The New Jew: A Field Guide

← Siddur Tehillat Hashem, Weiss Edition / Contents

Print pages

pp. 462-463

Seudah Shlishit

סְעוּדָה שְׁלִישִׁית

Visible layers

סְעוּדָה שְׁלִישִׁית

Seudah Shlishit

God watches over us as a shepherd watches over his sheep

Hebrew

מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, יְיָ רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר: בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא
יַרְבִּיצֵנִי, עַל מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי: נַפְשִׁי
יְשׁוֹבֵב, יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ: גַּם כִּי
אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא אִירָא רָע, כִּי אַתָּה
עִמָּדִי, שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי: תַּעֲרֹךְ
לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי, דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי,
כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה:2 אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל יְמֵי
חַיָּי, וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית יְיָ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים:

Sephardi

Mizmor leDavid, Adonai ro'i lo echsar: bin'ot deshe
yarbitzeni, al mei menuchot yenahaleni: nafshi
yeshovev, yancheni bema'gele tzedek lema'an shemo: gam ki
elech begei tzalmavet lo ira ra, ki Atah
imadi, shivtecha umishantecha hemah yenachamuni: ta'aroch
lefanai shulchan neged tzorera'i, dishanta bashemen roshi,
kosi revayah:2 ach tov vachesed yirdefuni kol yemei
chayai, veshavti beveit Adonai le'orech yamim:

English

The following song was composed by King David: The Lord is my shepherd Who takes care of me. I am sure that I will not lack anything. He makes me lie down in comfortable green grass, as a shepherd does with his sheep, and He leads me peacefully, as if I am walking along calm waters. He always refreshes my soul. He directs me along the path of righteousness in order to bring honor to His name. Even when I walk in a dangerous place, like the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid that bad things will happen, because You are with me. Your help and kindness are like a supporting walking stick and staff that protect and comfort me. You will set up a table for me in front of my enemies, filled with all the best things, and they will see that I have become successful. You have anointed me with oil to make me king, and my cup is full with everything I need.2 From now on, may only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life, so I will not suffer anymore. May I sit in the House of the Lord and serve Him peacefully for many long years.

We usher in the meal, which corresponds to the level of Z'eir Anpin

Hebrew

אַתְקִינוּ סְעוּדְתָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא
שְׁלֵמְתָא חֶדְוְתָא דְּמַלְכָּא
קַדִּישָׁא: אַתְקִינוּ סְעוּדְתָא דְּמַלְכָּא,
דָּא הִיא סְעוּדְתָא דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין,
וְעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא וְחֲקַל תַּפּוּחִין
קַדִּישִׁין אָתֵין לְסַעֲדָא בַּהֲדֵהּ:

Sephardi

Atkinu seudata dimheimnuta
shelemta chedvata demalka
kadisha: Atkinu seudata demalka,
da hi seudata dize'ir anpin,
ve'atika kadisha vechakal tapuchin
kadishin atin lesa'ada bahadeh:

English

Prepare the meal of perfect faith, which brings happiness to God, the holy King. Prepare the meal of the King. This is the meal of God's Divine Presence, which is called Z'eir Anpin. Two other levels of the Divine Presence—Atika Kadisha and Chakal Tapuchin Kadishin—come to join Z'eir Anpin at the meal.

A kabbalistic song about the special time of Seudah Shlishit

Hebrew

בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא, דִּכְסִיפִין, לְמֶחֱזֵי זִיו
דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין:

Sephardi

B'nei heichala, dachsifin, lemechezei ziv
dize'ir anpin:

English

You who are princes in God's palace, who want to see the light of Z'eir Anpin,

Hebrew

יְהוֹן הָכָא, בְּהַאי תַּכָּא, דְּבֵיהּ מַלְכָּא
בְּגִלּוּפִין:

Sephardi

Yehon hacha, behai taka, devieh malka
begilupin:

English

should be here, at this third meal of Shabbat, at which the King leaves His impression.

Hebrew

צְבוּ לַחֲדָא, בְּהַאי וַעֲדָא, בְּגוֹ עִירִין
וְכָל גַּדְפִין:

Sephardi

Tzevu lachada, behai va'ada, bego irin
vechol gadpin:

English

Be happy and rejoice at this gathering, together with the angels and all the heavenly spirits.

Hebrew

חֲדוּ הַשְׁתָּא, בְּהַאי שַׁעְתָּא, דְּבֵיהּ
רַעֲוָא וְלֵית זַעֲפִין:

Sephardi

Chadu hashta, behai sha'ta, devieh
ra'ava veleit za'afin:

English

Be happy now, at this precious time when there is no sadness.

Hebrew

קְרִיבוּ לִי, חֲזוּ חֵילִי, דְּלֵית דִּינִין
דְּתַקִּיפִין:

Sephardi

Kerivu li, chazu cheili, deleit dinin
detakifin:

English

Come close to Me, says God. Look at My strength, because at this time there are no harsh judgments to be made against you.

Hebrew

לְבַר נָטְלִין, וְלָא עָאלִין, הָנֵי כַּלְבִּין
דְּחָצִיפִין:

Sephardi

Levar notlin, ve-la a'alin, hanei kalbin
dechatzifin:

English

The evil spirits in the world, which are like bad dogs, are sent out and cannot enter at this time.

Hebrew

וְהָא אַזְמִין, עַתִּיק יוֹמִין, לְמִצְחָא
עֲדֵי יְהוֹן חִלְפִין:

Sephardi

Veha azmin, atik yomin, lemitzcha
adei yehon chilfin:

English

I invite God, Who is called ancient of days because He has existed forever, at this special time, and the powers of impurity will be removed.

Hebrew

רַעֲוָא דִילֵהּ, דְּגַלֵּי לֵיהּ, לְבַטָּלָא בְּכָל
קְלִיפִין:

Sephardi

Ra'ava dileih, degalei leih, levatala bechol
kelipin:

English

God's will, which He has made known, is to take away all the spirits of impurity from this world.

Hebrew

יְשַׁוֵּי לוֹן, בְּנוּקְבֵיהוֹן, וְיִטַּמְרוּן בְּגוֹ
כֵּיפִין:

Sephardi

Yeshavei lon, benukveihon, veyitamerun bego
keifin:

English

He will throw them into their empty spaces, and they will hide in the cracks of the rocks.

Hebrew

אֲרֵי הַשְׁתָּא, בְּמִנְחְתָא, בְּחֶדְוְתָא
דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין:

Sephardi

Arei hashta, bemincheta, bechedveta
dize'ir anpin:

English

Because now, the time of Minchah, is a time of joy for Z'eir Anpin.

Commentary

1 The Chabad custom is to eat something for Seudah Shlishit, but not necessarily bread. A hint to this can be found in the Torah's instructions regarding the manna that the Children of Israel ate in the desert. The Torah says, "Eat it today, because today is a Shabbat to God. Today you will not find it in the field." The word "today"—"hayom"—is mentioned three times in this verse, corresponding to the three meals of Shabbat. Since the Torah says after the third "hayom" (corresponding to Seudah Shlishit) that no manna would be found, we do not eating bread during Seudah Shlishit. However, we do eat something to fulfill the obligation of eating Seudah Shlishit.

2 The numerical value of the word רְוָיָה is 221—the same numerical value as the word אֶרֶךְ, which refers to God's mercy (אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם). When Mashiach comes, he will bring a cup that will hold 221 lugin (about 20 gallons or 75 liters), hinting to the fact that the cup will have the capacity to "hold" God's revealed mercy at this time.