Rabbi Chanina had the custom of announcing, “Let us go out to meet the queenly bride”. Rabbi Yannai would wear a special garment, and stand in his place, saying: “Come to me, my bride, come to me, my bride.”
The manner in which our great Torah Sages would welcome the beginning of Shabbat are the source of central words and themes that are incorporated into the prayer/song of “Lecha Dodi”, which is part of the Kabbalat Shabbat prayer service on Shabbat eve.
The Maharsha explains a number of key lessons that we learn from these Sages: Why is Shabbat called our “bride,” why it is called a “malka” (queen), why did Rabbi Chanina “go out” (quickly, in the context of the gemara) to greet the Shabbat bridal queen, whereas Rabbi Yannai called to “her” to come to him, and why did Rabbi Yannai repeat his call to the Shabbat bride?
Shabbat is the bride of the Jewish People. The Midrash states that when Hashem created the world and established seven days in a week, “Shabbat” complained that each day of the week had a “mate” (the next day), but Shabbat was without a mate. Hashem replied that Shabbat would be the mate and “bride” of the Jewish People, her “groom.” And since all Jews are considered “royalty,” our “bride” is a “queen.” Rabbi Chanina felt that just as it is customary for a groom to go out to greet his bride at the marriage ceremony, so too we should “go” to greet and welcome our Shabbat bride.
Rabbi Yanai, however, thought and taught otherwise. From the place where he stood, he called out with an invitation to the Shabbat bride to come to the wedding chupa, and then afterwards to come to his home. And just as every bride is welcomed twice in this manner to complete the marriage, likewise Rabbi Yannai would say twice say to the Shabbat bride “to come” — “Come to the chupa and then come to our home.”
Bava Kama 32 a, b
