[HANASHIR:3535] L'cha Dodi & the beginning of Shabbat

[Andy Curry <acurry...>]

Dear Friends & Colleagues,

I find the whole discussion of when L'cha Dodi may properly be sung
interesting and somewhat amusing (a klutz-kashe, really - a question for
which there is no answer, like "Do I wear a tallit when I read Torah on
Friday night?"), occurring as it does among a group of mostly Reform Jews.
I have a copy of the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law), so I could whip
it out and settle the halachic discussion, but is that the solution among
this group?

Halacha aside, I love Abraham Joshua Heschel's famous phrase:  "Shabbat is
a cathedral in time."  Because we have been dispossessed in space for
centuries, we have developed myriad wondrous ways to sanctify time, our
chagim uzmanim.  Shabbat is the original sanctification of time, the real
thing, and law and minhag certainly state that no time is more important.

How do we show that something is important to us?  I suggest that we do so
by paying attention to details.  If I look on my calendar for the
candle-lighting time and make sure I light within 18 minutes of that
moment, I am paying attention.  Do I always make it?  No.  But I am paying
attention.

We light the candles to make Shabbat; God made the heavenly bodies by which
we tell time, and God designated the seventh day to be set apart, but
Shabbat requires that we make Shabbat.  This is the reason we make the
bracha AFTER we light, because we would be violating Shabbat by making fire
if we said the bracha before.

In the same vein, in the kabalat Shabbat liturgy (in Orthodox and
Conservative traditions), L'cha Dodi makes it possible to recite the psalm
for Shabbat, "Mizmor shir l'yom Hashabbat".  The bride has entered the
sanctuary (in time); the wedding that is Shabbat can now proceed.

As Rick Lupert suggests, nothing need prevent us from enjoying cool L'cha
Dodi melodies at any time.  As far as changing its place in the liturgy, I
haven't seen a good-enough reason to do so.

As for Adon Olam, I have a question.  I'm slated to daven Kabalat Shabbat &
Maariv at my Conservative shul this Friday.  Does anyone know why some
siddurim (Artscroll in particular) has Adon Olam ending maariv, while
others (Sim Shalom) have Yigdal?

Thanks for reading.  Kol tuv,
Andy

>
>my understanding is that shabbat begins at one of three times: when the 
>sun falls below the trees (18 minutes after candle-lighting), when you 
>light the candles, or when you say mizmor shir l'yom hashabbat, whichever 
>comes first.  of course, that's only true if it matters when shabbat 
>starts.  personally, i find it meaningful to work within the tradition's 
>laws even if i cannot begin to understand all of them. however, in this 
>case, one does need a time to begin shabbat and, as every Jew knows, 
>holidays begin the night before.  the only reason i can imagine for doing 
>l'cha dodi (and I haven't been following the list up till now) is that 
>people don't go to services or welcome shabbat on their own and should be 
>familiarized with traditional jewish liturgy.  as per making it a regular 
>part of shabbat morning service seems a little strange as a later post 
>pointed out.
>so, that's the halachah as I recall it. do with it as you please
>
>later
>-Benjamin
>
>
>
>
Andy Curry
6016 Holmes St
Kansas City MO 64110-3034

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