Shabbat Candles
By Olaf.herfurth - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9668059
0. What are some themes of Shabbat?
1. Kabbalat Shabbat
Development from Talmudic times to 16th century
... אמ' ר' לעזר בר' צדוק אבא היה מתפלל תפלה קצרה בלילי שבתות. ומאהבתך ה' אליהנו שאהבת את ישראל עמך. ומחמלתך מלכנו שחמלת על בני בריתך, נתת לנו ה' אלינו את יום השביעי הגדול והקדוש הזה באהבה. ...
...... Rabbi 'Lazar (=El`azar) the son of Rabbi Zadok says, Father used to pray a short prayer on Sabbath eve:
"Because of Your love, O Lord our God, with which You have loved Your people Israel, and because of Your kindness, Our King, which You have shown to the people of Your covenant, You have granted us, O Lord, this great and holy seventh day in love."
רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִיעֲטֵף וְקָאֵי אַפַּנְיָא דְמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא, אָמַר: ״בּוֹאוּ וְנֵצֵא לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה״.
רַבִּי יַנַּאי לָבֵישׁ מָאנֵי מְעַלּוּ (שַׁבָּת) [וּמִיכַּסֵּי], וְאָמַר: ״בּוֹאִי כַלָּה, בּוֹאִי כַלָּה״. ...
The Gemara now returns to the issue of delight in and deference to Shabbat. Rabbi Ḥanina would wrap himself in his garment and stand at nightfall on Shabbat eve, and say: Come and we will go out to greet Shabbat the queen.
Rabbi Yannai put on his garment on Shabbat eve and said: Enter, O bride. Enter, O bride / bo'i khalah, bo'i khalah / בואי כלה, בואי כלה. ...
Ismar Elbogen, Jewish Liturgy, German original first published in 1913; transl. by Raymond P. Scheindlin with many additions, JPS:1993, p. 92
The Sabbath service is introduced by an element not known in the Middle Ages, the Welcoming of the Sabbath (קבלת שבת [Kabbalat Shabbat]). It originated in the circle of the kabbalists [mystics] in Safed at the end of the sixteenth century... The Talmud (B. Shab. 111a) reports that certain sages would receive the Sabbath by saying: "Come, let us go out to greet the Sabbath Queen"; in these circles this poetic expression was taken literally. They would go out to the fields in groups, reciting it and singing Psalms 95-99 and Psalm 29, followed by a song with the refrain, "Come my friend" [לכה דודי/ Lecha dodi] and ending "Come O bride, come O bride, in peace, Sabbath Queen."
The Poem Lecha Dodi
Several poems were written with this name. The version that became most famous was written by Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz (~1500-1576; lived in Safed 1535- ).
The Structure of Kabbalat Shabbat
Parts 1-6: Psalms 95-99, 29
Part 7: "Lecha Dodi"
Parts 8-9 or Part 8 or Continuation of Part 7: Psalm 92 (Psalm for Shabbat) and Psalm 93 (Psalm for Friday)
Themes of Psalms 95-99 and 29
Notes about Psalms 93-99
A. Adele Berlin and Marc Tzvi Brettler, Introductory comment to Psalm 93:
"The kingship psalms grouped together (93-99) may have been seen as a subcollection in antiquity; none has a Davidic superscription."
B. Richard J. Clifford, New Oxford Annotated Bible, introduction to Psalms, p. 783
"The Jerusalem Temple was an essential element of Israelite religion, and it is not surprising that many psalms refer to it; its ceremonies; and the three annual feasts of pilgrimage to the Temple. Some scholars have suggested that a New Year Festival was celebrated in preexilic Israel in early fall at which time enthronement psalms would have been fitting (e.g. Pss 47; 93: 95-100). In these psalms the Hebrew verb customarily rendered 'the Lord is king,' [DR: ה׳ מלך / Hashem malakh] could also be translated as 'the Lord has become king,' celebrating the recognition that the Lord has overcome his foes and brought the world into being."
C. Uses of 93-99 in Jewish liturgy
- 93: Psalm of the day for Friday (also recited in Kabbalat Shabbat after 92)
- 94: Psalm of the day for Wednesday. It is customary to read the first verse(s) of Psalm 95 together with Psalm 94, which hints at the approach of the coming Shabbat.
- 95-99: First 5 psalms in Kabbalat Shabbat
2. Our Text: Psalm 29
(א) מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הָב֣וּ לַ֭ה' בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝ה' כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃
(ב) הָב֣וּ לַ֭ה' כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לַ֝ה' בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃
(ג) ק֥וֹל ה' עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם אֵֽל־הַכָּב֥וֹד הִרְעִ֑ים ה' עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃
(ד) קוֹל־ה' בַּכֹּ֑חַ ק֥וֹל ה' בֶּהָדָֽר׃
(ה) ק֣וֹל ה' שֹׁבֵ֣ר אֲרָזִ֑ים וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃
(ו) וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם כְּמוֹ־עֵ֑גֶל לְבָנ֥וֹן וְ֝שִׂרְיֹ֗ן כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִֽים׃
(ז) קוֹל־ה' חֹצֵ֗ב לַהֲב֥וֹת אֵֽשׁ׃
(ח) ק֣וֹל ה' יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר יָחִ֥יל ה' מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃
(ט) ק֤וֹל ה' ׀ יְחוֹלֵ֣ל אַיָּלוֹת֮ וַֽיֶּחֱשֹׂ֢ף יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת וּבְהֵיכָל֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר כָּבֽוֹד׃
(י) ה' לַמַּבּ֣וּל יָשָׁ֑ב וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב ה' מֶ֣לֶךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃
(יא) ה' עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן ה' ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ {פ}
(1) A psalm of David.
Ascribe [OR: Grant!] to the LORD, O divine beings [בני אלים / benei eilim],
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
(2) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name;
bow down to the LORD, majestic in holiness.
(3) The voice [קול / kol ] of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over the mighty waters.
(4) The voice of the LORD is power;
the voice of the LORD is majesty;
(5) the voice of the LORD breaks cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
(6) He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,-a
Sirion, like a young wild ox.
(7) The voice of the LORD kindles flames of fire;
(8) the voice of the LORD convulses the wilderness;
the LORD convulses the wilderness of Kadesh;
(9) the voice of the LORD causes hinds to calve,
and strips forests bare;-b
while in His temple [ובהיכלו / u've'heikhalo - Or: 'in His palace'] all say “Glory!”
(10) The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood;
the LORD sits enthroned, king forever.
(11) May the LORD grant strength to His people;
may the LORD bestow on His people wellbeing [שלום / shalom ].
3. Commentaries, Themes, Parallels
Dutch Boats in a Gale, 1801, oil on canvas
By J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851, English)
- Web Gallery of Art: Image Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18279484
Psalm 29 and liturgy
גְּמָ׳ הָנֵי שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה כְּנֶגֶד מִי? אָמַר
רַבִּי הִלֵּל בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי: כְּנֶגֶד שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה אַזְכָּרוֹת שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד בְּ״הָבוּ לַה׳ בְּנֵי אֵלִים״. ...
GEMARA: Since the mishna deals with the fundamental obligation to recite the Amida prayer, the Gemara seeks to resolve fundamental problems pertaining to this prayer. Corresponding to what were these eighteen blessings instituted? When the Shemoneh Esreh was instituted by the Sages, on what did they base the number of blessings?
Rabbi Hillel, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, said: Corresponding to the eighteen mentions of God’s name that King David said in the psalm: “Give unto the Lord, O you sons of might” (Psalms 29). ...
To this point, the Gemara discussed allusions to the nineteen blessings that constitute the weekday Amida prayer. The Gemara asks: Corresponding to what were these seven blessings of the Shabbat Amida prayer instituted? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ḥalafta ben Shaul said: Corresponding to the seven “voices” which David mentioned on the waters; in other words, the seven times that “the voice of God” is mentioned in Psalms 29, which served as the source for the weekday prayer.
כתנאי (שמות יח, א) וישמע יתרו כהן מדין מה שמועה שמע ובא ונתגייר ...
ר"א המודעי אומר מתן תורה שמע [ובא] שכשניתנה תורה לישראל היה קולו הולך מסוף העולם ועד סופו וכל [מלכי] עובדי כוכבים אחזתן רעדה בהיכליהן ואמרו שירה שנאמר (תהלים כט, ט) ובהיכלו כולו אומר כבוד
§ ... “Now Yitro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 18:1). What tiding did he hear that he came and converted? ... Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i says: He heard about the giving of the Torah and came.
As when the Torah was given to the Jewish people, the voice of the Holy One, Blessed be He, went from one end of the world to the other end, and all of the kings of the nations of the world were overcome with trembling in their palaces and recited a song of praise, as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve…and in his palace all say: Glory” (Psalms 29:9), i.e., each king in his own palace recited songs of praise to God.
(א) ... ומחזירים ס"ת למקומה ונוהגים לומר בספרד מזמור הבו לה' בני אלים כשמחזירין הספר מפני שנאמר על מתן תורה וגם ז' ברכות של שבת נתקנו כנגד שבעה קולות שנאמרו בו:
A code of Jewish law, written by Jacob ben Asher, Spain, ~1300-~1340
...
The Torah scroll is returned to its place. It is customary in Spain to recite "A psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O divine beings..." (Psalm 29), because [this Psalm] treats of the Giving of the Torah. Further, the Seven Blessings of [the] Shabbat [Amidah, Silent Prayer] were established corresponding the seven 'Voices' [instances of the word קול/kol/voice] that are declared in it.
Commentaries on Psalm 29
(ב) ובני אלים – הם הכוכבים והעד: ברן יחד כוכבי בקר, ואחריו: ויריעו כל בני אלקים והטעם כפול. טעם להזכיר הכוכבים, כי כפי מערכתם ירדו הגשמים בעזרת אלקי האלקים והזכיר פעם אחרת הבו לה', כי כן תמיד על דרך: נשאו נהרות ה'.
and בני אלים / benei eilim refers to the stars, as in Job 38:7: "When the morning stars sang together And all the divine beings/ benei Elo-him shouted for joy"
(ז) בְּרׇן־יַ֭חַד כּ֣וֹכְבֵי בֹ֑קֶר וַ֝יָּרִ֗יעוּ כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹקִֽים׃
(7) When the morning stars sang together
And all the divine beings shouted for joy?
Prepare for the Lord Heb. הבו.
Prepare for the Lord and prepare for Him, you sons of the mighty of the land.
From here we derive the ruling that [for the first blessing of the Amidah prayer] we should say the blessing אבות, the Patriarchs (Meg. 17b, R.H. 32b, Mid. Ps. 29:2). ...
prepare for the Lord glory and might From here we derive that [for the second blessing of the Amidah prayer] we should say the blessing of גבורות, mighty deeds.
the glory due His name This is the blessing of the sanctity of the Name [the third blessing of the Amidah]. In this psalm, there are eighteen mentions of God’s name, and corresponding to them, they instituted eighteen blessings.
(ז) הָב֣וּ לַ֭ה' מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝ה' כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ (ח) הָב֣וּ לַ֭ה' כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ שְׂאֽוּ־מִ֝נְחָ֗ה וּבֹ֥אוּ לְחַצְרוֹתָֽיו׃
(7) Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. (8) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name,
bring tribute and enter His courts.
Berlin & Brettler on 96:7-8 "A reworked citation of Ps. 29:1-2"
See also comment of Berlin & Brettler on 29:1, below.
Divine beings - בני אלים
Berlin & Brettler, Comment on 29:1
"Divine beings, lit. "sons of God," or "sons of gods," subordinate deities in the heavenly assembly. In Israelite thought these divine beings are part of God's retinue, His heavenly court. Probably because of its polytheistic overtones, Psalm 96.7 substitutes 'families of the peoples' for this term."
Snowy Mount Hermon as seen from Mt. Bental.
By Almog - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2181987
Lebanon, Sirion, Kadesh
Lebanon = Lebanon (from lavan / לבן/ white, perhaps referring to snow-capped mountains)
Sirion = Mount Hermon at the southern border of Lebanon
wilderness of Kadesh =
=possibly 'the desert east of the city of Kadesh in central western Syria' (R. Clifford)
OR
=the eastern half of Sinai (for example, Robert Alter)