[HANASHIR:3515] Re: Lecha Dodi

[GurevitzR <GurevitzR...>]

Roz - I'll ask around about sources on mystical meanings of Lecha Dodi - most 
of what I have learnt recently has come through classes, so I don't have 
sources at my finger-tips.  One of places that I did see in text was the late 
Rabbi David Wolfe-Blank's meta-siddur - but this is not widely available.  
I'll get back to the list if I can find some more.

Meanwhile, I wondered if perhaps my reaction to Lecha Dodi on Shabbat morning 
came across a bit strong, and I remembered a story that I have heard, but 
can't, unfortunately, remember the source.  It tells of a group of chassidim 
who regularly celebrate amazing Shabbats - they take mikvah, they dress in 
their finest, they prepare the best food, and every Shabbat is ecstatic.  But 
one Shabbat they raise a question - is there something special about Friday 
night and Saturday that really makes it Shabbat, or are they just inventing 
their experience by doing these special things?  So they decide to do the 
rituals mid-week - on Wednesday.  They decide that if they feel the second 
soul enter (another traditional kabbalist teaching for Shabbat) and the holy 
Shabbat upon them then something must be wrong - they must be making it up.  
And sure enough, on Wednesday they take mikvah, they dress in their finest, 
they prepare a wonderful meal, and Shabbat comes upon them.

The chassidim are really disturbed by this, and they go and see their Rebbe.  
But their Rebbe is not at all surprised.  He asks them, 'Where do you think 
Shabbat goes after Havdalah?' The chassidim do not know the answer.  So the 
Rebbe explains 'My dear chassidim, Shabbat is always with us here on earth, 
but it hovers just above us.  And when you make Shabbat with complete love 
and devotion, then just like every Friday evening, you rise up to greet it 
and enter Shabbat.

So, upon further reflection after my initial response, it would seem that 
this story suggests to us that we can make Shabbat at any time and, 
therefore, if we sing Lecha Dodi on Shabbat morning with full kavannah, we 
can enter Shabbat then too.

Regards,
Rachel

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