The Shabbat "The Queen and Bride"
"Lecha Dodi, likrat calá, Penei Shabbat nekabelá..."
"Come, my Beloved, to meet the bride; we will welcome the presence of the Shabbat..."
"Lecha Dodi" is the beautiful hymn we sing upon the arrival of each Shabbat. Today we'll explore four reasons why Shabbat is compared to a bride and a queen...
This beautiful 16th century Shabbat hymn “Lecha dodi” (“Come, my beloved…”), We welcome Shabbat like a bride and a queen.
This concept goes back to the Talmud, where we read that Rabbi Chanina used to wear his special garments on Shabbat eve and say: “Come, and we will go out to greet the Shabbat, the queen.”Another sage, Rabbi Yanai, dressed in his garments on Shabbat eve and said: “Come in, oh bride. Come in, oh bride.”
So what is Shabbat? A bride or a queen? And who is her husband?
1. Married to Israel:
Rabbi Shmuel Eidels, known as the Maharsha (1555-1631), explains that this is based on the Midrashic teaching that when Hashem created the world, Shabbat pleaded with the Creator and said, “Everyone else has a partner (e.g., Sunday has Monday as a partner, Tuesday has Wednesday, etc.), but I have no one!” Hashem responded: “The community of Israel will be your partner.”
Years later, when Israel stood before Sinai, the Creator said: “Remember that I told the Sabbath that the community of Israel is its partner. This is what the verse 'Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy' means.”
The Hebrew word for "sanctify" also denotes the concept of marriage. So, it's as if G‑d were saying: “Remember my promise on Shabbat, and be sure to marry her.”
He then explains that the moment this marriage is consummated is when the sun sets on Friday evening. Since the Jewish people are considered "children of royalty," Shabbat is called queenly, as she is the bride of a king.
2. G-d's Bride:
The verse of Bereshit says: “And on the seventh day the Creator completed the work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” The Midrash points out that this verse seems contradictory. Did God finish His work on the seventh day? Or was He already resting, having finished His work before the seventh day began?
The Midrash explains that Shabbat, the day of rest, was itself the creation of the seventh day. In the words of the Midrash: "This is comparable to a king who has already prepared the bridal chamber but is missing a bride. Similarly, the world was missing the Sabbath."
One explanation for this Midrash is that the purpose of celebrating Shabbat is to always remember that Hashem, the King, is the Creator of the world. He created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. By celebrating Shabbat, we remember that Hashem is the Creator.
3. We become the bride:
Rabbi Yehuda Loewe, known as the Maharal of Prague (1525-1609), explains that the three terms, “Shabbat”, “bride” and “queen”, They represent three different ways of honoring Shabbat:
● We rest from work. The word Shabbat means “rest.”
● With special clothes, just as a bride dresses up for her wedding.
● Permissive regarding special treats and pleasurable activities, like royalty.
According to this explanation, it seems as if we ourselves become the bride during Shabbat.
4. The Kabbalistic Queen
Kabbalists explain that the seven days of the week correspond to the seven attributes of the Creator: Chesed (goodness), Gevurah (severance), Tiferet (harmony), Netzach (perseverance), Hod (humility), Yesod (foundation), and Malchut (kingship). Thus, the last attribute corresponds to Shabbat: Royalty.
Just as we use the six days of the week to prepare for Shabbat, the malchut receives its energy from the six previous sefirot.
Consider royalty for a moment. True, they are beneficiaries, having received the mandate to rule (and the wealth) from their subjects. But they must also give: lead, guide, and inspire their people.
The same can be said of Shabbat. We spend six days preparing for Shabbat, but it then gives us the vitality to survive and thrive during the following week.
The attribute of malchut is also known as the shechinah, the feminine aspect of G‑d, which may explain why Shabbat is a queen and not a king.
Our sages tell us that if we all observe at least one Shabbat, we will merit the final redemption, an era referred to as the eternal Shabbat. May it happen soon, in our days!
The Breslev Garden team in Israel wishes you a Shabbat Shalom humeburaj!
(Parashah of the Week: פינחס: כה "Pinchas", Sefer Bamidbar - Numbers 25:10-30:1)
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