(א) לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה
(ב) פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה
(א) לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה
(ב) כִּי הִיא מְקוֹר הַבְּרָכָה
(ג) מֵרֹאשׁ מִקֶּדֶם נְסוּכָה
(ד) סוֹף מַעֲשֶּׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה
(א) מִקְדַּשׁ מֶלֶךְ עִיר מְלוּכָה
(ב) קוּמִי צְאִי מִתּוֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָה
(ג) רַב לָךְ שֶׁבֶת בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא
(ד) וְהוּא יַחֲמוֹל עָלַיִךְ חֶמְלָּה
(א) Come, my lover, to welcome the bride
(ב) The face of Shabbat we will receive
Stanza 2
(1) To greet the Sabbath, come and we'll go
(2) For she is a source of blessing
(3) From the first, from of old, she was chosen
(4) Made at the end, and planned from the start
Stanza 3
(1) O Holy Place of the King, city of sovereignty
(2) Arise, escape from the midst of the chaos
(3) Long have you sat in the valley of tears
(4) And He will grant mercy, mercy upon you
Biblical Sources
(ה) בֵּ֖ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּא֥וֹר ה׳׃
(5) O House of Jacob! Come, let us walk By the light of GOD.
(כב) ה׳ קָ֭נָנִי רֵאשִׁ֣ית דַּרְכּ֑וֹ קֶ֖דֶם מִפְעָלָ֣יו מֵאָֽז׃ (כג) מֵ֭עוֹלָם נִסַּ֥כְתִּי מֵרֹ֗אשׁ מִקַּדְמֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
I was created at the beginning of GOD’s course
As the first of the works of old.
In the distant past I was fashioned,
At the beginning, at the origin of earth.
(א) וַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכׇל־צְבָאָֽם׃ (ב) וַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹקִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (ג) וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכׇּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹקִ֖ים לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ {פ} (ד) אֵ֣לֶּה תוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת ה׳ אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם׃
(1) The heaven and the earth were finished, and all their array. (2) On the seventh day God finished the work that had been undertaken: [God] ceased on the seventh day from doing any of the work. (3) And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy—having ceased on it from all the work of creation that God had done. (4) Such is the story of heaven and earth when they were created. When God ה׳ made earth and heaven—
Chevruta Questions
1. How do these sources relate to stanza 2?
2. How does R' Alkabetz play with the ideas of Creation and Redemption in this verse? What role does Shabbat play?