Time in the Teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

4. Anticipation of redemption. 
4.1 The Sabbath. 
The elevation of the female on the Sabbath effects a union of the male and female. 
This union is expressed by the occurrence of the words “‘observe’ [
shamor
] and 
‘remember’ [
zakhor
] in one utterance,” in the Sabbath hymn 
Lekhah dodi
, where 
shamor 
corresponds to the female and the Sabbath’s eve, and 
zakhor
to the male 
[
zakhar
] and the Sabbath day.
127
Moreover, the commandment to sanctify the 
Sabbath [
le-kadesho
] is interpreted in a clearly sexual setting: not only does Rashaz 
explain the function of this commandment as drawing down delight [
ta‘anug
] – a 
notion burdened with sexual connotations,
128
but he also oftentimes interprets the 
verb “to sanctify” (
le-kadesh
, which also has the meaning of “to betroth”) as 
denoting sexual union.
129
Even though the relation between male and female on the regular days of the 
week also happens to be depicted in terms of marital union, Rashaz makes sure to 
stress the difference between the two types of union. Naming the Lurianic work 
Peri 
‘ets hayim 
as his source, he defines the union of male and female on week days as 
the union of “Jacob and Rachel,” as opposed to the union of “Israel and Rachel” on 
the Sabbath.
130
Through an invented etymology, he explains that the name of Jacob 
denotes 
Yesod 
of 
Aba
, which descends to the lower world, whereas the name of 
Israel denotes 
Ze‘ir anpin
, which ascends to receive the influx from the lights of 
Aba
;
131
alternatively he refers to a similar zoharic
 
exegesis, where Jacob, who 
descends to the lower worlds, is linked to the provision of the divine vitality to the 
external forces, whereas Israel, who [Gn 32:28] “has striven with God” [
sarita im 
127
See for example 
Seder tefilot
, 188a. For a scholarly discussion of this issue, see Wolfson, 
Luminal 
Darkness
, 146-7 and the literature listed there. 
128
On the notion of delight [
ta‘anug
] and its sexual connotation, see Idel, “Ta‘anug.” 
129
See for example LT 
Ba-midbar
16c: “The meaning of the expression ‘He sanctified us’ [
kidashnu
] 
comes from marriage [
kidushin
] and betrothal [
erusin
].” 
130
See Fine, 
Physician
, 199-200. 
131
LT 
Balak
72c. Rashaz derives the name of Jacob [Ya’akov] from the letter 
yud
denoting 
Yesod
, 
and the word 
‘akev 
(heel) denoting the lower worlds. 

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238 
Elohim
] is beyond the name Elohim (nature)
132
and therefore beyond the reach of the 
external forces.
133
The distinction between the masculine days of the week and the feminine 
Sabbath serves Rashaz’s to express the difference between the time of exile and the 
time of redemption. Referring to the 
Zohar
,
134
Rashaz presents the time of exile 
allegorically as the time when the groom, triggered by his love for his bride, spends 
the night with her in a tanners’ market, and, as the 
Zohar
continues: “Since she is 
there, it is for him as a market of spices, where all the good smells of the world are.” 
The image of a tanners’ market, a smelly, dirty and despicable place, stands for the 
world of nature, while the bride who lives there is the