לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: 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).
Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
שָׁמוֹר וְזָכוֹר בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד. הִשְׁמִיעָֽנוּ אֵל הַמְיוּחָד. יְהֹוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד. לְשֵׁם וּלְתִפְאֶֽרֶת וְלִתְהִלָּה: “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. in a single utterance the One Almighty caused us to hear; Adonoy is One, and His Name is One; 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 26:18,19, “Keep the commandments, and He will make you high above all nations—in praise, in name, and in glory.”—Iyun Tefilah
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת לְכוּ וְנֵלְ֒כָה. כִּי הִיא מְקוֹר הַבְּ֒רָכָה. מֵרֹאשׁ מִקֶּֽדֶם נְסוּכָה. סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה: To greet the Sabbath, come let us go for it is the source of blessing; from the very beginning, of old, it was appointed; 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.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
מִקְדַּשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ עִיר מְלוּכָה. קֽוּמִי צְאִי מִתּוֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָה. רַב לָךְ שֶֽׁבֶת בְּעֵֽמֶק הַבָּכָא. וְהוּא יַחְמוֹל עָלַֽיִךְ חֶמְלָה: Sanctuary of the King, royal city, arise, come forth from the upheaval; too long have you dwelt in the valley of weeping; He will show you abundant pity.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קֽוּמִי. לִבְשִׁי בִּגְדֵי תִפְאַרְתֵּךְ עַמִּי. עַל יַד בֶּן יִשַּׁי בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי. קָרְבָה אֶל נַפְשִׁי גְּאָלָהּ: Shake the dust off yourself, arise, dress up in your garments of glory, my people; through the son of Yishai the Bethlehemite,47The Messiah is a descendant of David, the son of Yishai of Bethlehem. draw near to my soul and redeem it.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
הִתְעוֹרְ֒רִי. הִתְעוֹרְ֒רִי. כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ קֽוּמִי אֽוֹרִי. עֽוּרִי עֽוּרִי שִׁיר דַּבֵּֽרִי. כְּבוֹד יְהֹוָה עָלַֽיִךְ נִגְלָה: Wake up! wake up! for your light has come, arise and shine. Awaken! awaken! utter a song, The glory of Adonoy is revealed upon you.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
לֹא תֵבֽוֹשִׁי וְלֹא תִכָּלְ֒מִי. מַה תִּשְׁתּוֹחֲחִי וּמַה תֶּהֱמִי. בָּךְ יֶחֱסוּ עֲנִיֵּי עַמִּי. וְנִבְנְ֒תָה עִיר עַל תִּלָּהּ: Feel not ashamed or humiliated why are you bowed down, why do you moan? In you will take refuge the poor of my people;48 Others translate “The afflicted of my people will take refuge in you.” and the city will be rebuilt on its ancient site.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
וְהָיוּ לִמְשִׁסָּה שֹׁסָֽיִךְ. וְרָחֲקוּ כָּל מְבַלְּ֒עָֽיִךְ. יָשִׂישׂ עָלַֽיִךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ. כִּמְשׂוֹשׂ חָתָן עַל כַּלָּה: They will be ravaged, those who ravaged you, and they will be cast far off, all who devour you. Your God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל תִּפְרֽוֹצִי. וְאֶת יְהֹוָה תַּעֲרִֽיצִי. עַל יַד אִישׁ בֶּן פַּרְצִי. וְנִשְׂמְ֒חָה וְנָגִֽילָה: Right and left you will spread out. and Adonoy, you will praise;49This translation follows Iyun Tefilah. Others translate, “will you revere.” through the man descended from Peretz50Peretz was the son of Judah from whom David was descended. we will rejoice and exult.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.
בּֽוֹאִי בְשָׁלוֹם עֲטֶֽרֶת בַּעְלָהּ. גַּם בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְצָהֳלָה. תּוֹךְ אֱמוּנֵי עַם סְגֻלָּה. בֹּֽאִי כַלָּה בֹּֽאִי כַלָּה בֹּֽאִי כַלָּה שַׁבָּת מַלְכְּתָא: Come in peace, crown of her husband,51The husband is Israel; and the Sabbath is Israel’s crowning glory. come rejoicing and with good cheer; amidst the faithful of the treasured people. Come Bride, come Bride, come Bride, Shabbos Queen!
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּ֒לָה: Come my Beloved Friend to greet the bride, let us welcome the Sabbath.