לכה דודי לקראת כלה – Lecha Dodi likras kallah.
Come, my Beloved, to greet the bride.
According to the Sifrei Kabbalah, Dodi refers to Hashem, inviting the Jewish People to join in the spiritual union of Shabbos. Other commentaries interpret it as a call from the Jewish People from one to another, urging everyone to observe the laws of Shabbos. The kallah, bride, is the term used to describe Shabbos. This is an image derived from Chazal (Midrash Bereishis Rabbah 11:8) which refer to Shabbos as a gift which Hashem has given to the Jewish People. Matanah achas yeis li v’Shabbos shemah, “I have a gift in My treasure house and Shabbos is its name.” Shabbos is considered the Jewish People’s ben zug, companion, spouse, soulmate. Last, the symbolism of Dodi and Kallah mirrors the relationship between Hashem and Klal Yisrael, as noted in Shir HaShirim.
