Back Nigun BAR Nigun Czech Niggun German Nigun jasídico Spanish Nigoun French ניגונים חסידיים HE Nigun Italian Nigun Polish Nigum Portuguese Нигун Russian
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A nigun (Hebrew: ניגון meaning "tune" or "melody", plural nigunim) or niggun (plural niggunim) is a form of Ashkenazi religious song or tune sung by groups. It is vocal music, often with repetitive sounds such as "Bim-Bim-Bam", "Lai-Lai-Lai", "Yai-Yai-Yai" or "Ai-Ai-Ai" instead of formal lyrics. Sometimes, it is defined as a mysterious musical form of prayer or a spiritual language beyond regular words.[1] Also, Bible verses or quotes from other classical Jewish texts are sometimes sung repetitively to form a nigun. Some nigunim are sung as prayers of lament, while others may be joyous or victorious.[2][3]
Nigunim are largely improvisations, though they can be based on thematic passages and are stylized in form, reflecting the teachings of the spiritual leadership of the congregation or its religious movement. Nigunim are especially central to worship in Hasidic Judaism, which evolved its own structured, soulful forms to reflect the mystical joy of intense prayer (devekut).
- ^ "The Nigun". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ Haida Archived 1999-10-07 at the Wayback Machine Touchstone Sacred Dance Library, Accessed February 2014.
- ^ Music In Kaballah, The Nigun's Influence on the Soul From the book Shirat HaLev (The Song of the Heart) by Shmuel Stern – Translated by Gita Levi. Accessed February 2014.