This poem was written by Rabbi Solomon Halevy Alkabetz, whose name שְׁלֹמֹה הַלֵוִי is spelled out by the first letter of each stanza.
In this poem, the bridegroom (Israel) calls to his Beloved Friend (God) asking that He join him in welcoming his bride (the Sabbath).
The concept of welcoming the Sabbath goes back to Talmudic times. Rabbi Chanina robed himself and stood at sunset on the eve of the Sabbath and exclaimed, “Come! Let us go forth to welcome the Sabbath Queen.” Rabbi Yanai garbed himself in festive attire on Sabbath eve and exclaimed; “Come bride, Come bride” (Shabbos 119a).
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
שָׁמוֹר וְזָכוֹר “Preserve” and “Remember”44“Preserve” and “Remember” refers to the discrepancy between the two texts of the fourth commandment. Exodus (20:8) reads, “Remember the Sabbath day,” while Deuteronomy (5:12) reads, “Preserve the Sabbath day.” The Talmud (Shavuos 20b) explains that both words, שָׁמוֹר and זָכוֹר were miraculously pronounced by God simultaneously.
בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד. in a single utterance
הִשְׁמִיעָֽנוּ אֵל הַמְיוּחָד. the One Almighty caused us to hear;
יְהֹוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד. Adonoy is One, and His Name is One;
לְשֵׁם וּלְתִפְאֶֽרֶת וְלִתְהִלָּה: for fame, for glory, and for praise.45These words revert back to the first lines of this stanza: “The One Almighty God caused us to hear for our fame, for our glory, and for our praise.” This thought is based on the verse in Deuteronomy 28:18,19, “Keep the commandments, and He will make you high above all nations—in praise, in name, and in glory.”—Iyun Tefilah
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת לְכוּ וְנֵלְ֒כָה. To greet the Sabbath, come let us go
כִּי הִיא מְקוֹר הַבְּ֒רָכָה. for it is the source of blessing;
מֵרֹאשׁ מִקֶּֽדֶם from the very beginning, of old,
נְסוּכָה. it was appointed;
סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה: last in creation, first in [God's] thought.46This sentence is based on the Midrashic illustration of the architect who prepares the plans for the entire structure before beginning the construction. Analogously, the Sabbath is the end-purpose of God’s creation, for which everything else was made.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
On Yom Tov and Chol Hamoed skip to יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל
מִקְדַּשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ עִיר מְלוּכָה. Sanctuary of the King, royal city,
קֽוּמִי צְאִי מִתּוֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָה. arise, come forth from the upheaval;
רַב לָךְ שֶֽׁבֶת too long have you dwelt
בְּעֵֽמֶק הַבָּכָא. in the valley of weeping;
וְהוּא יַחְמוֹל עָלַֽיִךְ חֶמְלָה: He will show you abundant pity.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קֽוּמִי. Shake the dust off yourself, arise,
לִבְשִׁי בִּגְדֵי תִפְאַרְתֵּךְ dress up in your garments of glory,
עַמִּי. my people;
עַל יַד בֶּן יִשַּׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי. through the son of Yishai the Bethlehemite,47The Messiah is a descendant of David, the son of Yishai of Bethlehem.
קָרְבָה אֶל נַפְשִׁי גְּאָלָהּ: draw near to my soul and redeem it.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
הִתְעוֹרְ֒רִי. הִתְעוֹרְ֒רִי. Wake up! wake up!
כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ for your light has come,
קֽוּמִי אֽוֹרִי. arise and shine.
עֽוּרִי עֽוּרִי שִׁיר דַּבֵּֽרִי. Awaken! awaken! utter a song,
כְּבוֹד יְהֹוָה עָלַֽיִךְ נִגְלָה: The glory of Adonoy is revealed upon you.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
לֹא תֵבֽוֹשִׁי וְלֹא תִכָּלְ֒מִי. Feel not ashamed or humiliated
מַה תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי why are you bowed down,
וּמַה תֶּהֱמִי. why do you moan?
בָּךְ יֶחֱסוּ In you will take refuge
עֲנִיֵּי עַמִּי. the poor of my people;48 Others translate “The afflicted of my people will take refuge in you.”
וְנִבְנְ֒תָה עִיר and the city will be rebuilt
עַל תִּלָּהּ: on its ancient site.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
וְהָיוּ לִמְשִׁסָּה They will be ravaged,
שֹׁסָֽיִךְ. those who ravaged you,
וְרָחֲקוּ and they will be cast far off,
כָּל מְבַלְּ֒עָֽיִךְ. all who devour you.
יָשִׂישׂ עָלַֽיִךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ. Your God will rejoice over you
כִּמְשׂוֹשׂ חָתָן עַל כַּלָּה: as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל תִּפְרֽוֹצִי. Right and left you will spread out.
וְאֶת יְהֹוָה תַּעֲרִֽיצִי. and Adonoy, you will praise;49This translation follows Iyun Tefilah. Others translate, “will you revere.”
עַל יַד אִישׁ בֶּן פַּרְצִי. through the man descended from Peretz50Peretz was the son of Judah from whom David was descended.
וְנִשְׂמְ֒חָה וְנָגִֽילָה: we will rejoice and exult.
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.
The chazzan and congregation turn to face the entrance while reciting this verse. While saying the words בּוֹאִי כַלָּה , Come Bride bow and turn back, to signify that the Sabbath is entering.
בּֽוֹאִי בְשָׁלוֹם עֲטֶֽרֶת בַּעְלָהּ. Come in peace, crown of her husband,51The husband is Israel; and the Sabbath is Israel’s crowning glory.
גַּם בְּרִנָּה (ביו"ט בְּשִׂמְחָה) come with song, (rejoicing)
וּבְצָהֳלָה. and good cheer;
תּוֹךְ אֱמוּנֵי עַם סְגֻלָּה. amidst the faithful of the treasured people.
בֹּֽאִי כַלָּה בֹּֽאִי כַלָּה Come Bride, come Bride,
בֹּֽאִי כַלָּה שַׁבָּת מַלְכְּתָא: come Bride, Shabbos Queen!
Refrain:
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride,
פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: let us welcome the Sabbath.