The History & Mystery of Kabbalat Shabbat in Safed

The new service we call Kabbalat Shabbat was created by Rabbis Solomon Alqabez and Joseph Karo, along with their group of kabbalists who moved to Safed in the Galilee in the 1530s. Its practices were expanded upon Rabbi Isaac Luria, who arrived in Safed in 1569. We will briefly discuss the centerpiece of Kabbalas Shabbos, the Lekha Dodi, its meaning and context.

About Dr. Matt Goldish

Dr. Goldish is a specialist in Jewish and European History, with interests in Messianism, Jewish-Christian intellectual relations, and Sephardic studies. He holds the Samuel M. and Esther Melton Chair in Jewish History at the Ohio State University. Dr. Goldish has published Judaism in the Theology of Sir Issac Newton, The Sabbatean Prophets, Jewish Questions: Responsa on Jewish Life in the Early Modern Period, Science & Specters at Salem, as well as edited collections, articles, and book reviews. He is active as an invited lecturer in various academic and community environments.

Join us for events Friday Night, Shabbat Day, and Motzaei Shabbat.