The Long And Short Of Shalom Aleichem

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It is customary to sing Shalom Aleichem, a liturgical prayer addressed to the angels, upon returning home from the synagogue on Friday night. The idea of welcoming angels into our homes on Friday night originates in the Talmud. It is taught that two angels, one good and one bad, accompany a person home from the synagogue on Friday nights. If, upon arrival at home, the home is found to be ready for Shabbat with the candles lit and the table set, the good angel exclaims, “May it be like this next Shabbat, as well” and the evil angel is forced to respond amen. But if the home is not found to be ready for Shabbat as it should be, the evil angel exclaims, “May it be like this next Shabbat, as well” and the good angel is forced to respond amen.¹ There are other theories as to the source and origins of Shalom Aleichem, as well.²

According to most customs, each paragraph of Shalom Aleichem is recited three times. Indeed, prayers that are especially meaningful or worthy of emphasis are often recited three times.³ Others suggest that the three-time repetition represents the three things that the angels look for when they enter a home on Friday night: 1. Are the candles lit? 2. Is the table set? 3. Are the beds made?⁴

In some communities, Shalom Aleichem is not recited at all due to the halachic issues regarding addressing or praying to angels.⁵ In other communities, only the paragraph “Barchuni leshalom” is omitted for this reason.⁶ It is noted, however, that even our forefathers addressed the angels in their payers. As such, there can be nothing terribly wrong with doing so.⁷

Even among the authorities who generally frown upon addressing angels in prayer, there are those who hold that the Friday night angels are an exception to this rule and permit the recitation of Shalom Aleichem.⁸ Although it is unclear who wrote the prayer or when it first found its way into the siddur,⁹ it is widely believed to have been written in Tzfat in the 16^th century (around the time when the Arizal and Rav Yosef Karo lived there) and based on kabbalistic teachings.¹⁰ Interestingly, it is not found in any of the works of the Arizal.¹¹

There are some variations in the wording of Shalom Aleichem depending on one’s nusach. For example, in some communities the last stanza reads “b’tzetchem leshalom” instead of the more common “tzetchem leshalom.” Many Sefardim include an additional paragraph which begins “b’shivtechem leshalom,” meaning “may your stay be in peace.”¹² In some communities, the final paragraph of “tzeitchem leshalom” is omitted so as not to insult the angels by asking them to leave.¹³

In most other communities, however, “tzeitchem leshalom” is considered to be a rather important stanza. This is based on the teaching that it would be unfair to have the angels remain in one’s home while one enjoys a delicious Shabbat feast that they are unable to enjoy, as well. There are also those who only recite the first stanza of Shalom Aleichem and nothing else.¹⁴

In most versions, the first stanza refers to the angels as “malachei hasharet” while the remaining stanzas all refer to the angels as “malachei hashalom.” It is explained that the reason for the change is because the first stanza is addressed to all angels while the remaining stanzas refer exclusively to the two angels that accompany a person home from the synagogue on Friday nights. Some omit the word “mimelech” in each of the stanzas.¹⁵ When Shabbat coincides with Yom Tov, some have the custom to omit Shalom Aleichem as well as many of the other traditional Shabbat evening zemirot.¹⁶

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1. Shabbat 119b; Teshuvot Divrei Yatziv, OC 123.
2. See Mevasseret Tzion 33.
3. Yesodei Yeshurun p.205; Likutei Maharich, Leil Shabbat.
4. Siddur Yaavetz.
5. Yesodei Yeshurun p.205; Minhagei Chatam Sofer 5:6; Maharal Netiv Ha’avoda 12. See also Mevasseret Tzion 33 for a lengthy discussion on this issue.
6. Keter Rosh, Hilchot Shabbat. Source provided by R. Zevi Reinitz.
7. Bereishit 32:26, 48:16.
8. Halichot Shlomo, Tefillah 1:20.
9. Siddur Otzar Hatefillot in the “Iyun Tefilla” commentary to Shalom Aleichem; Leket Yosher vol 1, pg. 50. These sources provided by R. Zevi Reinitz.
10. Yesodei Yeshurun p. 205.
11. Mevasseret Tzion 33.
12. See Mevasseret Tzion 33; Yabia Omer, EH 6:8; Yechave Daat 5:15.
13. Siddur Yaavetz; Shaarei Teshuva, OC 262:2. See also B.S. Jacobson, The Sabbath Service (Sinai Publ’g, Tel-Aviv, English ed. 1981) page 123; M. Nulman, The Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer (Aronson, NJ 1993) page 290; and A.Z. Idelsohn, Jewish Liturgy and its Development (NY, 1931) page 54.
14. Siddur Yaavetz.
15. See Rivevot V’yovlot 2:327; Yafeh L’lev, Kuntres Acharon, 271:4.
16. Divrei Yetziv, OC 1:123; Rivevot Ephraim 5:357; Mevasseret Tzion 33.