Lekhah Dodi
Lecha Dodi / לכה דודי (Heb. Come, my friend) are the initial words of a hymn to welcome the Sabbath. The text was written by Shlomo Alkabez, a Kabbalist from Safed in the 16th century. The song has been found in Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities worldwide input into the liturgy of the Friday night God Dientes.
The first line, which is also used as a refrain is: Come my friend, the bride contrary, let us welcome the Sabbath. The song consists of nine stanzas; the initials of the first eight stanzas form an acrostic as " Shlomo ha -Levi " - the name of the author. In the last stanza, it is customary to turn to the door of the synagogue and to bow to welcome the Sabbath. Inspired by Talmudic narratives ( Tractate Shabbat 119a ) the Kabbalists of Safed went on a Friday afternoon on the fields before the city to greet the "Princess Sabbath " in meditation and singing. The song " Lecha Dodi " reflects this practice and the Kabbalistic identification of the Sabbath with the Shekinah, the presence of God. The text contains numerous Messianic motifs, based on the Talmudic idea that observance of the Sabbath will lead to salvation.
Lecha Dodi to exist countless musical settings that vary from place to place. Abraham Zvi Idelsohn has their numbers estimated at over 2000. In some Reform congregations Lecha Dodi is shortened to four stanzas. The text has been translated into most European languages , known German translations are from Herder and Heine. In his poem "Princess Sabbath " from the " Romanzero " Heine holds mistakenly Judah ha -Levi for the author of the hymn.