Page 113 - Attractive Deception - The False Hope of the Hebrew Roots Movement

terms -- so different from the charmingly prosaic, matter-of-fact attitude the Talmud usually adopts.
Most important, one passage in the Talmudic literature (describing events in the 2nd and 3rd
centuries CE) already shows the early personification of Shabbat Hamalka: "Rabbi Hanina used to
wrap himself in festive clothes towards evening on Friday and say: 'Come, let us go to receive
Shabbat the Queen.' Rabbi Yannai used to put on festive clothes on the eve of the Sabbath and say:
'Come, O bride, come, O bride!' "

In a Midrashic passage the image develops: "Rabbi Shimeon Ben Yohai said: The Sabbath said
before God: 'Master of the worlds! Each day has its mate, but I have none! Why?' The Holy One,
Blessed be He, answered her: 'The Community of Israel is your mate.' And when Israel stood before
Mount Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: 'Remember what I told the Sabbath: 'The
Community of Israel is your mate.' Therefore, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."

Up to this point, she already embodied both Bride and Queen. The Cabbalists, however, developed
the myth to its full spiritual and romantic capacity and infused it with mystical, cosmic meaning...

During this time, the gender of the Sabbath was debated, based on two verbs used in two versions
of the Fourth Commandment. In Exodus, the Commandment declares "Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy." In Deuteronomy, the Commandment declares "Observe (or Keep, in some versions)
the Sabbath day to keep it holy." The Zohar equates "Observe" with the female side of the Sabbath,
and "Remember" with the male side, thus giving the Sabbath both genders. This is not as paradoxical
as it sounds, if one compares it to the description of Shekhina, who is at the same time the female
aspect of Yahweh Himself -- and his wife. Duplicate divine personas happen often in Judaism,
because it combines a strong patriarchal outlook with an equally powerful presence of the Goddess.
So the male side of the Sabbath came to be associated with "Yesod," the male principle of God in the
Kabbalah, and the female side associated with Shekhina, who is Queen, representative of the
Community of Israel, and Bride of God. This allowed Shabbat Hamalka to become the Bride of
Yesod, or simply put, the Bride of God. It also intensified the distinctiveness of a glorious female
entity, ready to be worshiped.

She must be received in style. A paragraph in the Zohar starts: "One must prepare a comfortable seat
with several cushions and embroidered covers, from all that is found in the house, like one who
prepares a canopy for a bride. For the Sabbath is a queen and a bride. This is why the masters of the
Mishna used to go out on the eve of Sabbath to receive her on the road, and used to say: 'Come, O
bride, come, O bride!' And one must sing and rejoice at the table in her honor ... one must receive
the Lady with many lighted candles, many enjoyments, beautiful clothes, and a house embellished
with many fine appointments ..."

On Friday night, all the men, representing Yesod, went to receive the Bride in the open fields around
town. The poetry they recited for the ritualistic greeting included many allusions to the "Sacred Apple
Orchard," a mystical place where God and his consort Shekhina celebrated their union and
conceived the Souls of the Just. The connection to Ashera, who was always worshiped in glades and
groves, is obvious.

Each man returned home to be received by his wife, who represented the Shekhina/Shabbat. All other
females of the household were also honored on Friday evening. The husband picked up branches of
myrtle, the symbol of marriage which was always prepared for weddings as well. He then recited