In a dream at night the Alter did appear
To his son from a world where all is clear
"Shik mir pekelach," implored Reb Nosson Tzvi
Send packages from your world to me
And throughout the ages this has been the cry
From our sages as they would ascend on high
Learn l'iluy nishmasi, my neshamah to uplift
For each word of Torah is the greatest gift
"Shik mir pekelach," the neshamah cries
"It's the best way I can hope to further rise
Higher and higher, passing through the heavenly gates
With the zechus that only limud haTorah creates."
Each neshamah yearns to rise above
Through the zechusim we can generate with love
The learning of Mishnah can help us reach our goal
For the sake of the eternal soul
Each midnight Rav Yehudah Tzadkah rose
After the days of shivah wound to a close
Mishnah after Mishnah, for his father's sake
'Til one night he overslept by mistake
Said his father in a dream, "Dear son of mine
Every night you have poured me a cup of wine
Why is this beautiful gift coming to an end?
Please continue the mishnayos that you send."
"Shik mir pekelach," the neshamah cries
"It's the best way I can hope to further rise
Higher and higher, passing through the heavenly gates
With the zechus that only limud haTorah creates."
Each neshamah yearns to rise above
Through the zechusim we can generate with love
The learning of Mishnah can help us reach our goal
For the sake of the eternal soul
It was a question posed to the Chafetz Chayim
When the family of a niftar questioned him
"For kevurah in Eretz Yisrael we are ready to pay
Should we honor our loved one this way?"
And remarkably the Chafetz Chayim said
"Use the money to support limud haTorah instead
For there can be no greater zechus
Than Torah learned on this earth
And we can't imagine just how much it's worth."
"Shik mir pekelach," the neshamah cries
"It's the best way I can hope to further rise
Higher and higher, passing through the heavenly gates
With the zechus that only limud haTorah creates."
Each neshamah yearns to rise above
Through the zechusim we can generate with love
The learning of Mishnah can help us reach our goal
For the sake of the eternal soul
For the sake of the eternal soul