After the forced exile of the largest community in global Jewry, Sephardic kabbalists began to explain their new reality in mystical terms. In the 16th century, under the moderation of Ottoman Rule, some of these exiles returned to the land of Israel--founding a great new Jewish, mystical city: Tsfat or Safed.
I. Lecha Dodi is a liturgical poem (or hymn) recited by observant Jews every Friday night in order to mark the beginning of Shabbat.
Chorus:
Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah |
Come, my beloved, to welcome the bride
let us greet Shabbat as she arrives
What is the primary image of the chorus above?
Who is calling whom?
Verse:
Likrat Shabbat l’chu v’nelcha,Ki hi m’kor ha’bracha.Me’rosh mi’kedem n’sucha;Sof ma’aseh b’mach’shava t’chila.
Let us go out to greet Shabbat,
sacred wellspring of blessing,
conceived at the beginning of time,
finally formed at the end of six days.
Describe the relationship of speaker to audience. In your own words describe what is taking place.
II. Ts'fat kabbalists made use of earlier prophetic mysticism. Read through the Biblical passage from the Song of Songs:
(יא) אֲנִ֣י לְדוֹדִ֔י וְעָלַ֖י תְּשׁוּקָתֽוֹ׃ (ס) (יב) לְכָ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ נֵצֵ֣א הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה נָלִ֖ינָה בַּכְּפָרִֽים׃ (יג) נַשְׁכִּ֙ימָה֙ לַכְּרָמִ֔ים נִרְאֶ֞ה אִם פָּֽרְחָ֤ה הַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ פִּתַּ֣ח הַסְּמָדַ֔ר הֵנֵ֖צוּ הָרִמּוֹנִ֑ים שָׁ֛ם אֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־דֹּדַ֖י לָֽךְ׃
(11) I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me. (12) Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us rest in the villages. (13) Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see whether the vine has budded, whether the vine-blossom has opened, and the pomegranates have flowered; there will I give thee my love.
1. What does the plain or literal understanding of the verse? What is most surprising about this quote contained in the Tanach/Bible?
2. The Kabbalists read the Song of Songs quote from the point of view of the love between the people Israel and the Holy One. How does this read connect to the poem Lecha Dodi from above?
III. Halacha
Read two teachings from R' Joseph Karo's Shulchan Aruch.
ראוי לכל ירא שמים שיהא מיצר ודואג על חורבן בית המקדש:
It is fitting for every person who has fear of Heaven to be anguished and concerned regarding the destruction of the Temple.
טוב מעט תחנונים בכוונה מהרבות בלא כוונה:
Better few supplications with concentration than much without concentration.
1. What is the simple meaning of each halacha? Argue why each one is important enough for R' Karo to include it.
2. R' Karo was also a leading kabbalist in Ts'fat. Too often, we tend to view mystics and those interested in ritual details as being different, distinct, sometimes even oppositional. What connections can you make between these two parts of Ts'fat kabbalah?