L'cha Dodi Likrat Kala

Tired of cold weather we skipped Kabbalat Shabbat services at shul and stayed home this Friday night.  And as much as I miss the uplifting atmosphere of the synagogue service, sometimes the same words impart a new meaning when read slowly in the golden glow of my dining room.

Reading familiar words of “Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah” - Come, my friend, to meet the bride; let us welcome the presence of the Sabbath – I thought how is Shabbat related to marriage, why is it that we greet Shabbos with a song proclaiming a wedding between Jewish people and G-d, why do we start all Shabbos liturgy with the preliminary reading of Song of Songs, that compares Israel with a beloved bride of Hashem.  How is Shabbos compared to marriage? 

On Shabbos we don’t work.  On Shabbos Israel becomes a married woman who does not have to work outside of the house, who is fully provided by her husband.  The focus of Shabbos is to love and praise G-d.  On Shabbos, G-d gives us everything in exchange for our love and admiration. On Shabbos, there is no anger, no need for control, no fear, no struggle for survival.  Israel is a graceful dignified Queen married to the King of Kings, living in a shiny palace in the garden of paradise. 

But there is yet another aspect of marriage.  Husband and wife are committed to take care of each other.  We believe that Hashem takes care of us with compassion and protects us from harm, often in mysterious ways that we cannot understand.  But how can we take care of the infinite, almighty G-d?  How can we guard and protect Him and take care of His needs? 

Torah teaches us sensitivity and compassion to each other "V'ahavta l'rayacha kamocha, ani Hashem” {you shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am Hashem}. [Lev. 19:18]. It teaches us shmirat haloshon, sensitivity and modesty in speech.  Each person has a tender and sensitive core that is a part of G-d, a Divine soul.  By being sensitive and protective of every soul, including one’s own soul, a human being takes care of G-d, like a gentle, loving wife takes care of her husband.