Rav Yisrael’s son, Rav Shaul Yedidya, related:
“When my father [Rav Yisrael] lived in Modzhitz, he had a daily custom to travel with his companions outside the town, where he would take a stroll and breath the fresh air.
“Once, as they traveled through fields and pastures, they suddenly heard the voice of a shepherd tending his flock as he sang his song. My father, the Rebbe, asked them to stop the carriage immediately, so he could listen to the shepherd’s song. When the shepherd concluded his song, the Rebbe motioned that they should continue on their way.
“He then turned to his companions and remarked, ‘Surely you must wonder why I wished to listen to this shepherd’s song. You should know, however, that whoever sings it is as if he is confessing his sins! A person’s song is his confession, because through a person’s song he reveals his inner essence, his identity. Whoever confesses, no matter who that person is, we must stop and listen to hear what he says.’”
(Yisa Berocha Parshas Naso)
