Kabbalat Shabbat / Welcoming The Shabbat!

Kabbalat Shabbat / Welcoming The Shabbat!

The Erev Shabbat service is my favorite and has to be among the most joyous and celebratory of all Jewish services, save the wedding ceremony. Perhaps that is because it is a type of wedding ceremony between the Jewish people and the Shabbat; a foretaste of the Messianic age to come, and even perhaps of an everlasting life in the courts of the Eternal our G-d, the Everlasting Father and Creator of all, Blessed be He.

Psalm 95
Come, let us sing to the L-rd; let us acclaim our saving Stronghold.
The Friday night service begins here.

full Hebrew English transliteration here

Psalm 95 is part of six psalms symbolizing the six working days that were arranged by Kabbalists in the 16th century. The first letter of each of the psalms (lamed, shin, yud, mem, yud, mem) combined contain the numerical value of 430 which equals that of the word nefesh (meaning soul). The six psalms were selected by Rabbi Moses Cordovero, whose brother in Law Rabbi Solomon Alkabets mentioned in the next paragraph. This group of Kabbalists are also credited with having introduced the Shabbat evening service. ( Psalm 29) contains the name of G-d eighteen times , a number corresponding to the Shemoneh Esreh. The first verse is canted here and many other worship songs have been derived from this Psalm praising the Creator of all and the protector of Israel. Birnbaum 

Audio L'chun'ran'nah



Welcoming The Shabbat with L'chah dodi

"Come, my friend, to meet the bride; let us welcome the Shabbat."

Hebrew English transliteration here

This beautiful poem is one of the most famous in all of Hebrew Literature. It's authorship is attributed to Rabbi Solomon Alkabets in the 16th century. The name of the Rebbi, Shlomo haLevi, can be found as an acrostic in the beginning stanzas of the piece. The poem is almost entirely composed from passages of scripture; Isaiah 52:2; 51:17; 60:1; Judges 5:12; Isaiah 60:1; 54:4; Psalm 42:12; Isaiah 14:32; Jerimiah 30:18, 16; Isaiah 49:19; 62:5; 54:3; 25:9. Birnbaum 

This lovely prayer proclaims not only the joy of Shabbat and the entering in thereof, but it is profoundly mystical as well. It speaks, as Birbaum points out, to the hope of Israel. Telling of the Oneness " Echad" of our G-d, the coming of Maschiach and the fulfillment of prophecy concerning Israel's return to Zion in great triumph over all those who trouble her. There to worship and serve G-d in Jerushaliyim as a royal Priesthood. All of this, the author hints, will usher in or happen on the Holy Shabbat. As Rabbi Shlomo puts it:
" last in creation,  first in G-d's plan." It reminds, not only us to observe and remember the Shabbat, ( observe Shabbat by resting from work and  creating on the seventh day, and remember it's beauty, joy, communion and instruction throughout the week and throughout our generations?), but perhaps it also serves to plead with the Almighty One to remember and observe to accomplish all that He has spoken through the Prophets concerning the blessing of His people Israel by the hand of the Annointed One, Baruch Habah B'Shem Adonai!

Audio L'chah dodi


Psalm 92 

" A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day. "

Hebrew English transliteration here

Psalm 92 was sung by the Levites in the Temple during the Sabbath offering. Birnbaum 

Psalm 92 is like a Kiddush cup overflowing with sweet wine on a table covered with a festival meal. There is so much marvelous meaning packed into this little bit of verses, it deserves to be pondered by all. The psalmist attempts to open us up to the grandeur and vastness of G-d's creation and His interactions with mankind. He examines the question of why the wicked appear to flourish in the world, and proposes that the those who foolishly act against their fellow man and by extension the Creator, remain ignorant of the happiness that comes from seeking to understand the treasures of a spiritual and goodly life in "the courts of our G-d, " and certainly they remain ignorant of the deeper meaning or goodness of Shabbat. The wicked are compared with the grass, that endures but a short while. But in the case of those who seek after Hashem, their happiness will be like he Palm and Cedar; longlived and flourishing even in old age.  Finally, the Psalmist turns us back to the task at hand; to ascribe glory and honor to our G-d for "there is no wrong in Him."

Audio Mizmor Shir