[HANASHIR:3529] Re: This whole L'chah Dodi debate

[BEBWH <BEBWH...>]

Please read the following as a respectfully submitted response. Minhag 
Yisrael K' Halacha. Easy enough Hebrew meaning if it is a custom of the Jews 
it is as Halacha. If we don;t believe in that then a vast amount of what we 
do is not important either. Also Adon Olam is not always at the end of the 
service. Nusach S'fard and Nusach Ari say it at the beginning of the service 
before all the stuff that gets the big billing, ie Barchu,Shema, Amida, Alenu 
etc. The point is that we should be looking to bring our students, 
congregations, friends etc. to a more correct form of Shabbat. That means 
recognizing that Shabbat starts Friday night. We welcome a guest upon their 
arrival, not after they've been in our house 14 hours. If we beleive we can 
put off welcoming Shabbat then let;s try the Sunday service and Torah reading 
thing again. I think today we all agree that would be uncomfortable. If we 
want to sing L'cha Dodi, and believe it has much mystical significance, as 
does Shabbat, then let's do it at the right time. If our congregation does 
not have the opportunity do sing it at the right time, ie, no minyan Friday 
night, organize one in the synagogue, or make one in your house. There is no 
need for a Torah or a rabbi for Kabbalat Shabbat, you can create a beautiful 
Kabbalat Shabbat experiene in your house. And this next sentence is totally 
sincere, not said to make trouble, if none of the above work, sing it 
yourself...loud and clear...but sing it Friday night, as the sun goes down. 
In regard to the Saturday service only issue,  teach them appropriate songs 
and hymms for Shabbat morning. Anin Zmirot, Yismechu, V'taher Lebaynu, Mizmor 
Shir L'yom HaSabbat, Vshamru (yea, one that works both Friday night and 
Saturday morning!!) etc....

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