Lekha Dodi
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Lekha Dodi (
The refrain of Lekha Dodi means "Let us go, my beloved, to greet the bride/the Sabbath presence, let us welcome" and is a request of
It was composed in the 16th century by
Melody
This section includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (February 2023) |
Already in the early 20th century, Abraham Zevi Idelsohn recorded hundreds of different tunes used for Lekha Dodi.[8]
Among some
In some very old-style Ashkenazic synagogues the verses are ordinarily chanted at elaborate length by the hazzan, and the refrain is used as a congregational response, but in most Ashkenazic Orthodox synagogues it is sung by everyone together to any of a large number of tunes. This includes the Orthodox Synagogues who employ this element and Synagogues under the Modern-Orthodox umbrella.
Old German and Polish melodies
At certain periods of the year, many northern congregations discard later compositions in favor of two simple older melodies singularly reminiscent of the folk-song of northern Europe in the century succeeding that in which the verses were written. The better known of these is an air, reserved for the
Less widely utilized in the present day is the special air traditional for the "
Text
The full version of the song (note that many Reform congregations omit verses 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 which make reference to messianic redemption),[10] while Sephardic congregations based in the Jerusalem and Aleppo rites omit verse 4 and verses 6 through 8, as they make reference to agony:[11]
# | English translation | Transliteration | Hebrew |
---|---|---|---|
Chorus: | |||
1 | Let’s go, my beloved, to meet the bride, | Lekha dodi liqrat kallah | לכה דודי לקראת כלה |
2 | Let us welcome the presence of Shabbat. | p'ne Shabbat neqabelah | פני שבת נקבלה |
Verse 1: | |||
3 | "Safeguard" and "Remember" in a single utterance,[b] | Shamor v'zakhor b'dibur eḥad | שמור וזכור בדבור אחד |
4 | We were made to hear by the unified God, | hishmiʿanu El hameyuḥad | השמיענו אל המיחד |
5 | God is one and God’s Name is one, | Adonai eḥad ushemo eḥad | יי אחד ושמו אחד |
6 | In fame and splendor and praiseful song. | L'Shem ul'tiferet v'lit'hilah | לשם ולתפארת ולתהלה |
Verse 2: | |||
7 | To greet Shabbat let’s go, let's be gone, | Liqrat Shabbat lekhu v'neLekha | לקראת שבת לכו ונלכה |
8 | For she is the wellspring of blessing, | ki hi m'qor haberakhah | כי היא מקור הברכה |
9 | From the start, from ancient times she was chosen, | merosh miqedem nesukhah | מראש מקדם נסוכה |
10 | Last made, but first planned.[c] | sof maʿaseh b'maḥashavah teḥilah | סוף מעשה במחשבה תחלה |
Verse 3: | |||
11 | Sanctuary of the king, royal city, | Miqdash melekhʿir melukhah | מקדש מלך עיר מלוכה |
12 | Arise! Leave from the midst of the turmoil; | Qumi tz'i mitokh ha-hafekhah | קומי צאי מתוך ההפכה |
13 | Long enough have you sat in the valley of tears | Rav lakh shevet b'emeq habakha | רב לך שבת בעמק הבכא |
14 | And He will take great pity upon you compassionately. | v'hu yaḥamol ʿalayikh ḥemlah | והוא יחמול עליך חמלה |
Verse 4: | |||
15 | Shake yourself free, rise from the dust, | Hitnaʿari me'afar qumi | התנערי מעפר קומי |
16 | Dress in your garments of splendor, my people, | Livshi bigde tifartekh ʿami | לבשי בגדי תפארתך עמי |
17 | By the hand of Jesse’s son of Bethlehem, | ʿAl yad ben Yishai bet ha-laḥmi | על יד בן ישי בית הלחמי |
18 | Draw near to my soul; redeem it. | Qorvah el nafshi g'alah | קרבה אל נפשי גאלה |
Verse 5: | |||
19 | Rouse yourselves! Rouse yourselves! | Hitʿoreri hitʿoreri | התעוררי התעוררי |
20 | Your light is coming, rise up and shine. | Ki va orekh qumi ori | כי בא אורך קומי אורי |
21 | Awaken! Awaken! Utter a song, | ʿUri ʿuri shir daberi | עורי עורי שיר דברי |
22 | The glory of the Lord is revealed upon you. | K'vod Adonai ʿalayikh niglah | כבוד יי עליך נגלה |
Verse 6: | |||
23 | Do not be embarrassed! Do not be ashamed! | Lo tevoshi v'lo tikalmi | לא תבושי ולא תכלמי |
24 | Why be downcast? Why groan? | Mah tishtoḥaḥi umah tehemi | מה תשתוחחי ומה תהמי |
25 | All my afflicted people will find refuge within you | bakh yeḥesu ʿaniye ʿami | בך יחסו עניי עמי |
26 | And the city shall be rebuilt on her hill. | v'nivnetah ʿir ʿal tilah | ונבנתה עיר על תלה |
Verse 7: | |||
27 | Your despoilers will become spoil, | V'hayu limshisah shosayikh | והיו למשסה שאסיך |
28 | Far away shall be any who would devour you, | V'raḥaqu kol mevalʿayikh | ורחקו כל מבלעיך |
29 | Your God will rejoice concerning you, | Yasisʿalayikh Elohayikh | ישיש עליך אלהיך |
30 | As a groom rejoices over a bride. | Kimsos ḥatan ʿal kalah | כמשוש חתן על כלה |
Verse 8: | |||
31 | To your right and your left you will burst forth, | Yamin usmol tifrotzi | ימין ושמאל תפרוצי |
32 | And the Lord will you revere | V'et Adonai taʿaritzi | ואת יי תעריצי |
33 | By the hand of a child of Peretz,[d] | ʿAl yad ish ben Partzi | על יד איש בן פרצי |
34 | We will rejoice and sing happily. | V'nismeḥah v'nagilah | ונשמחה ונגילה |
Verse 9: | |||
35 | Come in peace, crown of her husband, | Boi v'shalom ateret baʿalah | בואי בשלום עטרת בעלה |
36 | Both in happiness and in jubilation | Gam b'simḥah uvetzoholah | גם בשמחה ובצהלה |
37 | Amidst the faithful of the treasured nation | Tokh emune ʿam segulah | תוך אמוני עם סגלה |
38 | Come O Bride! Come O Bride! | Boi khalah boi khalah | בואי כלה בואי כלה |
In the
# | English translation | Transliteration | Hebrew |
---|---|---|---|
Verse 9: | |||
35 | Come in peace, crown of her husband, | Boi v'shalom ateret baʿalahh | בואי בשלום עטרת בעלה |
36 | Both in song and in jubilation | Gam b'rinah uvtzaholah | גם ברינה ובצהלה |
37 | Amidst the faithful of the treasured nation | Tokh emune ʿam segulah | תוך אמוני עם סגלה |
38 | Come O Bride! Shabbat Queen! | Boi khallah Shabbat malketa | בואי כלה שבת מלכתא |
See also
References
Notes
- ^ b. Eruvin 21b
- ^ "Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 242:40". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- ^ "Mishnah Berurah 262:10". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- ^ "Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 262:5". www.sefaria.org. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- ^ "Lecha Dodi- turning and bowing in Bo'ee BiShalom | Rabbi Ari Shvat | Ask the rabbi | yeshiva.co". Yeshiva Site. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- ^ Hoffman, Lawrence A. Kabbalat Shabbat: (Welcoming Shabbat in the Synagogue). My People's Prayer Book.
- ^ Hammer, Reuven. Or Hadash: A Commentary on Siddur Sim Shalom For Shabbat and Festivals. 21.
- ^ זמרשת: לכה דודי (לחן מסורתי)
- ^ "Der Jüdische Kantor", 1883, p. 349
- ^ Jakob J. Petuchowski, Prayerbook Reform in Europe: The Liturgy of European Liberal and Reform Judaism (1968, NYC, World Union for Progressive Judaism) p. 121, quoting the 'Synagogenordnung' issued circa 1853 for the Progressive congregation in Mayence, Germany under Rabbi Joseph Aub; R' Eric L. Friedland, The Historical and Theological Development of the Non-Orthodox Prayerbooks in the United States (1967, Ph.D. dissertation, Brandeis Univ., NYC) p. 108, that Marcus Jastrow, in his 1871 revision of the German edition Avodat Yisroel (the Reform prayerbook) to reduce Lekhah Dodi to three stanzas, a "which version was later adopted in the 1940 edition of the Union Prayer Book [the American Reform prayerbook]....."
- ^ R' Eliezer Toledano, The Orot Sephardic Shabat Siddur (1995, Lakewood, NJ, Orot Inc) p. 68.
- ^ Mekhilta, Yitro, Hahodesh, 7
- ^ Also transliterated Lekhah Dodi, Lecha Dodi, L'chah Dodi, Lekah Dodi, Lechah Dodi.
- ^ The Ten Commandments appear twice in the Torah, in Exodus 20:8 they read "Remember (zakhor) the Sabbath Day" and in Deuteronomy 5:12 "Safeguard (shamor) the Sabbath Day". According to a midrash, both words were supernaturally spoken by God simultaneously.[12] Here, "Safeguard" appears before "Remember" to accommodate the acrostic of the composer's name.
- ^ The Sabbath Day, the seventh and last day of Creation, was essentially the last thing created in that week; yet traditionally it was part of God's plan from the very first.
- ^ A poetic description of the Messiah, who will be descended from Peretz, an ancestor of King David
Bibliography
- English translation and discussion: in Kabbalat Shabbat: Welcoming Shabbat in the Synagogue, Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, ed. Jewish Lights Publishing. 2004. ISBN 1-58023-121-7.
Hebrew book with English introduction: Reuven Kimelman, The Mystical Meaning of ‘Lekha Dodi’ and ‘Kabbalat Shabbat’, The Hebrew University Magnes Press, and Cherub Press, 2003
- Traditional settings: A. Baer, Ba'al Tefillah, Nos. 326-329, 340-343, Gothenburg, 1877, Frankfort, 1883;
- Francis Cohen and David M. Davis, Voice of Prayer and Praise, Nos. 18, 19a, and 19b, London, 1899;
- F. Consolo, Libro dei Canti d'Israele, part. i, Florence, 1892;
- Aguilar, Ancient Melodies, p. 16 and No. 7, London, 1857;
- Israel, London, i. 82; iii. 22, 204;
- Journal of the Folk-Song Society, i., No. 2, pp. 33, 37, London, 1900. Translations, etc.: Israel, iii. 22;
- H. Heine, Werke, iii. 234, Hamburg, 1884;
- J. G. von Herder, Werke, Stuttgart, 1854;
- A. Lucas, The Jewish Year, p. 167, London, 1898
External links
- Lecha Dodi Hassidic version free style by Cantor Fahlenkamp all verses with lyrics YouTube video
- Lecha Dodi with Sephardic last verse YouTube video
- לכה דודי/Lecha Dodi- אסף נוה שלום verses 1-5 only. YouTube video
- Audio file "Lekha Dodi" MP3
- Audio file "Lekha Dodi" MP3
- Lekha Dodi with music from The Jewish Learning Group from the Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center
- Lekha Dodi tunes and recordings on the Zemirot Database
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Lekah Dodi". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.