Rare Recording of Ancient Slonim Chassidic Melody Released

A rare and moving recording of the ancient melody 'Tichnet Kol Eleh,' attributed to Rabbi Avrohom Dov Berish of Ovritch, known as the 'Bas Ayin,' has been released by the Slonim Chassidic community. The recording features the voice of the late Rabbi Yechiel Aharon Boymel, a revered cantor and Torah reader for the community for over fifty years.

The release coincides with the first anniversary of Rabbi Boymel's passing. He was buried near the tomb of his rebbe, Rabbi Shalom Noah of Slonims, on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Rabbi Boymel was considered the foremost authority on the community's traditional prayer melodies and customs, which have been passed down through generations.

The Boymel family has a long-standing connection to the Slonim Chassidut's cantorial tradition, dating back to the community's time in Tiberias. Rabbi Boymel's grandfather, Rabbi Leib Hersh Boymel, was a key figure in collecting and transmitting melodies to Slonim. His father, Rabbi Mordechai Boymel, served as the gabbai of the famous Tiberias shtibel.

The 'Bas Ayin' melody, based on verses from the High Priest's service on Yom Kippur, is said to have originated from Rabbi Avrohom Dov Berish himself in Tzfat. The melody was adopted by the Slonim Chassidut about fifty years ago from a grandson of Rabbi Betzalel Chazan, who served as a cantor for the 'Bas Ayin.'

This melody became a cherished tradition, with the Rebbe of Slonim, Rabbi Shalom Noah, and his successor, requesting Rabbi Yechiel Aharon Boymel to sing it every year at the special pre-Yom Kippur gathering, with the congregation joining in. The newly released recording, accompanied by musical instruments, is dedicated to his memory.