The Hasidic Composer Who Lit Up Generations With His Songs

It’s hard to find someone in the Torah-observant world who hasn’t heard the name Rabbi Yom Tov Ehrlich.

His music is woven into the hearts of generations. Whether it was soothing lullabies for babies, joyful songs for children, or deeply spiritual compositions rich with Torah and Hasidic meaning, his melodies continue to uplift Jews of all ages even roshei yeshiva and Torah scholars.

Decades ago, before Jewish music was widely available, families would often bring only one kind of record into their homes, Rabbi Yom Tov’s. His recordings were treasures of pure content, spreading faith and joy in every note.

We wanted to learn more about this extraordinary composer and teacher, one of the true pioneers of Hasidic music. To do so, we spoke with his daughter, Mrs. Bluma, who lives in Jerusalem. She sees it as her mission to share her father’s story and ensure the next generation knows his legacy.

Even 23 years after his passing, Rabbi Yom Tov’s melodies still echo throughout the Jewish world. New versions of his songs are released regularly, in different languages and even in faraway countries. The Ehrlich family says they have no explanation for this phenomenon except that their father devoted his life completely to spreading the light of Torah and Hasidic values through music, and that devotion continues to bear fruit.

How did it all begin?

Bluma explains that her father’s musical path started in his youth during World War I. His family lived in David-Horodok, near Stolin, in the area between Russia and Poland. The borders shifted constantly during the war.

One day, Rabbi Yom Tov’s father, Rabbi Moshe, came home on a short leave from the army and gifted his son Yontil a violin for his bar mitzvah. This gift became a kind of spiritual will: use this violin to uplift yourself and others during hard times. It sounds surprising today, a violin as a bar mitzvah gift in a religious home but it became the tool that would save lives, literally.

During World War II, the Soviets recognized his rare talent and spared his life, using him as a military musician. At one point, the Soviets expelled all foreigners from their territory. Rabbi Yom Tov managed to help a group of elderly Chabad Hasidim escape the Iron Curtain by claiming they were part of his orchestra. Makeshift instruments were handed out, and the “band” was allowed to leave.

After the war, he arrived at a refugee camp in Paris. By day, he learned Torah in the yeshiva. At night, he played at weddings for fellow refugees rebuilding their lives. That’s where his music began reaching the public. Hundreds of young Jews gathered to hear his songs, songs that spoke of faith, of trust in Hashem, of spiritual resistance to assimilation.

One of his most famous songs, Yakob, was born this way. It tells the story of a Jewish refugee in Uzbekistan, where a local tribal leader wanted to marry him to his daughter. The young man escaped with mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice), and at his wedding, Rabbi Yom Tov sat quietly and composed this moving, powerful song.

As his influence grew, his rabbis, Rabbi Mordechai Pogrominsky and Rabbi Eliyahu Meisis called on him: “Close the Gemara and go put out the fire in the streets!” This became the motto of his life. He dedicated himself to saving Jewish youth through music.

Later, he moved to America, married Bluma’s mother, and built a Hasidic home with strong ties to the Karlin-Stolin Rebbe. The Rebbe was deeply troubled that many Jewish weddings used non-Jewish bands. How could a Jewish couple begin their life together to impure melodies? He tasked Rabbi Yom Tov with creating an authentic, holy alternative.

And he did, forming the Stolin Orchestra, insisting on modesty and separation at events. If the mechitzah (separation barrier) moved even slightly, he would stop the music until it was fixed. No amount of pleading could change his mind. He believed deeply that Jewish joy must be holy.

His greatest legacy, however, is his collection of 37 music cassettes. Despite working full-time polishing diamonds, he used every spare moment, lunch breaks, commutes, quiet nights to compose, write, and record. His learning never stopped either. He reviewed Mishnayos (Oral Torah) by heart and learned seforim like the Or HaChaim even while traveling.

Most of the recordings were done at home, in a warm and intimate family setting. He wrote the lyrics, composed the music, played instruments like the violin, piano, and accordion, and often sang together with his children. The simplicity of the setting didn’t lessen the power of the message, in fact, it made it stronger.

Though most of his songs were in Yiddish, one Hebrew album titled Hello! This is Jerusalem was created with writer Yocheved Sacks. Later, Avraham Fried brought his works to a new audience with the Jewish Treasures series, translating Rabbi Yom Tov’s songs into Hebrew.

Every element of his work came from the heart and people felt it. Even major Torah scholars and Rebbes testified that they were inspired by these recordings.

Mrs. Bluma shared one final story. Her father used to appear regularly on a secular radio station in Manhattan, with the Rebbe’s blessing. One year, he was invited to speak and sing on Erev Yom Kippur. He hesitated, how could he be in a secular station on such a holy day?

But the Rebbe insisted: This is exactly where you need to be, to awaken Jewish souls before the Day of Judgment.

And so, he went. With his eyes closed, he sang his stirring song about the holy Rebbe of Berditchev on Yom Kippur eve. When he opened his eyes, he saw the entire station staff in tears.

The Rebbe had been right. Rabbi Yom Tov Ehrlich’s music continues to awaken souls just as it always did.