What is it that fills a Yid's heart with joy? Where is the elusive fountain of his deepest pleasure? Mevakshei Hashem, composed by chevra from a shul of the same name under the leadership of Rav Yussie Zakutinski shlita, captures the answer. "Yismach lev," there is no spirit of joy, vibrancy, and satisfaction like that enjoyed by "mevakshei Hashem," Yidden who experience all of life as a passionate journey toward Hashem's embrace, who search for and succeed in finding His love everywhere. The track's arrangements match the tenor of this quest, beginning with deep, contemplative moments of inner reflection and picking up speed to culminate in ecstatic flight toward our Father in Heaven, carried on the wings of this captivating niggun. This is the message of Kahal Mevakshei Hashem, and this is the intention of this special album — to facilitate the journey of mevakshei Hashem everywhere and to awaken the seeker within us all.

ישמח לב מבקשי השם
תהלים פרק קה פסוק ג

Artist Joey Newcomb
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers, RM
Produced by Mendy Portnoy

לע״נ הרה"ק ר’ שלמה בן חיים חייקל זיע"א לע״נ
ר׳משה אלעזר בן ר׳ נטע שלום

It is only natural to think about Hashem in terms of what He can do for us. But the tzaddikim who were sent to prepare am Yisrael for the days of Mashiach teach that a shift of perspective is in order. They write that the time has come for us to reclaim a national mission that centers around what we can do for Him, to transform this world into a "dirah b'tachtonim" — a dwelling place for Hashem in the lower realms — by finding His presence in every facet of our daily lives. Mi LaShem reflects the call that echoes in every Jewish heart, filling our wondrous generation with the strength to accomplish our collective task. Let's join together in looking up to the heavens. With our hearts bursting with courage and pride, let's declare as one, "Hashem, we are here for You!"

מי להשם אלי
ספר שמות פרק לב פסוק כו

Artist Zusha
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers
Produced and Arranged by Levyticus & Zechariah Goldschmied

לר״ש ‏יחיאל מאיר בן משה

The words of the Baal HaTanya are etched into the heart of our holy nation: "Every Jewish soul is literally a portion of Hashem." Sometimes it's difficult for us to feel it. Sometimes our actions may obscure the holiness at our core. But beyond the many layers of a dust that is infinitely simpler to wipe away than we could ever dare to imagine, abides the shining essence of the Jewish nation — a literal spark of Hashem. As Reb Joey reminds every Yid in this timeless track, "You have to know who you are." Don't get distracted by the externals. Wherever we may be, whatever we may have done - none of this has the slightest bearing on who we are. The tzaddik's words are not a metaphor that only functions as truth under certain circumstances. Each Yid is a cheilek Elokah mi'maal — Mamash! And nothing in the world could ever take that away. Let's dig deep together and reveal the G-dliness within!

נשמה נשמ׳לה טהורה׳לה נשמה טהורה היא חלק אלוקה ממעל ממש
יעדער יוד האט א שטיק באשעפער אין הארץ ער איז דאך א חלק אלוקה ממש
ספר התניא, ליקוטי אמרים פרק ב

Artist Ari Hill & Joey Newcomb
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers, RM
Produced by Eli Klein & Yitzy Berry

לר״ש דוד יוסף ‏אלימלך בן אלישבע הינדא

Rosh Hashanah is all about accepting Hashem as our King and davening for the day when His malchus will be reflected in every particle of a word illuminated with His presence. As they were walking to shul for davening on Rosh Hashanah 2020, the chevra reflected on the central place Am Yisrael occupies in turning this dream into reality. The tzaddikim teach that "Ein melech b'lo am," there can be no king without a nation, and "b'rov am hadras melech," the glory of the king is revealed when the masses are unified in their acceptance of his sovereignty. As they passed all of the scattered backyard minyanim, Jews separated from one another by a global pandemic, they wondered, with a pang in their hearts, where the "hadras melech" was in this unfortunate reality. "Ribbono shel Olam!" they thought. "We're doing this for You! We want so desperately to reveal Your malchus in the world. Please bring our entire nation back together in Yerushalayim so we can foster an ultimate 'hadras Melech' together with the most expansive 'rov am'!" It wasn't long before this plea turned into a melody, and B'rov Am was born.

ברב עם הדרת מלך
משלי פרק יד פסוק כח

אין מלך בלא עם
רבינו בחיי בראשית פרק לח פסוק ל

Artist Eitan Katz
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers, RM
Produced by Aryeh Kunstler

לע״נ ר׳ אפרים דוב בער בן יעקב יהודה לע״נ
ר׳ חיים יחיאל שלום בן  ר׳ ישכר בעריש ז״ל

In sefer Sichos HaRan, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov describes a person who is struggling so intensely with the burden of his challenging circumstances that he sees no purpose in continuing to live. He writes that a single smile from a passing stranger can literally save this person's life, brightening his world and giving him the strength to carry on hoping for a better tomorrow. Efshar L'hatzil was composed as a tribute to several precious souls who are tragically no longer with us. Friends and family of these neshamos recount that through all the pain and brokenness these young men and women suffered, it was easy to see that every smile, every kind word, every hug meant the world to them and made their difficult conditions just a bit more bearable. "Know how good and beautiful you are, know how pure and precious you are." Let's allow these words to enter our hearts and pass them on to every Yid we meet!

אפשר להציל את נפשו של אדם על ידי שתאמר לו כמה שהוא טוב ויפה

You can save a brother’s life, You can save a sister’s life, by just telling them these words:
Know how good and beautiful you are, know how pure and precious you are.
You mamish can save a persons life.

דו קענסט ראטעווען א ברודער'ס לעבן,  דו קענסט ראטעווען א שוועסטער'ס לעבן, ביי זיי זאגן די ווערטער:
ווייס ווי גוט און שיין די ביזט, ווייס ווי גוט און שיין די ביזט, דו ממש קענסט ראטעווען א מענטשנ'ס לעבן

Artist Betzalel Levin
Composed by Chaim Mayer Wertheimer
Produced by Mendy Portnoy

לע”נ ר׳ משה יצחק בן ר’ יעקב

"Ain booni maasim,” "We have no merits." Generally associated with gravity and brokenness, these painful words have classically been set to slow, almost mournful melodies. This special track offers a fresh approach. While there certainly remains a tinge of sadness and regret laced into the verse ("Ain booni, ain booni — oyyy!"), these emotions are reframed by the hope, positivity, and comfort present whenever a Jew opens up to Hashem with authenticity and sincerity. In this shining moment of transparency to our Source, we realize that while we may be devoid of merits, we are ever supported by Hashem, whose closeness is experienced most intensely by the brokenhearted. Set to a pressing beat that implies an almost urgent sense of determination, Ain Booni encapsulates a uniquely Jewish emotion, "Hazorim b'dimah, b'rinah" — a delicate blend of broken heartedness and elation. By ourselves, we couldn't ever dream of making it. But with Hashem's kindness supporting us along the way, there is nothing we can't accomplish as we march together into the dawn of a brighter future!

אין בנו מעשים
עשה עמנו צדקה וחסד והושיענו
סדר תפילת אבינו מלכנו

Artist Arele Samet
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers
Produced by Eli Klein & Yitzy Berry

לע״נ ר׳ נחום צבי בן חיים

Fresh off the plane, the chevra were on their way to Tzfas, where they planned to spend an elevated Shabbos kicking off their visit to the Holy Land. As they cruised toward their sacred destination, they took a wrong turn and suddenly realized that they were lost in an Arab village. Trying to stay positive in what had quickly become a very stressful situation, they opened a care package sent along by one of the families. As they began to remove some snacks, one of the chevra noticed a neon orange sticky note at the bottom of the bag. It was a short letter written by his six-year-old daughter, Esther. In scrawled Hebrew script, she had written: "Abba yakar, my dear father, I want so much to know 'mah ani l'daatcha' — what I mean to you." Glancing out the car window at their fearsome surroundings and then looking toward the heavens above, the brothers saw these words as an expression of their deepest tefillah — "Abba Yakar, dearest Father in heaven, please show us how much You love us. Let us see in ourselves what You see in us!" It wasn’t long before a powerful melody entered their hearts. For hours, they sang these words again and again until they arrived in Tzfas, safe and sound and with the gift of Abba Yakar illuminating their hearts and souls.

אבא יקר, אבא שלי, אבא אהובי
אני כל כך רוצה לדעת, מה אני לדעתך באמת

Artist Ishay Lapidot
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers
Produced by Sruli Broncher
Lyrics by Esther Blumstein

לע”נ ר׳ משה בן יחיאל מאיר  לע״נ אברהם
ביינוש בן יחיאל יהודה הכהן ז"ל

The words "V'heishiv lev avos al banim v'lev banim al avosam" imply a double returning — the return of children on account of their parents, and the return of parents on account of their children. It is easy to understand the way in which the guidance, experience, and nurturing of previous generations would enable us to walk in the proper way. But what might it mean for children to have a hand in their parents' spiritual development? Reb Tzaddok HaKohein teaches that the deepest yearnings of parents' hearts become revealed in the lives of their children. Based on this concept, while it may appear as if the generations are sinking lower and lower, in truth, each subsequent generation is further revealing the innermost desire of the Avos haKedoshim. Composed by Yossi Schwartz of The Early Shabbos Band, this lively niggun carries the message that, while on the outside we may appear to be the lowliest generation, in truth we are a wondrously deep generation, expressing the innermost yearnings of the Lev Avos.

והשיב לב אבות על בנים
ולב בנים על אבותם
מלאכי פרק כ פסוק כד

Artist The Early Shabbos Band
Yossi Schwartz, Momo Baumam, Elimelech Blumstein

Composed by Yossi Schwartz
Produced by Mendy Portnoy

הרב נתן בן הר׳ יעקב זצ״ל
הרב משה אהרן בן ר׳ חיים זצ״ל

Chazal famously teach that even perfect tzaddikim cannot stand in the place where baalei teshuvah reach. The classical definition of "baal teshuvah" is a Jew who leaves his secular upbringing and lifestyle behind for a life of Torah observance and commitment to avodas Hashem. But the tzaddikim teach that in truth, each and every Jew — no matter how frum — should yearn to become a baal teshuvah as well, to return ever more deeply to Hashem, to further reveal the depth of our essential holiness. "Anu rotzim lihiyot baalei teshuvah.” These words express the desire of our wondrous generation to dig beyond the surface level of long-held labels and definitions to discover the neshamah of Yiddishkeit, to encounter Hashem with openness and authenticity as broken souls with hearts aflame. Regardless of background, regardless of religious level, regardless of past successes or failures — we are united in our collective yearning to surge forward in our engagement with the Baal Shem Tov's three loves, ahavas Hashem, ahavas haTorah, and ahavas Yisrael. In the merit of this beautiful niggun and our endless yearning, may we merit to be counted among Baalei Teshuvah!

במקום שבעלי תשובה עומדים, צדיקים גמורים אינם יכולים לעמוד
ברכות לד

אנו רוצים להיות בעלי תשובה, אבא אנחנו רוצים לשוב אליך

In the dark of night I walk alone, alone but never lonely, Your Fire burns within me, beyond the veil an echo calls my name,  "Return to Me, My child, return to who you are."  We want to be Baalei Teshuvah, Tatte bring us close, closer to You.

Artist R’ Yaakov Klein
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers Produced by Mendy Portnoy
Lyrics by R’ Yaakov Klein

לע”נ יהודית בת ר׳ משה
הרב שמואל בן ר׳ זלמן הכהן סילברמן ז''ל

As the year reaches its end and every Jew ponders his own beginning — the core of our national identity rooted in the kisei hakavod — yearning to return to his deepest essence of goodness, purity, and spiritual connection, Hashem comes out to greet us. The Baal HaTanya teaches that during Chodesh Elul, "Hamelech basadeh" — The King is in the field. Just as a king is most accessible when he travels the lands of his kingdom, so does Hashem make Himself lovingly accessible to every Jew during this special month. This joyous tune was written to convey the message that in addition to being a time reserved for heightened yiras Shomayim, teshuvah, and introspection, the tzaddikim teach that Elul is a time of light, yearning, closeness, and the heavenly peace of mind fostered when soul meets Source. Together, let’s transform debilitating fear into closeness and joy as we prepare for our monthlong rendezvous with our Father, the King.

אני לדודי ודודי לי
אלול הייליגע חודש אלול
המלך בשדה
שיר השירים פרק ו
מדרש תנחומא האזינו

Artist PUMPIDISA
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers
Produced by Nir Graff & Eli Lishinsky

Chaya Bistritzky ע״ה
רוחמה חיה פרומה בת ר׳ דוב פנחת ע״ה

The story of Shamati begins in the mystical city of Tzfas, where the chevra discovered the seeds of this heavenly niggun under the guise of a melodious chant in the old city's famed echo cave. Something about these words, "Shomati et tefillatecha... I have heard your prayers; I have seen your tears. I will heal you..." juxtaposed with our nation’s deepest expression of yearning to come home to Yerushalayim and set to this beautiful melody, struck a chord deep within their hearts. Over the years of singing, pondering, and davening this niggun, Shomati evolved into its present form, eventually completed with a refrain added by Moshe Storch. When the Meron tragedy shook our world, TYH Nation released Shomati as our collective tefillah for the ultimate healing only Moshiach can bring, successfully raising half a million dollars for the families of those lost in conjunction with Yad Eliezer. A popular item in the TYH Nation catalog, the "Mashiach Suitcase," embodies the message of this track. This beautifully designed suitcase serves to reinforce our readiness for the geulah, our generation's most desperate plea and abiding hope: "Ribbono shel Olam! Take us home!"

שמעתי את תפילתך, ראיתי את דמעתיך הינני רופא לך
מלכים ב פרק כ פסוק ה

ותחזינה עינינו בשובך לציון ברחמים
סידור התפילה

Artist Moshe Storch
Verse Adapted by Yonatan Meir Kimchi
Chorus by Moshe Storch
Produced by Mendy Portnoy

לע״נ The Meron Kedoshim

In a famous letter, the Baal Shem Tov describes meeting the soul of Mashiach during a state of spiritual ascension on the last Rosh Hashanah of his life. He writes that when he asked Mashiach when he would arrive, he responded, "L'k'sheyafutzu maayonosecha hachutzah — when your teachings spread outward." The Midrash teaches that the coming of Mashiach is likened to the rising of the sun — it is a process, not an event. The life-giving teachings upon which the redemption hinges are part and parcel of that redemptive dawn, helping our holy nation develop a greater level of spiritual consciousness in preparation for the ultimate geulah. The Baal Shem Tov didn't come to introduce anything new, but simply to wake us up to a deeper appreciation of Yiddishkeit and a more intimate, joyous experience of Hashem, the Torah, and the Jewish soul. As this fire continues to spread from wick to wick, illuminating and warming Jewish hearts across the globe, we are getting ready to dance this galus goodbye!

Wake up Yidden, get up let's open our eyes,
Wake up Yidden, let’s dance this galus goodbye.

Artist 8th Day
Composed by The Blumstein Brothers
Produced by Mendy Portnoy

לע״נ שלמה אליעזר בן הרב יעקב ע״ה
לזכר נשמת זיסא ריזל שושנה בת ר' שלום הלוי ע״ה