Q. We were having a Chanukah party and we were singing this song, "Leshana HaBaa Birusholayim". Unlike the passage in the Haggadah shel Pesach, where this phrase ends there, the song has an added word: "HaBenuyah". A member of the group commented that he heard that this word was added to such a song by secular or religious Zionists, and should thus be stricken from the song.
Question 1: Is this comment conceivable, seeing as this word is found as part of the words of this song also in Bobov and Modzhitz Chasidic music?
Question 2: Since this phrase "Yerusholayim HaBenuyah" was coined by Dovid HaMelech in Tehilim 122:3, who cares who added it to the song; it is an acceptable idea.
Question 3: Even if some group whose Hashkafic ideas, especially about Eretz Yisroel, give us serious pause, and though I am not sure exactly what is objectionable about this phrase, what could be so terrible about using it? Does the fact that a good idea emanated from a questionable source, automatically indicate that it should be rejected?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that in principle obviously there is nothing wrong with the words. On the contrary, it reflects that it is not yet built, as opposed to those who maintain it already stands well.
The Rov mentioned that for someone already living in Yerushalaim, the correct nusach would be to add Beyirusholaim Habenuyah.
However, the Rov added, that often connotations and implications are inferred indirectly and messages may be transmitted by innuendo. Sometimes, a choice of innocuous words, may imply either by constant or special dedicated use, ideas that are contrary to Torah beliefs. On occasion, just the tune played in a song, may transmit an erroneous message.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
If "HaBenuyah" should be added by someone at his Seder shel Pesach if he is living in Yerusholayim, should the Nusach in Ho Lachmo Anyo of "Leshana Habaa B'Ar'o D'Yisroel" also be changed and to what?
Important Numbers
