Peace Be Upon You: Shalom Aleichem

PEACE BE UPON YOU: SHALOM ALEICHEM

יֵכֲאְלַמ ,תֵרָּׁשַה יֵכֲאְלַמ םֶכיֵלֲע םוֹלָׁש שׁוֹדָקַה ,םיִכָלְּמַה יֵכְלַמ ךֶלֶּמִמ ןוֹיְלֶע .אוּה ךוּרָּב

,םוֹלָּׁשַה יֵכֲאְלַמ םוֹלָׁשְל םֶכֲאוֹבּ ,םיִכָלְּמַה יֵכְלַמ ךֶלֶּמִמ ןוֹיְלֶע יֵכֲאְלַמ .אוּה ךוּרָּב שׁוֹדָקַה

,םוֹלָּׁשַה יֵכֲאְלַמ םוֹלָׁשְל יִנוּכְרָּב ,םיִכָלְּמַה יֵכְלַמ ךֶלֶּמִמ ןוֹיְלֶע יֵכאְָלַמ .אוּה ךוּרָּב שׁוֹדָקַה

,םוֹלָּׁשַה יֵכֲאְלַמ םוֹלָׁשְל םֶכְתאֵצ ,םיִכָלְּמַה יֵכְלַמ ךֶלֶּמִמ ןוֹיְלֶע יֵכאְָלַמ .אוּה ךוּרָּב שׁוֹדָקַה Welcome, angels of service, angels on high, from the Supreme Majesty of all royalty, the Holy One of Blessing.

Enter in peace, angels of peace, angels on high, from the Supreme Majesty of all royalty, the Holy One of Blessing.

Bless me with peace, angels of peace, angels on high, from the Supreme Majesty of all royalty, the Holy One of Blessing.

Go in peace, angels of peace, angels on high, from the Supreme Majesty of all royalty, the Holy One of Blessing.

Shalom aleichem, malachei hasharet, malachei elyon, MiMelech malachei hamelachim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

Bo’achem leshalom, malachei hashalom, malachei elyon, MiMelech malachei hamelachim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

Barchuni leshalom, malachei hashalom, malachei elyon, MiMelech malachei hamelachim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

Tzeitchem leshalom, malachei hashalom, malachei elyon, MiMelech malachei hamelachim, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

THINK

If you are unfamiliar with the many angels of Jewish tradition, you are not alone. Angels are called malachim, which literally means “messengers,” and they appear in many stories in the Torah and beyond as messengers of God. This poem is inspired by a teaching in the Talmud about two Shabbat angels that accompany us home on Friday night, bringing peace to our household.8 According to the Jewish mystical tradition of theZohar,we are also accompanied and protected by heavenly angels throughout the workweek. OnShabbatthere is a “changing of the guard,” and the weekday angels are replaced by Shabbat angels, who have a mission to bring peace to our homes. We say,“Welcome, shalom aleichem,”to theShabbatangels in the first stanza of the song. Some say that when we recite “Go in peace” in the final stanza, we are parting from the weekday angels.9

CONNECT

The prophet Isaiah teaches us to call the Shabbat a delight, and the Jerusalem Talmud expands on this, telling us to make Shabbat a delight for both body and soul, an opportunity for physical and spiritual pleasure. On Shabbat, your home is an outlet for this delight– a place where angels dwell, where our senses are heightened and our soul can be expansive.

REFLECT

When have you seen a home prepared for Shabbat delight? What struck you about it? What are your favorite Shabbat delights? What delights can most nurture you and your family on Shabbat?

PERSONAL PRAYER

Thank you, angels of peace, messengers of the Almighty, for coming to our home. Thank you for blessing us all week long and on Shabbat. Thank you for protecting my family, accompanying and supporting us in everything we do.

— Maria Blumina,

Yaroslavl, Russia

8 Babylonian Talmud, tractate Shabbat 119b. 9 Sefat Emet, parashat Vayetzeh.