegroom - "Here I stand before you,"
"For on this day atonement shall be made for you."

It is a custom at the reception
To get up and speak to the bridegroom of ethical things.
One needs help from heaven when standing before the bridegroom
So that the words shall come [from the heart] and enter [the heart].

These things are indeed peifectfy clear:
This day is like the Day of Atonement for the bridegroom.
To obtain [forgiveness] is a good thing,
In particular and in general,
"He shall make expiation for himself and his household, and for the whole congregation" [Lev. 16:17)

"The whole congregation" - that means even all those present.
In connection with the bridegroom's day of rejoicing today,
It is written in Degel mahaneh Efrayim:*
All the bridegroom's sins are forgiven him,
As are those of all his companions.

So in that case all those gathered here are honored members of the famify
And they have all been privileged to take part in the reception.
But the bridegroom, who is the most important of the lot,
Will now be the representative of us alL

Our bridegroom, Hayyim Zevi,
One, two-I'll put the words into my mouth:
The letters of ''Hayyim" spell out the words ''.A bridegroom coming forth from his chamber, rejoicing" [Ps. 19:6)
Let the verse now be a basis for you.

It is written farther on, as the audience all know,
Not merefy "rejoicing," but "rejoicing like a hero,"
The Tsaddikim interpret this so:
"Like a hero" means: "Who is a hero? One who curbs his desires."

A haver (pious man) will surefy not allow any improper thing to come from his hand.
He has surely reviewed all his actions today [so as to correct them].
On a day of repentance and prayer
Which is the case today here,
A bridegroom on the day of Atonement- has an aspect of Ne'ilah.

"Open the gate for us, at this time of closing gates," we pray,
One should therefore offer a prayer;
"Gate"-the letters [of the Hebrew sha'ar] spell out "an hour of mercy,"
An hour of good will,
Let us take good advantage of these precious moments.