After Baruch landed, he went home, his mind racing. What he had just seen made him think. He reached his front door and knew what he had to do.
“Hi Baruch!” his mother called from the kitchen. Hi Ma! He called back. Would it be okay if I walked over to Bubby for a bit? I haven’t seen her in a while.” His mother looked slightly shocked. “Um, sure!” she stammered. “I’m sure she would love that! What’s with homework? I’ll do it later,” Baruch reassured her.
Seeing all these tzadikim had made him feel special in a way. Warm inside, more excited to do mitzvos and to learn, Baruch felt better about himself. He would visit Bubby, because he felt good, and wanted to spread it. It felt very right.
Bubby was ecstatic to see him, and she ushered him in. She had her signature vanilla cake and a slice of her famous creamsicle ice cream roll on the table for Baruch before he even took off his coat. In the background, a record was playing on Bubby’s ancient record player. The song sounded so familiar! Where did he know it from? “Bubby,” he asked. “What song is this?” Ah, this is my own Bubby’s favorite song,” she said, hands gripping a hot mug of tea. It’s called, “Sol a Kokocz Mar.” Sold a kokosh what? Baruch exclaimed. Bubby laughed. It’s an old niggun of Reb Yitzchak Isaac of Kalev. Would you like to hear its story?”
Many years ago, a tzaddik named Reb Leib was walking in the Hungarian countryside. He heard a young boy singing with tremendous kavanah. The boy pleaded. Reb Leib walked closer and saw it was a young shepherd boy, tending his sheep. He was singing with all his might. “Hashem, why are you so far away? Please bring us home!” Reb Leib couldn’t stop listening. There was something special here. He asked the boy, “Excuse me, where did you hear that niggun?” “I heard it from the other shepherds,” replied the boy. “Then who put the words to it?” “I did,” said the boy. Reb Leib realized that this boy had a special neshamah, and asked his mother if he could take him back and teach him Torah. His mother tearfully agreed. This young boy grew up to be the great Reb Yitzchok Isaac Taub of Kalev. Reb Yitzchok Isaac had a special talent for finding niggunim of the Beis Hamikdash that were lost amongst the goyim. He would buy them back and recreate beautiful tefillos from them. Sol a Kokosz Mar is one of his most famous. He bought it off a shepherd boy who immediately forgot the song. It’s about a bird who aches to go home, which is a mashal for Klal Yisrael, who aches to see Yerushalayim rebuilt.”
Baruch nodded. In a funny way, the story was cool, but it also made sense. It was like he had heard this story and niggun before… but where? Baruch swallowed the last of his creamsicle. He had to figure it out.
To be continued…
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 23.