An obvious way to connect texts is by observing that one quotes or paraphrases the other. The L’cho Dodi prayer [Sim, pp. 21-22], said at the Erev Shabbat (Friday evening) service, has many quotes and paraphrases from Tanach, particularly from Isaiah’s Haftara readings of consolation, those read between Tisha B’Av (9^th of Av – anniversary of the destruction of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem) and Rosh Hashana. (Verses from other parts of Isaiah as well as Judges, Psalms, and Jeremiah, are also quoted or paraphrased - see [Birn; footnote, pp. 29-30].) These selections, full of wonderful poetry, traverse a roller coaster of emotions.

As reflected in L’cho Dodi, most Biblical quotes or paraphrases are quite short, often no more than a phrase of two or three words. This may be because in former times, the average Jew knew Tanach better than today; without printing presses, books were hand-written, hence often too expensive for the average person. Even today, there are Jews from poor communities such as Yemen who were taught as children to read from any perspective – upside down, sideways – so that several students could share a book. In such poverty, students had to memorize in order to study. To such students, a short phrase would bring the pleasure of recognition that many of us do not experience.

These references to verses of Tanach weave together fundamental themes of Judaism: to the refrain of "Come, my beloved, to greet the Sabbath bride…," the prayer touches our love of G-d, the people of Israel, the land of Israel, Shabbat (the Sabbath), Torah, and Jerusalem; and our yearnings for peace and the arrival of the Messiah.

• First stanza: Shamor v’zachor b’dibbur echad ("Keep" and "remember," as one word). This refers to the commandment concerning the Sabbath – Remember the Sabbath day for its holiness [Exodus 20:9; Hertz, p. 297] in the first version of the 10 Commandments; Keep the Sabbath day for its holiness [Deut.5:12; Hertz, p. 766] in the second version of the 10 Commandments.

The Talmud (Shavuot 20b) holds that "Keep" and "Remember" were spoken together, as one word, at Sinai. Thus, one brief phrase alludes to two verses in the Torah; also to our affection for the Sabbath, the law (Torah), the Maker of miracles, the Talmud, and our tradition of commentary.

• Fourth stanza, third line: freely translated "Messiah will lead us all soon to rebirth." A more literal translation of al yad ben Yishai Bet haLachmi is "on account of the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite." This refers to King David, the son of Jesse from Bethlehem. Tradition holds that the Messiah will be a descendant of David. The Messianic theme reappears later.

• Fifth stanza, first line: "Awake and arise to greet the new light" (Hit-or’ri hit-or’ri). Consider the full verse [Isaiah 51:17; Hertz, p. 836]: "Awake, awake (Hit-or’ri hit-or’ri), stand up, O Jerusalem that has drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of His fury; thou has drunken the beaker, even the cup of staggering, and drained it."

Jerusalem is staggered by divine punishment, but the nightmare is over, and a bright future awaits.

• Fifth stanza, third line, and fourth stanza, first and second lines, paraphrase consecutive verses [Isaiah 52:1-2; Hertz, pp. 837-838]:

Awake, awake (Uri, Uri – L’cho Dodi, 5^th stanza, 3^rd line),
put on thy strength, O Zion,
put on thy beautiful garments (livshi bigdei tif-arteich - L’cho Dodi, 4^th stanza, 2nd line)
O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Shake thyself from the dust (Hitna-ari mei-afar kumi - L’cho Dodi, 4^th stanza, 1^st line),
arise and sit [upon your throne – Rashi, cited in the Hertz commentary]….

The joyous song Uri Tzion is based on these verses. Jerusalem is pictured as a battered woman, now assured that she will no longer be abused sexually ("come into" – yavo – a word sometimes used for sex without the loving intimacy of a good marriage, e.g., Abram "went into her" – Hagar [Genesis 16:4; Hertz, p 56]; Judah "came in unto her" – his daughter-in-law Tamar [Genesis 38:18; Hertz, p. 146]; as contrasted with yada, "knew," to describe loving marital intimacy; see Rabbi Haber’s commentary quoted in the previous lecture's notes) by invading heathens ("the uncircumcised and the unclean"). She will be returned to her rightful status as a queen.

Compare also

L'cho Dodi 5th stanza, 3rd line: Uri, uri, shir dabeiri (Arise, arise, utter a song)

and
(from the Song of Deborah, a celebration of a great military victory) [Judges 5:12; Hertz, p. 284] ... uri, uri, dabri shir (arise, arise, utter a song)

• Consider the verses [Isaiah 54:3-4; Hertz, p. 857]

3. For thou shalt spread abroad on the right and the left [L’cho Dodi, 8^th stanza, line 1]

and thy seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

4. Fear not, for lo teivoshi v’al (paraphrased v’lo in L’cho Dodi) tikalmi – thou shalt not be ashamed [L’cho Dodi, 6^th stanza, line 1] …

for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and the reproach of thy widowhood shalt thou remember no more.

The word alm’nutayich translated as "thy widowhood" is perhaps be more properly understood in context as "thy abandonment." Subsequent verses clarify the comparison of Israel to a woman who had been abandoned by her husband (G-d), but now the marriage is healed, the shame of the marital rupture is past, and a future of children and prosperity lies ahead ("spread abroad…" – make room for the children, who shall "possess the nations" - have material success).

The theme of needing more room for the children is also suggested by the phrase v'rachaku kal m'valayich in L'cho Dodi, 7th stanza, 2nd line. This phrase (without the word "kal") appears in [Isaiah 49:19; Hertz, p. 795]:

And they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

But notice the surrounding text in verses 19-20:

19. ... surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

20. The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears: 'The place is too small for me; give me space that I may dwell.'

Thus, the marriage will face the happy problem of needing more room for its many children, safe from enemies of the past.

• L'cho Dodi 6th stanza, line 2: "Why are you downcast? Why do up moan?" Compare with Psalm 42:12 [Holy Scriptures, p. 898]:
  
  Why are you downcast, oh my soul? Why moanest thou within me? Hope thou in G-d; for I shall yet praise Him, the salvation of my countenance, and my G-d.
  

Compare 7^th stanza, lines 3-4: Yasis alayich Elohayich kim-sos chatan al kalah (Your G-d will celebrate you as a groom rejoices over his bride)

and

[Isaiah 62:5; Hertz, p. 884] … u’m-sos chatan al kalah yasis alayich Elohayich (and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so shall thy G-d rejoice over thee)

The marriage of G-d and Israel is renewed with great celebration. Again it is useful to recall Rabbi Haber’s commentary, quoted in the previous lecture's notes.

• 8^th stanza, line 3 repeats Messianic theme: Al yad ish ben Partzi – literally, "at the hand of the man who is the descendant of the Peretzite." How does this suggest the Messiah? [Ruth 4:18-22; Holy Scriptures, p. 1091]:

18. Now these are the generations of Peretz: Peretz begot Hezron;

19. And Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab;

20. And Amminadab begot Nachshon, and Nachshon begot Salmon;

21. And Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed;

22. And Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David

Recall David is traditionally regarded as progenitor of the Messiah. Thus, Israel’s restoration as G-d’s partner in building the world leads to the birth of the Messiah.

References

[Birn] Birnbaum, Philip, ed. Prayer Book for Sabbath and Festivals, Hebrew Publishing Company, New York, 1978

[Hertz] Hertz Chumash, Soncino Press

[Holy Scriptures] The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text, Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 1965

[Sim] Siddur Sim Shalom for Shabbat and Festivals, The Rabbinical Assembly, The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, New York, 1998