Nigunim for Hakafos- What Did Reb Issur Zalman Meltzer Use To Sing

In many older Yeshivos some of the Nigunim during

Hakafos are  Yiddish Nigunim (Gits Arein, Olam Habo etc.)

R .I.Z  Meltzer Ztl.used to sing during the Hakafos

the song “Kometz Alef Oh Kometz Bais Bo- and  the song

“Omar Abaya”  . R.Isser Zalmen claimed these were the Nigunim

they sang in Volozhin Yeshiva during the Hakafos.

In some Ashkenaz Shuls they are Makpid not to sing any songs

from Pesukim . They sing only the Piyutim printed

in the Machzor and Nigunim without words.

It is very likely , that in the olden days they would not sing

Pesukim and therefore sang only Yiddish Nigunim etc.

Many are not aware there is an Issur to sing Pesukim.

They are not aware that the Poskim  tried desperately

to justify why almost everybody sings Pesukim and are not

concerned with the Gemoro – התורה חוגרת שק- עשאוני

בניך כמין זמר .

R. Moishe Feinstein writes (Igros Moshe Y.D.2: 142) He doesn’t know of a

good reason to justify it.

R. Chaim Kanyevsky Shlita holds one may only sing Pesukim

If the intention is to praise Hashem. Singing for Simcha is

forbidden even for  Choson/Kallah.

R.Y.S. Elyashuv zt”l is Matir if ones intention is to pronounce with

the Nigun the meaning of the words ,for instance מה אהבתי תורתך

then one is allowed to sing.(The music should match the words and

help in the Kavana).