One Hundred Dollar Bill from the Lubavitcher Rebbe – For Research on the Shamil Niggun

One Hundred Dollar Bill from the Lubavitcher Rebbe – For Research on the Shamil Niggun

One-hundred-dollar bill from Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn – the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
The bill was given to R. Shaul Shimon Deutsch, who wrote in the margins (in pen): "From the Rebbe – Research on the life of Shamil. The Rebbe asked me to write about Shamil's niggun. Answer from the Rebbe: Received with many thanks".

The rebbe taught fourteen niggunim between 1954-1974, mostly during Hitvaaduyot on Simchat Torah. During the Hitvaadut on Simchat Torah night, 1959, in the early hours of the morning, the rebbe taught the Shamil niggun, introducing it with a tale: "One hundred or one hundred and fifty years ago, semi-wild tribes lived in the Caucasian mountains. They were free like birds, they had no limitations of national laws, not even the limitations of cultured people. When the Tzar began expanding the limits of his kingdom, he wanted to conquer the Caucasian mountains as well… since these were tall mountains, he was not successful in his conquest. Eventually… they captured Shamil and exiled him deep in Russia. While in exile, he would remember from time to time the tall mountains, where he was free like an eagle, and he didn't have the limitations of a prison, not even the confines of a city, completely unfettered by civilization, and he would be filled with profound longing for the mountains. And then he would sing this tune, which begins with longing, yet whose final stanza is hopeful. When a Jew heard this tune… he used it to symbolize the descent of the soul into the body: Prior to its descent into the body, the soul originated from the heavenly throne… and it had no ruler or dominion. But it was tricked into being sent down, to be clothed in an animalistic body. Therefore, when the soul contemplates on her source – she is filled with a great thirst… this is the beginning of the tune – the thirst and longing of the soul. While the final stanza of the tune, filled with hope and trust, that eventually she will leave this deep pit, and rise higher then where she came from" (Torat Menachem, vol. XXIV, pp. 170-172).

Letter of authenticity enclosed (English) by R. Shaul Shimon Deutsch, in which he describes the research he did for the Rebbe in 1987 on the historic figure of Shamil (he also published an article on this topic, upon the rebbe's instructions; the article was published in 1992 in the Kfar Chabad weekly), in return for which he received the present bill.

Good condition. Minor stains.