The Rebbe’s great holiness and fiery bond with God on Shabbat were really something to see. There was the way he said Kiddush on Friday night and his customs at the table. There was the awesome melody with which he sang Atkinu Seudata and Azamer BeShevachin.275"I Will Prepare the Meal” and “I Will Sing with Praises,” both composed by Rabbi Isaac Luria, the holy Ari. There was the way he sang the other Shabbat table songs, such as Kol MeKadesh,276"All Who Sanctify (the Shabbat),” most probably composed by Rabbi Moses ben Klonymus of Mayence (tenth century).Menuchah VeSimchah,277"Repose and Gladness,” possibly by the same author.Eshet Chayil278"A Woman of Valor,” from Proverbs 31:10-31. The order of these songs is interesting, because this is usually sung before Atkinu Seudata. See “His Wisdom” #153. and MeEyn Olam HaBa'ah.279"Like the World to Come,” the last verse of Mah Yedidut, a Shabbat table song probably composed by Rabbi Menachem ben Makhir, an eleventh-century native of Ratisbon, Germany. If you have not seen this, you have never seen anything good (cf. Sukkah 51a).
Those who were at the Rebbe’s table on a Shabbat would be ready to bear witness that such a sight would never be seen again until the coming of the Mashiach. If all the seas were ink (Shabbat 11a), it would still be impossible to describe even an inkling of the great beauty, the awesome sanctity, intense awe and the sweet, pleasant, wonderful closeness to God that was there, with genuine humility. One could say that such a scene was never before witnessed.
I am only speaking about our own meager understanding of what was taking place there. Beyond that, there were deep mysteries far above our understanding.
Before Kiddush, the Rebbe would take the cup in his hand and stand in absolute silence for a long time. All we could hear was a faint yearning sound coming from his lips as he reached the lofty spheres to which he ascended. Then the Rebbe would begin the opening words of the Kiddush in a wondrous chant: “Yom HaShishi – The Sixth Day.”
וְעֵינָיו הָיוּ מְאִירוֹת כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְכַיָּרֵחַ מַמָּשׁ.
The Rebbe’s eyes would literally “glow like the sun and the moon” (Shabbat morning liturgy, Nishmat ).
בִּפְרָט בְּשַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ, הָיוּ עֵינָיו מְאִירוֹת מְאֹד מְאֹד, וּפָנָיו הָיוּ מְאִירוֹת וּמַאֲדִּימוֹת מְאֹד בְּשַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ.
This was especially true on the holy Shabbat, when his eyes would shine and his face would glow.
וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה עֹצֶם קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ וְרִשְׁפֵּי שַׁלְהֶבֶת דְּבֵקוּתוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת קֹדֶשׁ, וְסֵדֶר הַקִּדּוּשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ בְּלֵיל שַׁבָּת עִם סֵדֶר הַשֻּׁלְחָן, וְהַנִּגּוּן שֶׁהָיָה מְזַמֵּר "אַתְקִינוּ סְעוּדָתָא" "אֲזַמֵּר בִּשְׁבָחִין" וְאֵיךְ שֶׁהָיָה מְזַמֵּר שְׁאָר הַזְּמִירוֹת "כָּל מְקַדֵּשׁ", "מְנוּחָה וְשִׂמְחָה", וְ"אֵשֶׁת חַיִל", וּ"מֵעֵין עוֹלָם הַבָּא", וּמִי שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה זֹאת, לֹא רָאָה טוֹב מֵעוֹלָם.
The Rebbe’s great holiness and fiery bond with God on Shabbat were really something to see. There was the way he said Kiddush on Friday night and his customs at the table. There was the awesome melody with which he sang Atkinu Seudata and Azamer BeShevachin.275"I Will Prepare the Meal” and “I Will Sing with Praises,” both composed by Rabbi Isaac Luria, the holy Ari. There was the way he sang the other Shabbat table songs, such as Kol MeKadesh,276"All Who Sanctify (the Shabbat),” most probably composed by Rabbi Moses ben Klonymus of Mayence (tenth century). Menuchah VeSimchah,277"Repose and Gladness,” possibly by the same author. Eshet Chayil278"A Woman of Valor,” from Proverbs 31:10-31. The order of these songs is interesting, because this is usually sung before Atkinu Seudata. See “His Wisdom” #153. and MeEyn Olam HaBa'ah.279"Like the World to Come,” the last verse of Mah Yedidut, a Shabbat table song probably composed by Rabbi Menachem ben Makhir, an eleventh-century native of Ratisbon, Germany. If you have not seen this, you have never seen anything good (cf. Sukkah 51a).
וְכָל מִי שֶׁעָמַד אָז בְּאוֹתוֹ מַעֲמָד הָיָה מֵעִיד שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה נִרְאֶה כָּזֹאת עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹא מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ. וְאִלּוּ כָּל הַיַּמִּים דְּיוֹ וְכוּ' אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר אֶפֶס קָצֶה וְעֹצֶם הַיֹּפִי וְהַקְּדֻשָּׁה הַנּוֹרָאָה וְהַיִּרְאָה הָעֲצוּמָה וַעֲרִיבַת נְעִימַת דְּבֵקוּת הַנִּפְלָא שֶׁהָיָה אָז, בַּעֲנָוָה בֶּאֱמֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא נִרְאָה כָּזֹאת בָּעוֹלָם.
Those who were at the Rebbe’s table on a Shabbat would be ready to bear witness that such a sight would never be seen again until the coming of the Mashiach. If all the seas were ink (Shabbat 11a), it would still be impossible to describe even an inkling of the great beauty, the awesome sanctity, intense awe and the sweet, pleasant, wonderful closeness to God that was there, with genuine humility. One could say that such a scene was never before witnessed.
וְכָל זֶה לְפִי תְּפִיסַת דַּעְתֵּנוּ, מִלְּבַד סִתְרֵי נִסְתָּרוֹת שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בָּזֶה.
I am only speaking about our own meager understanding of what was taking place there. Beyond that, there were deep mysteries far above our understanding.
קֹדֶם הַקִּדּוּשׁ הָיָה נוֹטֵל הַכּוֹס בְּיָדוֹ וְהָיָה עוֹמֵד זְמַן רַב עִם הַכּוֹס בְּיָדוֹ לִפְנֵי הַשֻּׁלְחָן בִּשְׁתִיקָה, וְלֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִין מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי אִם קְצָת קוֹל הִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת. וְעָלָה אָז לְמָקוֹם שֶׁעָלָה. אַחַר כָּךְ, אַחַר שֶׁשָּׁהָה הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד פָּתַח פִּיו בִּנְעִימוּת נִפְלָא: "יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי" כוּ'.
Before Kiddush, the Rebbe would take the cup in his hand and stand in absolute silence for a long time. All we could hear was a faint yearning sound coming from his lips as he reached the lofty spheres to which he ascended. Then the Rebbe would begin the opening words of the Kiddush in a wondrous chant: “Yom HaShishi – The Sixth Day.”
(וְאָמַר שֶׁבְּתֵבָה רִאשׁוֹנָה וְכוּ' עַיֵּן לְקַמָן).
The Rebbe said, “The first word …” (see “His Wisdom” #210).