Asader Lesudasah
The Rebbe taught this song on Shabbos, 14 Tamuz, 5716 (July 6, 1957).
Although it is not the custom in the Chabad community to sing zemiros (special Shabbos hymns) during the Shabbos meals, there were three hymns that the Alter Rebbe included in the siddur he compiled, one for each of the Shabbos meals.
The Rebbe noted that for the songs of the night and afternoon meals there were already well-known Chabad tunes, but for the day meal there were no known tunes. He therefore said he would teach one from a Ukrainian/Lithuanian source.
Lyrics:
אֲסַדֵּר לִסְעוּדָתָא. בְּצַפְרָא דְשַׁבַּתָּא. וְאַזְמִין בָּהּ הַשְׁתָּא. עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא. נְהוֹרֵיהּ יִשְׁרֵי בָהּ. בְּקִידוּשָׁא רַבָּא. וּבְחַמְרָא טָבָא. דְּבֵהּ תֶּחֱדֵי נַפְשָׁא. יְשַׁדֵּר לָן שׁוּפְרֵהּ. וְנֶחֱזֵי בִיקָרֵהּ. וְיַחֲזֵי לָן סִתְרֵהּ. דְּאִתְאַמַּר בִּלְחִישָׁא. יְגַלֵּי לָן טַעֲמֵי. דְּבִתְרֵיסַר נַהֲמֵי. דְּאִינוּן אָת בִּשְׁמֵהּ. כְּפִילָא וּקְלִישָׁא. צְרוֹרָא דִלְעֵילָא. דְּבֵהּ חַיֵּי כֹלָּא. וְיִתְרַבֵּי חֵילָא. וְתִיסַק עַד רֵישָׁא. חֲדוּ חַצְדֵּי חַקְלָא. בְּדִבּוּר וּבְקָלָא. וּמַלְלוּ מִלָּה. מְתִיקָא כְּדוּבְשָׁא. קֳדָם רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין. בְּמִלִּין סְתִימִין. תְּגַלּוּן פִּתְגָמִין. וְתֵימְרוּן חִדּוּשָׁא. לְעַטֵּר פְּתוֹרָא. בְּרָזָא יַקִּירָא. עֲמִיקָא וּטְמִירָא. וְלָאו מִילְּתָא אַוְשָׁא. וְאִלֵּין מִלַּיָּא. יְהוֹן לִרְקִיעַיָּא. וְתַמָּן מָאן שַׁרְיָא. הֲלָא הַהוּא שִׁמְשָׁא. רְבוּ יַתִּיר יַסְגֵּי. לְעֵילָא מִן דַּרְגֵּהּ. וְיִסַּב בַּת זוּגֵהּ. דַּהֲוַת פְּרִישָׁא
I shall offer praise at the Shabbat morning meal, and shall herewith invite the holy Ancient One. May the supernal light shine thereon through the great Kiddush and good wine that gladdens the soul. May He send to us its resplendence and we shall behold its glory; may He reveal to us His hidden things which are said in secret. May He disclose to us the reason for the twelve breads which symbolize a letter of His name both in the combined and the single form. May we be united with the Supreme One in Whom is the life of all things; may our strength be increased and may (our prayer) ascend and become (a diadem) upon His head. Field laborers (Torah scholars), rejoice with speech and voice, and speak the words (of Torah) which are sweet as honey. Before the Master of the worlds you will reveal words in the secrets (of the Torah), and deliver new insights (in it); To adorn the table with the precious secrets (of the Torah), profound and hidden, which are ordinarily not to be revealed. And these words will become firmaments. Who will abide therein? None other than the (Shechina which is allegorically called the) sun. He will ascend to a more lofty level; and He will take to Himself His mate (Israel) from whom He was separated (during the week).