The essence of melody and musical instruments was brought into the world by Levi, as is brought in the Zohar (II, 19a), that the essence of melody is from the side of the Levites. This is what Leah said, “This time my husband YeLaVeh (will become attached) to me” (Genesis 29:34). At that time, LeVY was born; through him the aspect of melody and musical instruments came into the world. Certainly “this time my husband will become attached to me,” for the joining of two things is by means of melody and musical instruments. Understand this.
“Sarim Redafuni Chinam (princes have persecuted me for no reason)” (Psalms 119:161). The initial letters spell RaChaSh (fee). {This is a quip that [Rebbe Nachman] made about himself. They used to give him the rachash that was due the official rabbi. Once, we were with him at a wedding in the town, and he discussed the aforementioned matter of the musical instruments that they play at a wedding. (For this was [the Rebbe’s] way in holiness: a majority of the time he would teach Torah relating to that which was being done or said at the time, as is explained elsewhere.) When people mentioned to him the rachash that was due him, he responded by saying, “I certainly deserve RaChaSh—Sarim Redafuni Chinam .”}
עִקַּר הַנִּגּוּן וְהַכְּלֵי שִׁיר הֵבִיא לֵוִי לָעוֹלָם, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר (שמות דף יט.), שֶׁעִקַּר הַנִּגּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּלֵוָאי, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרָה לֵאָה: הַפַּעַם יִלָּוֶה אִישִׁי אֵלַי (בראשית כ״ט:ל״ד) – שֶׁעַתָּה הַפַּעַם שֶׁנּוֹלַד לֵוִי, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ בָּא בְּחִינַת הַנִּגּוּן וּכְלֵי שִׁיר לָעוֹלָם, הַפַּעַם יִלָּוֶה אִישִׁי אֵלַי בְּוַדַּאי, כִּי הִתְחַבְּרוּת שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים הוּא עַל־יְדֵי נִגּוּן וּכְלֵי שִׁיר, וְהָבֵן.
The essence of melody and musical instruments was brought into the world by Levi, as is brought in the Zohar (II, 19a), that the essence of melody is from the side of the Levites. This is what Leah said, “This time my husband YeLaVeh (will become attached) to me” (Genesis 29:34). At that time, LeVY was born; through him the aspect of melody and musical instruments came into the world. Certainly “this time my husband will become attached to me,” for the joining of two things is by means of melody and musical instruments. Understand this.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כְּלֵי זֶמֶר שֶׁמְּנַגְּנִין עַל חֲתֻנָּה:
And this is the aspect of the musical instruments that they play at a wedding.
שָׂרִים רְדָפוּנִי חִנָּם (תהילים קי״ט:קס״א) – רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת רַחַשׁ. (זֶה הָעִנְיָן הֵם דִּבְרֵי צַחוּת שֶׁאָמַר עַל עַצְמוֹ, שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹהֲגִין לִתֵּן לוֹ "רַחַשׁ" הַמַּגִּיעַ לְהָרַב, וּפַעַם אַחַת עָמַדְנוּ לְפָנָיו בְּעֵת שֶׁהָיָה חֲתֻנָּה בָּעִיר, וְאָמַר אָז עִנְיָן הַנַּ"ל מֵעִנְיַן כְּלֵי זֶמֶר שֶׁמְּנַגְּנִין עַל הַחֲתֻנָּה כַּנַּ"ל, (כִּי כֵן הָיָה דַּרְכּוֹ בַּקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁעַל־פִּי רֹב הָיָה אוֹמֵר תּוֹרָה מֵעֵין מַה שֶּׁהָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִדְבָּר אָז בְּאוֹתָהּ הָעֵת, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְבָּאֵר מִזֶּה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר). וְאָז הָיוּ מְשִׂיחִים לְפָנָיו מֵעִנְיַן "רַחַשׁ" הַמַּגִּיעַ לוֹ. עָנָה וְאָמַר: בְּוַדַּאי מַגִּיעַ לִי רַחַשׁ, שָׂ'רִים רְ'דָפוּנִי חִ'נָּם)
“Sarim Redafuni Chinam (princes have persecuted me for no reason)” (Psalms 119:161). The initial letters spell RaChaSh (fee). {This is a quip that [Rebbe Nachman] made about himself. They used to give him the rachash that was due the official rabbi. Once, we were with him at a wedding in the town, and he discussed the aforementioned matter of the musical instruments that they play at a wedding. (For this was [the Rebbe’s] way in holiness: a majority of the time he would teach Torah relating to that which was being done or said at the time, as is explained elsewhere.) When people mentioned to him the rachash that was due him, he responded by saying, “I certainly deserve RaChaSh—Sarim Redafuni Chinam .”}