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The Fascinating History of Kabbalat Shabbat and Lecha Dodi
The Germans occupied France in 1940, yet the Great Synagogue of Lyon resolutely continued to function for prayer services. French Nazi collaborators, known as the Milice, decided to take advantage of the situation by attacking the Jews in their synagogue on the Friday night of December 10, 1943.
Friday night services in synagogue begin with Kabbalat Shabbat, the “Welcoming the Shabbat” liturgy. This prayer consists of six chapters of Psalms, followed by a poetic prayer that was composed in the 1500s, called Lecha Dodi.
When reciting the final stanza of Lecha Dodi, the custom is for all to turn around and face the back of the synagogue to usher in the Sabbath Queen.
As the congregation of Lyon welcomed Shabbat with the prayer service, the would-be murderer silently entered the synagogue from the back. He prepared to throw grenades into the crowd, when he had the shock of his life. The entire congregation that had been facing forward suddenly turned to face him! He was so shocked that he dropped the grenades and ran out of the shul, fortunately only causing injuries and killing no one.
As the shul rabbi described, Divine Providence arranged for the Milice collaborator to walk in precisely as the congregation was reciting the final stanza of Lecha Dodi, which saved their lives.
The History of Welcoming the Shabbat
When Shabbat begins, we welcome it with song, as it says, “A psalm, a song for the Shabbat day” (Psalm 92:1).
But why do we start Shabbat with singing?
Rabbi Shimshon Pincus answers that when one is overcome with emotion and joy, words are limiting. Song, on the other hand, is expansive. Each week when Shabbat begins, the Jewish people are so joyous that words are not adequate to express it. We turn to songs to fully express our joy and connection.
Initially, Jews would begin Shabbat by going to shul to recite the Shabbat Maariv (evening prayer), which differed only slightly from the weekday Maariv. No additional prayers or psalms were recited.
Reciting Psalm 92, a Song for Shabbat Day, and Psalm 93 before the Maariv service on Friday night became widespread during the 12th and 13th centuries.
In 1488, the Italian Sage, Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura traveled to Alexandria, Egypt. He wrote that the Jews there prepare for Shabbat, light candles and then serve food for the evening meal. “Afterward, everyone comes to the synagogue dressed in fresh, pressed clothing, and they begin with song and praise and pray for a lengthy Maariv for two hours after nightfall.” However, we do not know what prayers they were singing.
In the 16th century, the Kabbalat Shabbat service began to take the form we know of today. Jews would recite six chapters of Psalms, beginning with chapters 95-99 and then chapter 29, corresponding to the six days of Creation.
At around this time, Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz who lived in Safed composed a poetic prayer welcoming Shabbat and describing the joy of leaving aside weekday worries. He spoke about the Jewish people returning to their greatness, and “leaving the Valley of Tears.” His prayer was known as Lecha Dodi, after the first two words of the refrain.
His words struck a chord in the Jewish people, and soon became universally accepted — recited by Jews the world over as Shabbat begins. In fact, his prayer is such an integral part of the liturgy that Jewish law states that the congregation accepts the sanctity of Shabbat with the final paragraph of Lecha Dodi.
The Author of Lecha Dodi
Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz was born in Salonika in the early 1500s. In 1529, he married the daughter of Yitzchak Cohen, a wealthy man from Salonika. Rather than giving his wife a traditional wedding gift of jewelry, he presented her with his newly completed Torah work, Manos HaLevi. His bride’s family greatly valued Torah study and respected Torah scholars, and were delighted at this gift, their joy surpassing that of receiving jewelry.
Shortly afterward, Rabbi Alkabetz and his wife decided to settle in the Land of Israel. On the way, they stopped in Adrianople, Turkey. Recognizing the spiritual stature of their visitor, the people begged him to remain and guide them how to serve God and keep the commandments. Rabbi Alkabetz agreed to stay and teach the community, and several of his students became great Torah scholars. He also wrote several works at this time.
Yet, Rabbi Alkabetz would not remain in Adrianople indefinitely since he longed to settle in the Land of Israel. He arrived in Safed in 1535.
Safed at the time was a city steeped in Torah knowledge and mysticism. One of the renowned leaders living there at the time was Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, known as the Arizal. He is considered the father of contemporary Kabbalah since he formulated the study of Kabbalah into a comprehensive system, known as Lurianic Kabbalah. Two other great leaders were Rabbi Yosef Karo, the author of the Shulchan Aruch, the foremost classic the Code of Jewish Law, and Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (the Ramak) one of the most prolific and systematic teachers and authors on the teachings of the Zohar (the “Book of Splendor” which is the foundational work of Kabbalistic literature). Both Rabbi Karo and the Ramak became Rabbi Alkabetz’s disciples, testimony to his greatness.
The Yosef Karo Synagogue in Safed
Every week, as Shabbat began, the great Kabbalists of Safed would go out to the fields to greet Shabbat in a display of love and honor for this special day. They would joyously recite Psalms, and call out “Welcome Bride, Shabbat Queen.”
Around 1540, Rabbi Alkabetz composed the prayer of Lecha Dodi, which includes many Biblical references in its words, as well as an acronym of Rabbi Alkabetz’s name. His prayer was incorporated as part of Kabbalat Shabbat, in Safed and the rest of the world.
Rabbi Alkabetz died in 1580 and was buried in the old cemetery in Safed, where one can still go and pray by his graveside.
Outdoors or Indoors
Over the centuries, many have followed the example of the Kabbalists of Safed who welcomed Shabbat in the fields by reciting the final paragraph of Lecha Dodi outdoors. The Turkish Sage, Rabbi Chaim Benveniste (1603-1673), author of the halachic work K’nesses Hagedolah, writes that when he became rabbi in Tite and discovered that the congregation remained indoors for the entire Kabbalat Shabbat, he directed them to go back to the older custom of going outside to welcome Shabbat the way they did in Safed.
Rabbi Yechiel Michel Halevi Epstein (1829-1908), in his classic work Aruch Hashulchan, stated that going outdoors to greet Shabbos had been largely forgotten in his time. Yet, what remains of this custom today is that we turn to the back of the shul with the final paragraph of Lecha Dodi, turning westward with the setting sun as we welcome Shabbat.
A Son Returns
In a moving turn of events, Rabbi Alkabetz’s own descendant returned to his roots thanks to the prayer of Lecha Dodi.
A young man appeared at a synagogue in Israel and was invited to someone’s home as a guest. He was utterly unfamiliar with Shabbat rituals, but did his best to follow along. During the meal, he asked if they could sing Lecha Dodi again, explaining that he found the song exceptionally beautiful when he had heard it in the synagogue. Politely, his hosts sang Lecha Dodi again, and again, and again, as per their guest’s requests.
At the end of the meal, the hosts spoke to him some more and discovered their guest was actually Mahmoud from Ramallah. At their shocked expressions, he hesitantly explained that recently he had many questions about Islam and had asked his father why Islam treated Jews so badly. In response, his father threw him out of the house.
His mother managed to contact Mahmoud. She told him that his father had been infuriated by his questions, since he, Mahmoud, was actually Jewish since she was a Jew. She admitted that she made a terrible mistake in marrying an Arab man and gave him his birth certificate and her old Israeli ID card, proving what she said to be true. The final item she gave him as she bade him goodbye was a picture of her parents standing next to the grave of an ancestor of the family.
When Mahmoud finished his story, his hosts asked Mahmoud if they could see the picture. They were amazed at what it showed: an older couple standing next to a grave, on which the name Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz — the great composer of Lecha Dodi — could be seen clearly.
Rabbi Alkabetz’s descendant had been so moved by Lecha Dodi, not realizing that this holy prayer was written by his own ancestor.
For the past 500 years, why have the words of Lecha Dodi resonated with all segments of the Jewish people? It continues to inspire and reconnect Jews wherever they are — in a shul, at the Western Wall, in Safed. It’s not merely because of the beautiful words that Rabbi Alkabetz wrote, but rather based on what the words really mean.
Lecha Dodi is a reminder to Jews of the beauty of our relationship with Shabbat and with God. Jews have kept Shabbat for millennia, as a testimony that God created the world and of His special relationship with His nation. Each week, we can once again experience how Shabbat protects us and continues to be an eternal source of blessing for the Jewish nation.
Rabbi Menachem Levine is the CEO of JDBY-YTT, the largest Jewish school in the Midwest. He served as Rabbi of Congregation Am Echad in San Jose, CA from 2007 – 2020. He is a popular speaker and has written for numerous publications. Rabbi Levine’s personal website is https://thinktorah.org. A version of this article was originally published by Aish.
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Hamas Says No Interim Hostage Deal Possible Without Work Toward Permanent Ceasefire

Explosions send smoke into the air in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
The spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing said on Friday that while the Palestinian terrorist group favors reaching an interim truce in the Gaza war, if such an agreement is not reached in current negotiations it could revert to insisting on a full package deal to end the conflict.
Hamas has previously offered to release all the hostages held in Gaza and conclude a permanent ceasefire agreement, and Israel has refused, Abu Ubaida added in a televised speech.
Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt, backed by the United States, have hosted more than 10 days of talks on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce in the war.
Israeli officials were not immediately available for comment on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on a call he had with Pope Leo on Friday that Israel‘s efforts to secure a hostage release deal and 60-day ceasefire “have so far not been reciprocated by Hamas.”
As part of the potential deal, 10 hostages held in Gaza would be returned along with the bodies of 18 others, spread out over 60 days. In exchange, Israel would release a number of detained Palestinians.
“If the enemy remains obstinate and evades this round as it has done every time before, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals or the proposal of the 10 captives,” said Abu Ubaida.
Disputes remain over maps of Israeli army withdrawals, aid delivery mechanisms into Gaza, and guarantees that any eventual truce would lead to ending the war, said two Hamas officials who spoke to Reuters on Friday.
The officials said the talks have not reached a breakthrough on the issues under discussion.
Hamas says any agreement must lead to ending the war, while Netanyahu says the war will only end once Hamas is disarmed and its leaders expelled from Gaza.
Almost 1,650 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed as a result of the conflict, including 1,200 killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies. Over 250 hostages were kidnapped during Hamas’s Oct. 7 onslaught.
Israel responded with an ongoing military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in neighboring Gaza.
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Iran Marks 31st Anniversary of AMIA Bombing by Slamming Argentina’s ‘Baseless’ Accusations, Blaming Israel

People hold images of the victims of the 1994 bombing attack on the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) community center, marking the 30th anniversary of the attack, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 18, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Irina Dambrauskas
Iran on Friday marked the 31st anniversary of the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires by slamming Argentina for what it called “baseless” accusations over Tehran’s alleged role in the terrorist attack and accusing Israel of politicizing the atrocity to influence the investigation and judicial process.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the anniversary of Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack, which killed 85 people and wounded more than 300.
“While completely rejecting the accusations against Iranian citizens, the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns attempts by certain Argentine factions to pressure the judiciary into issuing baseless charges and politically motivated rulings,” the statement read.
“Reaffirming that the charges against its citizens are unfounded, the Islamic Republic of Iran insists on restoring their reputation and calls for an end to this staged legal proceeding,” it continued.
Last month, a federal judge in Argentina ordered the trial in absentia of 10 Iranian and Lebanese nationals suspected of orchestrating the attack in Buenos Aires.
The ten suspects set to stand trial include former Iranian and Lebanese ministers and diplomats, all of whom are subject to international arrest warrants issued by Argentina for their alleged roles in the terrorist attack.
In its statement on Friday, Iran also accused Israel of influencing the investigation to advance a political campaign against the Islamist regime in Tehran, claiming the case has been used to serve Israeli interests and hinder efforts to uncover the truth.
“From the outset, elements and entities linked to the Zionist regime [Israel] exploited this suspicious explosion, pushing the investigation down a false and misleading path, among whose consequences was to disrupt the long‑standing relations between the people of Iran and Argentina,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
“Clear, undeniable evidence now shows the Zionist regime and its affiliates exerting influence on the Argentine judiciary to frame Iranian nationals,” the statement continued.
In April, lead prosecutor Sebastián Basso — who took over the case after the 2015 murder of his predecessor, Alberto Nisman — requested that federal Judge Daniel Rafecas issue national and international arrest warrants for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over his alleged involvement in the attack.
Since 2006, Argentine authorities have sought the arrest of eight Iranians — including former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who died in 2017 — yet more than three decades after the deadly bombing, all suspects remain still at large.
In a post on X, the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA), the country’s Jewish umbrella organization, released a statement commemorating the 31st anniversary of the bombing.
“It was a brutal attack on Argentina, its democracy, and its rule of law,” the group said. “At DAIA, we continue to demand truth and justice — because impunity is painful, and memory is a commitment to both the present and the future.”
31 años del atentado a la AMIA – DAIA. 31 años sin justicia.
El 18 de julio de 1994, un atentado terrorista dejó 85 personas muertas y más de 300 heridas. Fue un ataque brutal contra la Argentina, su democracia y su Estado de derecho.
Desde la DAIA, seguimos exigiendo verdad y… pic.twitter.com/kV2ReGNTIk
— DAIA (@DAIAArgentina) July 18, 2025
Despite Argentina’s longstanding belief that Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah terrorist group carried out the devastating attack at Iran’s request, the 1994 bombing has never been claimed or officially solved.
Meanwhile, Tehran has consistently denied any involvement and refused to arrest or extradite any suspects.
To this day, the decades-long investigation into the terrorist attack has been plagued by allegations of witness tampering, evidence manipulation, cover-ups, and annulled trials.
In 2006, former prosecutor Nisman formally charged Iran for orchestrating the attack and Hezbollah for carrying it out.
Nine years later, he accused former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner — currently under house arrest on corruption charges — of attempting to cover up the crime and block efforts to extradite the suspects behind the AMIA atrocity in return for Iranian oil.
Nisman was killed later that year, and to this day, both his case and murder remain unresolved and under ongoing investigation.
The alleged cover-up was reportedly formalized through the memorandum of understanding signed in 2013 between Kirchner’s government and Iranian authorities, with the stated goal of cooperating to investigate the AMIA bombing.
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Jordan Reveals Muslim Brotherhood Operating Vast Illegal Funding Network Tied to Gaza Donations, Political Campaigns

Murad Adailah, the head of Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, attends an interview with Reuters in Amman, Jordan, Sept. 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Jehad Shelbak
The Muslim Brotherhood, one of the Arab world’s oldest and most influential Islamist movements, has been implicated in a wide-ranging network of illegal financial activities in Jordan and abroad, according to a new investigative report.
Investigations conducted by Jordanian authorities — along with evidence gathered from seized materials — revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood raised tens of millions of Jordanian dinars through various illegal activities, the Jordan news agency (Petra) reported this week.
With operations intensifying over the past eight years, the report showed that the group’s complex financial network was funded through various sources, including illegal donations, profits from investments in Jordan and abroad, and monthly fees paid by members inside and outside the country.
The report also indicated that the Muslim Brotherhood has taken advantage of the war in Gaza to raise donations illegally.
Out of all donations meant for Gaza, the group provided no information on where the funds came from, how much was collected, or how they were distributed, and failed to work with any international or relief organizations to manage the transfers properly.
Rather, the investigations revealed that the Islamist network used illicit financial mechanisms to transfer funds abroad.
According to Jordanian authorities, the group gathered more than JD 30 million (around $42 million) over recent years.
With funds transferred to several Arab, regional, and foreign countries, part of the money was allegedly used to finance domestic political campaigns in 2024, as well as illegal activities and cells.
In April, Jordan outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s most vocal opposition group, and confiscated its assets after members of the Islamist movement were found to be linked to a sabotage plot.
The movement’s political arm in Jordan, the Islamic Action Front, became the largest political grouping in parliament after elections last September, although most seats are still held by supporters of the government.
Opponents of the group, which is banned in most Arab countries, label it a terrorist organization. However, the movement claims it renounced violence decades ago and now promotes its Islamist agenda through peaceful means.
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