The Rabbi's Only Son - anti-folk drumstep Nanach song

breslovteachings.org

[Verse 1]
A rabbi prayed, no child in sight,
Years of longing, a spark of light.
An only son, his heart’s delight,
Raised in study, bathed in might.
In the attic, books unfold,
Prayers and wisdom, stories told.
But a shadow crept, a restless cold,
Something missing, his soul untold.
[Pre-Chorus]
He felt the lack, no taste, no fire,
A hollow heart, a muted choir.
Young friends whispered, “Seek the sire,
A tzaddik’s truth will lift you higher.”
[Chorus - Hebrew]
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
[Verse 2]
Father scoffed, “You’re learned, fine,
Pedigreed, your star will shine.
That tzaddik’s low, his path’s a sign,
Stay here, son, your place is mine.”
But the void grew, a gnawing pain,
He begged, he pleaded, tried again.
Father sighed, “I’ll join your quest,
To prove that tzaddik’s no one’s best.”
[Pre-Chorus]
A test was set: “If Heaven’s kind,
The road will smooth, no ties that bind.”
But bridges broke, and fate maligned,
“Turn back, son, this ain’t divine.”
[Chorus - Hebrew]
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
[Verse 3]
At an inn, a merchant’s grin,
Spoke of tzaddikim, thick and thin.
“That man’s a fraud, his soul’s a sin,
I saw his shame, don’t trust within.”
Father nodded, “See, I was right,”
They turned for home, no spark, no fight.
The son grew weak, slipped to the night,
His angry shade in dream’s cruel bite.
[Bridge]
“Father, go! The tzaddik calls,
He’ll tell you why my spirit falls.”
Three dreams, a truth that breaks the walls,
The rabbi rides through sorrow’s thralls.
That merchant met him, eyes of flame,
“I stopped your son, I rigged the game.
He was the spark, the Lesser Flame,
With the Greater, Messiah came.”
[Chorus - Hebrew]
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
נַ נַחְ נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מאומן
[Outro]
The rabbi wept, “Woe, what’s been done,
My only light, my only son.”
The Samech-Mem, his lies had won,
Yet hope remains till truth is sung.
Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!