Song of Songs · Chapter 4

Behold you are beautiful my beloved. He praised them and appeased them, and their sacrifices pleased Him. Until the sun spreads. When they sinned before Me, in the days of Chofni and Pinchas. — Notes: (1) The captioned text of Rashi belongs to Verse 6 below; Rashi comments here to inform us until when did the sacrifices please God. (2) See I Shmuel 2:12-17. Your eyes are like doves. Your hues, appearance and characteristics are like those of a dove, which cleaves to its mate, and when they slaughter it, it does not struggle but stretches forth its neck; so have you given your shoulder to bear My yoke and My fear. From within your kerchief; — Notes: (3) I.e., עיניך here does not mean your “eyes” but your “characteristics,” i.e., appearance, as in כעין הבדלח, meaning, “as the appearance of crystal,” in Bamidbar 11:7. (Sifsei Chachomim) your hair is like a flock of goats. This praise is allegorized as the praise of a woman beloved by her bridegroom [who says to her], “Within your kerchief, your hair is beautiful and shines with brilliance and whiteness, like the hair of white goats descending from the mountains, and whose hair shines from a distance.” And the allegory with which he compares the congregation of Yisroel is as follows: From within your camps and your dwelling places, even the empty ones among you are as dear to Me as Yaakov and his sons, who trailed down from Mount Gilad when Lavan overtook them there. Another explanation, like those who mobilized against Midyan beyond the Yardein, which is in the land of Gilad. This version is in Midrash Shir Hashirim. — Notes: (4) See Rashi in Verse 3 below. (5) See Bereishis 31:23. From within. This מִבַּעַד is a term meaning “from within,” for the majority of ‘בְּעַד’ in Scripture refers to something that covers and shields against something else, as in, “and He sealed up וּבְעַד the stars,” [and as in,] “the earth [closed] its bars against me בַּעֲדִי,” [and as in,] “Can He judge through הַבְעַד the heavy darkness?” And ‘מִבַּעַד’ as a prefix. is the thing that is within that ‘בְּעַד’[=covering], therefore, it says ‘מִבַּעַד’[=from within]. — Notes: (6) Iyov 9:7. (7) Yonah 2:7. (8) Iyov 22:13. (9) The equivalent of ‘בעד’, with the mem Your kerchief. An expression denoting an object which confines the hair so that it does not show, and this refers to a kerchief and ribbons. It is impossible to interpret ‘צַמָּתֵךְ’ [meaning] a veil צֹמֶת, where the tav is a radical, for if so, it should have been punctuated with a dagesh when immediately preceding a hey, which makes it in the feminine possessive, or a vav, which makes it in the masculine possessive, like the tav of ‘שַׁבָּת [Shabbos]’, which, when used in the feminine possessive form, is punctuated with a dagesh, as in, “her festival, her new moon, and her Shabbos וְשַׁבַּתָּהּ,” and similarly in the masculine form, “the burnt offering of each Shabbos in its Shabbos בְּשַׁבַּתּוֹ.” But the tav of ‘צַמָּתֵךְ’, is not punctuated with a dagesh, we must perforce conclude that it comes instead of a hey, and the noun denoting kerchief is צַמָּה, and when it is possessive, to render it either in the masculine or in the feminine form the hey is converted to a tav without a dagesh, e.g., שִׁפְחָה [handmaiden] is converted in order to say שִׁפְחָתוֹ [his handmaiden] or שִׁפְחָתָהּ [her handmaiden]. And similarly אָמָה [maidservant] becomes אֲמָתוֹ [his maidservant] or אֲמָתָהּ [her maidservant]. [And similarly,] עֶרְוָה [nakedness] becomes עֶרְוָתוֹ [his nakedness] or עֶרְוָתָהּ [her nakedness]. And similarly in this case, צַמָּה [kerchief] becomes צַמָּתוֹ [his kerchief], צַמָּתָהּ [her kerchief], or צַמָּתִי [my kerchief], צַמָּתֵךְ [your kerchief]. — Notes: (10) Hosheia 2:13. (11) Bamidbar 28:10. (12) Vayikra 13:41. Descending. That were plucked. The word גִּבֵּחַ [bald] is rendered by the Targum as גְּלוֹשׁ. When the animals descend from the mountain, the mountain becomes bald and bare of them. — Notes: (13) Corresponding to “כעדר הקצובות,” i.e., “like a counted flock.”

The first interpretation: 'she-galshu' [that trail down] — some say [it means] that they were shorn/made bald, [from] Targum's [rendering of] 'korach' [bald] as 'galush,' though this is far-fetched in meaning; and some say that the lamed is extraneous; but the correct view in my opinion is that it has no parallel [elsewhere], and its meaning is that they slipped off and descended. The second interpretation: 'and a flock of goats' — when it is on the mountain, one [goat] appears above another. The third interpretation: The Shechinah praised Knesset Yisrael [and said]: 'Behold you are fair, my love; [behold, you are fair].' 'Your eyes are doves' — these are the prophets. 'Your hair' — these are the Nazirites, who grow their hair long.

"Behold, you are fair, my love," etc. — When He, may He be blessed, finished speaking to the daughters of Jerusalem, [telling them] not to press Israel [to leave] the exile before they are ready to be redeemed of their own accord, He turned His words back to them [Israel], in answer to their question that followed from His statement — in reply to Israel's question when they said, "Turn, be like, my beloved, a gazelle," etc. — that He would answer by becoming, as it were, like a gazelle, as He had been in Egypt, in order to hasten the redemption now as then. And He said, "Behold, you are fair," etc. — that is to say, do not imagine to yourself that you are now as you were at the exodus from Egypt, when I called you at Sinai "My love," and you were like a bride within her wedding canopy; for behold, you are [still] fair, just as you were "My love" at Sinai at the giving of the Torah, and also afterward, after you sinned with the [golden] calf, you are [still] fair — for the deed of the calf is not attributed to you, but rather to the mixed multitude (erev rav). And even though some of Israel also erred, following the calf after it was made, behold, these are the lightweight ones of the people, who have eyes yet truly do not see, for their eyes are sealed from seeing. But the whole/perfect ones, whom Hashem calls "the eyes of the community" — behold, they were like doves, which do not exchange their mate; and this is [the meaning of] "your eyes are doves" — that they did not exchange Me, like a dove that does not exchange its mate. And should you say: but even to the makers of the calf, their "eyes" [i.e., their leaders] should be counted [as worthy], since the great ones did not protest against those who made it — and if so, then what is their advantage over us, that You did good with Your kindness to them, resting Your Shechinah (Divine Presence) upon them, yet You do not do the same for us now as well? — know that they are not guilty for not having protested against those who made it, but rather gathered, each man within his own tent. And this is [the meaning of] "from behind your veil" — as Rashi explains, that it is the hairnet and its bindings — that is to say: even though the way of the eyes is to be [seen] from the hairnet outward, and not within it, your eyes were not so, but rather "from behind your veil," which is within the hairnet, according to Rashi's explanation — for since they gathered within their tents and did not go out to help their people, they are not truly guilty. For this was because "your hair is like a flock of goats that trail down [from Mount Gilead]" — their strength was stripped away on Mount Gilead: these are Laban and his brothers, who pitched their tents on Mount Gilead and caught up with Jacob, and He, may He be blessed, weakened their strength there, by saying to him, "Take heed to yourself that you not speak with Jacob, either good or bad" (Genesis 31:24), etc. And had it not been so, it was in Laban's heart to uproot everything entirely; so too was your "hair" — that is, their heart — [set] to uproot Israel, God forbid, to make them stumble, or to destroy all who protested against them, as they did to Hur. And this is [the meaning of] "your hair," which is the mixed multitude (erev rav), who resemble hair, which is a superfluous, waste part of the body — so too they were a superfluous, waste part among Israel; they were like the flock of goats — Laban and his brothers — who trailed down from Mount Gilead. For Laban sought to uproot everything entirely, had He, may He be blessed, not revealed [Himself] to them there and weakened their strength, by saying to him, "Take heed to yourself that you not speak with Jacob," etc. — so too the mixed multitude sought to uproot all who came to protest, and a faithful witness [to this] is Hur, as has been said, in such a way that there was no way to protest, for whoever drew near to protest would be endangering himself. And by this, the distinction may be understood, [as to] why the eyes are mentioned before the hair, which is [physically] above them — for [Scripture] praises what is essential to the body and denounces what is superfluous.

"Behold, you are fair, my love" — while you are My love. "Behold, you are fair" — from the days of Joshua and the elders who lived long after him. "Your eyes" — the judge and the high priest, the teacher of the generation. "Are doves" — cleaving to their Maker, like a dove to its mate. "Behind your veil" — which is an ornament of foreign [artificial] hair. "Your hair" — the natural hair; and these are the customs of the fathers. "[Like] a flock of goats" — like the hair of a flock of goats, which is also gathered for felting [wool]. "That trail down [from mount Gilead]" — for their hair is at the back of the head, and it is comely and precious.

"Behold, you are fair, my love" — When it was heard by the Beloved that she delights in her love for him, and the extent of her trust in him, he sent his words to praise her, and so he said, "Behold, you are fair," etc. — meaning to say: you were fair of old, while you were still My love and dwelling with Me, and you still stand in your beauty, and the beauty has not departed from you entirely, on account of the sorrow that I left you [with]. And the allegorical meaning is identical to the parable itself, and it speaks of the excellence of [her] deeds. "Your eyes are as doves" — The appearance of your eyes was of old like the appearance of doves' eyes, and behold, they were hidden from within, behind the veil, and by this they drew love and desire more than if they had been revealed without any covering. And the allegorical meaning refers to the Sages, who are the eyes of the congregation, to teach them the way in which they should walk, who were pleasant like doves and modest in their deeds, concealing them from people. "Your hair is as a flock of goats" — The hair of your head was of old combed and gleaming like the hair of a flock of goats, which were plucked and combed [smooth] by the branches of thorns as they descended from their pasturing-place from Mount Gilead, as if they had been combed with a comb. And the allegorical meaning refers to the nazirites who were among her [Israel], who let the hair of their heads grow wild like a flock of goats, etc., which are smooth-coated and their hair is long and hangs downward.

"Hinach" — behold, you. "Yonim" — like doves. "Miba'ad" — within, for "ba'ad" refers to a thing that interposes, as in "the earth with its bars was about (be'adi) me" (Jonah 2:7); and "miba'ad" is the thing that is on the inside of that intervening barrier. "Letzamatech" — this is the veil that covers the face, as in "uncover your veil (tzamatech)" (Isaiah 47:2); and it is a very thin sheet, through which the appearance of the face can be seen. "Shegalshu" — a matter of hair falling out, as with "gibe'ach" (bald) (Leviticus 13:41) — Targum Onkelos [renders it] "galish."

Your teeth are like a counted flock, etc. This praise, too, is expressed in terms of a woman’s beauty. Your teeth. Are fine and white and arranged in their proper order like wool and like the order of a flock of ewes, selected from the rest of the flock by count and number, and are assigned to a clever and capable shepherd to be careful with their wool, because they make them into fine woolen garments. They watch them from the time of birth, that the wool should not become soiled, and they wash them daily. — Notes: (14) Corresponding to “שעלו מן הרחצה,” i.e., “who have come up from the washing.” (15) Tehillim 38:4. All of which are perfect. An expression of perfection, [as in,] “There is no perfection מְתם in my flesh,” i.e., “whole” תְּמִימוֹת=מַתְאִימוֹת, entires in O.F. — Notes: (16) See Bamidbar 31:1-7. And [none are] blemished. There is no miscarriage or defect among them. This allegory was stated in reference to: The mighty men of Yisroel, who cut down and consume their enemies surrounding them with their teeth, and yet they distance themselves from robbing from [Bnei] Yisroel and from lewdness, so that they should not become sullied with sin. This praise was stated concerning the twelve thousand men who mobilized against Midyan with a count and a number, of whom not one was suspected of lewdness, as it is stated, “and not a man among us is missing.” And even for improper thoughts they brought atonement offerings. Also, they were not suspected of theft, for Scripture attests regarding them, “And they took all the spoils... and they brought it to Moshe and to Elazar the kohein, etc.,” and not one of them concealed even one cow or one donkey. — Notes: (17) Ibid. 31:49. (18) Ibid. 31:11-12. (19) Yehoshua 2:18.

The first interpretation: 'haketzuvot' [all shaped alike] — that they have one uniform measure (ketzev). 'Mat'imot' [paired] — that bear twins. The second interpretation: 'your teeth' — white, like a flock of washed ewes. 'And none is bereaved' — there is no broken tooth among them, and it is as if they are twins. The third interpretation: 'your teeth' — men of war.

"Your teeth are like a flock," etc. — Furthermore, you had then, at your exodus from Egypt, four complete merits, as R. Elazar HaKappar says in the Mekhilta, which had grown so great that the world was not worthy of them: one, that they were not suspected of [sins of] illicit relations (arayot); two, that they did not change their names; three, that they did not change their language; four, that there was no revealer of secrets among them — as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, that for twelve months they kept the secret hidden, and a woman would borrow [garments] from her [Egyptian] neighbor, and it was not detected among the Egyptians. And concerning the first [merit], he said "your teeth" — [referring to] the women of Israel, who are modest, dwelling within, like teeth [which are] within the mouth; and he also likened them to teeth, which are of bone, just as women were created from the rib (tzela), which resembles a tooth [in being bone]. And behold, they were like "a flock of ewes all shaped alike" (eder ha-ketzuvot) — that is, the flock of choice ewes, from whose wool they make fine woolen garments, dressing and guarding them so that their wool would not become soiled, from the time of their birth, as Rashi, of blessed memory, explains — so were "the teeth," which are your women, as has been said, clean from the time of their birth of the defilement of illicit sexuality, lewdness, and impurity. For this was a singular thing, and Scripture made known that they went up and were elevated in stature by/through the washing — in that they would wash their husbands under the apple tree, to arouse their desire, lest their husbands become disgusted with them and the seed of Israel be withheld from the world, and the impurity of Egypt cling to them — for because of this, they merited that "the mirrors of the assembling women" should also become the basin and its stand for washing [in the Tabernacle], corresponding to how they had washed their husbands, for through this they acquired distinction. And this is [the meaning of] "which have come up from the washing," as stated. And concerning their abundant modesty, there was fulfilled in them the verse that is written, "Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine," etc. (Psalms 128:3), according to the explanation of our Sages, of blessed memory: "your wife will be like a fruitful vine" when she is modest "in the innermost parts of your house" — so it is said here: "behold, how great was their modesty, in the innermost parts of your house." For behold, they were all "paired" (mat'imot) — for behold, they would give birth to six [children] in a single womb, as is known from the words of our Sages, of blessed memory; and not only that, but also "none fails among them" — [meaning] that they did not give birth [only] to bury [the children], but rather all of them survived; indeed, they did not even miscarry — for this indicates that they, both men and women, were fenced off from [the sin of] illicit sexuality. And concerning the second [merit], which is that they did not change their names, he said "your lips are like a thread of scarlet" — for just as he attributed the women to the inner teeth, [so] he attributed the men to the lips, which are outside them. And he said "like a thread of scarlet," meaning [wool] dyed with the scarlet worm (tola'at shani), whose nature is known — that even if it is soaked in the juice of sour things, its color does not change, for there is no power in sour things to change it, and its original name always remains upon it — so were "your lips," which are your men: that despite the suffering and the servitude, which are comparable to the sour things, their name[s] did not change among the Egyptians, but their previous names, and something resembling them, always remained upon them. And concerning the third [merit], that they did not change their language, he said "and your speech is comely" — meaning that the speech was fitting for you, namely the Holy Tongue (lashon ha-kodesh), which is unique to you. Or it may mean "comely" in the sense that it was choice, holy, and beautiful, and not from the languages of the despised nation and kingdom of the Egyptians. And concerning the fourth [merit], that there was no revealer of secrets among them, he said "like a piece of pomegranate" — whose seeds are lodged within it and do not go out or fall out by themselves when it is cut open — so were even "your temples" (rakatech) — [meaning] the plainer/simpler ones (reikanin) among you — their secrets and matters were within them. And this is [the meaning of] "from behind your veil," which is within the hairnet and its bindings — [meaning] within your tents, O Jacob, and they did not reveal [them] outside to the Egyptians.

"Your teeth" — the men of the army. "Like a flock of the shorn ewes" — just as they shear their wool, so too they [the soldiers] took nothing from the spoil until they had divided it among themselves, all of them, as it says, "...divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers" (Joshua 22:8). "Which are all paired/twinned" — so too were the men of the army whole in Torah and in good deeds. "And none fails among them" — there was no rebel among them.

"Your teeth are like a flock of ewes" — Your teeth resembled one another in height and thickness, and they were white in appearance, like a flock [of sheep] that resemble one another as if they had been cut as one. And when they come up from the washing they gleam with pure whiteness. "Which are all paired" — This refers to the teeth, to say that all the teeth were equal, like twins, and there was none bereaved among them — meaning, none of them was missing, and none was damaged or had its appearance changed. And the allegorical meaning refers to the mighty men of war who were among her of old, who cut down and consumed their enemies, who were like a flock equal in measure, cleaned of filth after they had come up from the washing. For likewise these too were equal to one another, and all of them were holy and clean of robbery, and there was not found among any of them a hint of oppression, not like the way of the troops of idol-worshippers.

"Haketzuvot" — a matter of cutting and shearing, as in "one measure and one form (ketzev)" (I Kings 6:25). "Mat'imot" — from the language of "te'omim" (twins). "Veshakulah" — meaning lack and blemish; and it is stated using the term "shakulah," from the language used of what befalls an animal bereaved (hanishkal) by a wild beast.

Like a scarlet thread are your lips. Beautiful to promise and to keep their promise, as the spies did to Rachav Hazonah. They said to her, “[you shall bind] this line of scarlet thread, etc.,” and they kept their promise. — Notes: (20) Alternatively, your lips were thin and red as a scarlet thread, a sign of beauty in a woman. (Metzudas Dovid) (21) Yechezkeil 33:30. And your speech. Your speech, and this is from the structure of, “who speak הַנִּדְבָּרִים against you near the walls,” [and as in,] “Then the God fearing men spoke נִדְבְּרוּ,” parlediz in O.F. — Notes: (22) Malachi 3:16. (23) See Rashi in Maseches Avodah Zarah 30b. Your cheeks. This is the upper part of the face, called pomels in O.F., next to the eyes. And in the language of the Talmud, it is called “ the pomegranate of the face.” It resembles the split half of a pomegranate from the outside, which is red and round. This is a praise in terms of a woman’s beauty. Our Rabbis explained the allegory as follows: Even the worthless ones רֵיקָנִים among you are full of mitzvos as a pomegranate. — Notes: (24) ‘רקתך’, from ‘רק’, meaning empty; see Bereishis 37:24. (25) See Verse 1 above. (26) Iyov 35:11. From within your kerchief. From within your kerchief.

The first interpretation: 'and your speech is comely' — from the language of dibbur (speech). 'Your temple is like a split pomegranate' — some explain that it is from 'half a pomegranate,' but the correct view in my opinion is that it is the blossom that falls from the pomegranate tree when it begins to split open, like 'poleach u'voke'a [ba'aretz]' [splitting and cleaving the earth] (Psalms 141:7). 'Your temple' — above the eye, at the edges of the forehead. 'Mi-ba'ad' [behind] — [like] from within, as in 'ha'ad arafel yishpot' [does He judge through the thick darkness] (Job 22:13). 'Tzamatech' [your locks] — [some say] it is the hair that hangs down, like 'galli tzamatech' [uncover your locks] (Isaiah 47:2). The second interpretation: 'like a thread of scarlet' — red and thin. And corresponding to 'the shields' are 'ornaments of fine gold' (cf. Proverbs 25:12), which are 'the bound (linked) ones.' The third interpretation: 'your lips' — [these are] the singers. 'Your temple is like a split pomegranate' — your priests: this is [the meaning of] 'a bell and a pomegranate' (Exodus 28:34).

"Your lips are like a thread of scarlet" — the sages of the generations, who teach the theoretical/speculative part. "And your mouth [is comely]" — who teach the practical part, in such a way that — "your temple is like a pomegranate split open" — which is close to the mouth: these are the students, who are filled with the knowledge of Hashem, like the beautiful split-open pomegranate, which is pleasing in appearance and good in taste, even though it is not a whole pomegranate.

"Like a thread [of scarlet]," etc. — Your lips were thin and red like a thread of scarlet, and this is a matter of beauty. The allegorical meaning is about the prophets, who prophesied and announced things for distant times, and their words were fulfilled like a red dye that is visible from afar and is not removed except with difficulty. "And your speech is comely" — the words of your mouth were fair and pleasant, in the best of rhetoric and with graceful expression. The allegorical meaning is about the Levites, who stood on the platform (dukhan) to speak in song, and grace was poured upon their lips. "Like a split [pomegranate]," etc. — The prominence of your cheeks, on this side and that, was rounded and red, mixed with white, like the appearance of a piece splitting off from a pomegranate; and they were hidden within, behind a veil, and thereby they drew love and desire more than if they had been exposed without a veil. The allegorical meaning is about the Sanhedrin, the judges of the community, who are the "face" of the generation: they were filled with all wisdom and knowledge, like a pomegranate full of seeds, yet they hid that wisdom in their hearts and did not boast of it before people.

"Kechut hashani" — a thread dyed red, as in "ushni tola'at" (and scarlet wool) (Numbers 19:6). "Umidbarech" — your speech. "Naveh" — comely and beautiful. "Kefelach" — a matter of a split, as in "kefelach tachtit" (like a piece of the nether millstone) (Job 41:16). "Rakatech" (your temple) — this is the elevated part of the face beside the eye on either side, and it is called thus because of the thinness of the flesh there; likewise "vatitka et hayated berakato" (and she drove the peg into his temple) (Judges 4:21).

Your neck is like the Tower of Dovid. An erect posture is a sign of beauty in a woman. The allegorical meaning is: “Like the Tower of Dovid,” i.e., the fortress of Tzion, is a place of strength, stronghold, and a fortress. So is “your neck,” i.e., the Chamber of Hewn Stone, which was Yisroel’s strength and fortification, and that tower was built as a model of beauty, so that everyone should look at it, to study its forms and the beauty of its architecture. The word תַּלְפִּיּוֹת is of the grammatical structure of, “He teaches us מַלְּפֵנוּ more than the beasts of the earth,” and the first tav in תַּלְפִּיּוֹת is [a prefix] like the first tav in תַּרְמִית [deceit] and תַּבְנִית [construction]. — Notes: (27) Whose radicals are respectively רמה and בנה. (28) Yirmiyahu 51:11. A thousand shields are hung upon it. It was the custom of the princes to hang their shields and their quivers on the walls of the towers. Quivers. Quivers in which they place arrows, as in, “Prepare the arrows, fill the quivers הַשְּׁלָטִים,” and it corresponds to the Chamber of Hewn Stone, from where instruction goes forth, for the Torah act as a shield to Yisroel. It is also possible to render that אֶלֶף הַמָּגֵן is the same as מָגֵן הָאֶלֶף, the shield of the thousand, alluding to, “the word [of the Torah] He commanded for a thousand generations.” — Notes: (29) I.e. Teaching [אלף] the Torah acts as a shield [המגן]. (30) I Divrei Hayamim 16:15. (31) Alternatively, שלטי are shields. (Metzudas Tzion) All the quivers of the mighty. We find that disciples are described as arrows and quivers, as the matter is stated, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of youth. Fortunate is the man who has filled his quiver with them.” — Notes: (32) The shields represent the great scholars of each generation. (Gra) (33) Tehillim 127:4-5.

The first interpretation: 'talpiyyot' — some say [it means] 'for hanging swords,' like [a sword] 'which had two edges' (cf. Judges 3:16), and they are [read as] five words; and some say that the tav stands in place of an alef, and it is from 'melafenu mibehemot aretz' [who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth] (Job 35:11); and the grammarians (medakdekim) said that the alef is omitted and the tav is added, like 'talbushet' [garment], and the meaning is 'to instruct travelers,' because of its great height. 'The shields of the mighty men' — like '[polish the arrows,] fill the shields' [havru hachitzim mil'u hashlatim] (Jeremiah 51:11), and they are the quivers. The third interpretation: '[Your neck]' — the officers of the army.

"Like the tower of David," etc. — You had then yet another merit: the merit of Torah. As our Sages of blessed memory said, that the yeshivah [study-house] never ceased in Egypt throughout all the days of the exile. And our Sages of blessed memory said, in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer and in Shemot Rabbah, that this is why He, may He be blessed, appeared to Moses in the thornbush (seneh): to hint that just as the thornbush grows by water, so Israel merit [redemption] through the merit of Torah — for the whole tribe of Levi was constantly engaged in Torah, and Amram was head of the yeshivah — and the Torah is likened to water, and through it they were sustained from that time on and helped toward redemption. And this is [the meaning of] "like the tower of David" — that is the fortress of Zion, designated for Torah, as it is written, "for out of Zion shall the Torah go forth" (Isaiah 2:3). So [the meaning of] "your neck" is the tribe of Levi, who are associated with the neck designated for the yoke, for the yoke of Torah was upon their neck; and also their [Temple] service is associated with the neck, for "the exaltations of God are in their throat" (Psalms 149:6), in their song and their music. And lest you say: if the Torah had not yet been given at Sinai, from where did the Levites have it? — the answer is that it was "built li-talpiyyot" (that is, a mound [tel] to which all mouths [piyyot] turn): from Adam to Enoch, and from Enoch to Methuselah, and from Methuselah to Shem, and from Shem to Eber, and both of them to the Patriarchs, and from Jacob to his sons, and his sons to their sons. And this is [the meaning of] "the tower is built," which alludes to the neck, "li-talpiyyot." And let it not enter your mind that, because the Torah had not yet been given to Israel, their study of it should not be reckoned to them as a merit — for behold, "a thousand shields hang upon it." This is because our Sages of blessed memory said, regarding the verse "the word He commanded for a thousand generations" (Psalms 105:8), that this refers to the Torah — except that He, may He be blessed, foresaw that 974 generations were destined to be wicked, and so He scattered them through every generation, and they are the brazen-faced ones of each generation, and left only [twenty-six generations, to receive the Torah at Sinai], etc. But how could the world have endured a thousand generations without Torah, if not through the merit of Abraham? As it is said in Shemot Rabbah, that before the Torah was given, of the three pillars upon which the world stands, it endured on only one — the acts of lovingkindness (gemilut chasadim) of Abraham — for even all of the thousand [generations] were created to endure only through his merit. As our Sages of blessed memory said, that Abraham is comparable, among those generations, to a great central beam upon which two rows of beams rest, on either side; so Abraham sustains both portions of the generations, those before him and those after him. He said: know, then, that even though there is a "shield" — that is, Abraham, [called] "a shield," who sustains the thousand generations — know that the thousand generations of the shield [in turn] hang upon it, that is, upon the aforementioned neck. For were it not for the Torah of the tribe of Levi, which never ceased, as our Sages of blessed memory said, they would not have endured. And this is [the meaning of] "hang upon it": that the endurance of that thousand hangs upon the yoke of the Torah that never ceased, for without it, all those generations could not have endured on a single pillar, without Torah. It thus emerges that the entire thousand of the shield did not hang upon the shield alone, but upon it — that is, upon their neck — alluding to that Torah, as discussed. Here, then, is proof that the merit of Torah was great even before it was given. And the reason is that the neck encompasses "all the armor of the mighty men": this is because the tribe of Levi, who are called "neck," are all, as one, "the armor of the mighty men" — they are all vessels capable of holding the arrows of the give-and-take of the Torah scholars who wage the war of Torah, for they are the truly mighty ones. And this is [the meaning of] "all the armor of the mighty men" — that they are like the armor of the mighty men, full of arrows. And this is the implication of the word "kol" [all] vocalized with a cholam, which is not in construct with the word that follows it — as if it said, "kulam [all of them] are the armor of the mighty men," as in "Hashem has made everything for His own purpose" (Proverbs 16:4) [and] "You have put all things under his feet" (Psalms 8:7), which are unlike the word "kol" whose vowel is a kamatz [in construct form], as is known. Or, one may say [regarding] "a thousand shields," etc., that the merit of the tribe of Levi, called "neck," stood by Israel not only in the Egyptian exile, but also in the Babylonian exile. For behold, "the thousand of the shield" are the craftsmen and the smiths (ha-charash ve-ha-masger) who were exiled to Babylon with Jeconiah, king of Judah — for they had established yeshivot before the exile of Zedekiah, and it was their Torah that shielded Israel. This is why their exile preceded [Zedekiah's] by eleven years, so that there would not be fulfilled in Israel [the verse] "for you shall utterly perish" (Deuteronomy 4:26) once the count [decreed in] "and you shall have grown old" (Deuteronomy 4:25) was reached — [which occurred] at the exile of Zedekiah. Thus it is found that that thousand was a shield for Israel. Behold, it hung upon the tribe of Levi, for most or all of them were of the tribe of Levi, as is known — for the entire Sanhedrin, most or all of them, were of the tribe of Levi, as Maimonides of blessed memory brought in Hilchot Sanhedrin, and of them it is said, "They shall teach Your ordinances..." etc. (Deuteronomy 33:10). And from where did they merit this, if not from the fact that back in Egypt they upheld [Israel] through engagement in Torah? And this is [the meaning of] "a thousand shields hang upon it" — upon the aforementioned neck — and they are "all the armor of the mighty men." This is what our Sages of blessed memory said in the Sifrei: that what is said of the charash and the masger, that they were "mighty men of war," [means] that they were mighty in the war of Torah. And this is [the meaning of] "all the armor of the mighty men," for the quivers of all the arrows of the war of Torah were theirs, by virtue of the fact that back then, in Egypt, they held fast to the Torah. Or, one may say that this "neck" encompasses "the armor of the mighty men," for all the heads of the yeshivot in the world derive from this neck, which issued from Amram, head of the yeshivot of Egypt, and from Moses, through whom all the yeshivot in the world came forth. Therefore it is no wonder that all of this merit hangs upon the aforementioned neck.

"Your neck is like the Tower of David" — for then your neck — the commander of your army, who is beneath the head — was like the Tower of David, displaying all the shields of the vanquished mighty men.

"Like the tower [of David]," etc. — Your neck was erect and straight like the Tower of David, that is, the Fortress of Zion, which was built to guide wayfarers, for on account of its great height it was visible from afar, and it served as a sign for them to know which way to turn. "A thousand shields" — Upon that tower a thousand shields were hung, for such was the custom: to hang shields on the walls of the tower for splendor and glory, as it is said, "Shield and helmet did they hang in you; they set forth your splendor" (Ezekiel 27:10). "All the shields of the mighty men" — with this he explains what he meant by "a thousand shields": he used a large, round number, and his intent is to say all the shields of the mighty men, the men of war, and not a thousand alone. It is as though he praises the beloved with this, saying that her neck is erect and straight like a tower, and many kinds of ornaments and gold jewelry were hung upon her form to adorn and beautify her. The allegorical meaning is about the Temple, which was from of old the strength and stronghold of Israel — like this neck, which is the strength of a person. It stood on a high and steep mountain, and from there instruction went out to all Israel; it was built with the choicest of its construction and overlaid with gold, with carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, as is written in I Kings.

"Letalpiyot" — a matter of instruction and teaching, as in "melapenu mibehemot aretz" (who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth) (Job 35:11); and the "tav" in "talpiyot" is like the "tav" in "tarmit" (deception) and in "tavnit" (form). "Shiltei" — this is the shield, likewise "et shiltei hazahav" (the golden shields) (I Chronicles 18:7).

Your two breasts. Which nourished you. This refers to Moshe and Aharon. Like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. It is a gazelle’s nature to bear twins, similarly, they [Moshe and Aharon] are equal, this one to that one. Another explanation, “Your bosom,” is a reference to the Tablets, “twins of a gazelle,” they are equal with one measure; five commandments on this one and five on the other, each commandment corresponding to the other. “I [am Hashem...],” אָנֹכִי, corresponds to, “You shall not murder,” לֹא תִרְצַח, for the murderer diminishes the image of the Holy One, Blessed Is He. “You shall not have other gods,” לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ, corresponds to, “you shall not commit adultery,” לֹא תִנְאָף, for one who commits idolatry is like an adulterous woman who takes strangers while bound to her husband. “You shall not take לֹא תִשָּׂא [the name of Hashem your God in vain],” corresponds to, “You shall not steal,” לֹא תִגְנֹב, for one who steals will eventually swear falsely. “Remember [the day of Shabbos],” זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, corresponds to, “You shall not bear [false witness],” לֹא תַעֲנֶה, for one who profanes the Shabbos testifies falsely against his Creator, saying that He did not rest on the Shabbos of Creation. “Honor [your father and mother],” כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ, corresponds to, “You shall not covet,” לֹא תַחְמֹד, for one who covets will eventually beget a son who [unknowingly] slights him and honors one who is not his father. — Notes: (34) This is in accordance with Rashi in Shemos 6:26 who states “there are places where the Torah sets Aharon ahead of Moshe and there are places where it sets Moshe ahead of Aharon, to tell you that they were equal.” (35) I.e., the five commandments on one side of the Tablets correspond to the five commandments on the other side of the Tablets. (36) Shemos 20:2. (37) Ibid. Verse 13. (38) Ibid. Verse 3. (39) Ibid. Verse 13. (40) Ibid. Verse 7. (41) Ibid. Verse 13. (42) Ibid. Verse 8. (43) Ibid. Verse 13. (44) Ibid. Verse 12. (45) Ibid. Verse 14. (46) His friend’s wife. Who pasture. Their sheep among the roses and guide them on a tranquil and straight path.

The first interpretation: 'ofarim' [fawns] — the young of the hart. The second interpretation: 'your two breasts' — they have a good fragrance, [like two fawns that] graze among the lilies. The third interpretation: 'your two breasts' — [the two Torahs:] the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, [for the breasts produce milk, as in the matter of 'Come, buy and eat...' (Isaiah 55:1)].

"Your two breasts, etc." — There was yet another merit for you then, in that your two breasts, from which you nurse and draw forth the warm supernal flow, are Moses and Aaron. Were they not the ones who hastened the End for you, like two fawns most swift of pace, as our Sages of blessed memory said, that their merit stood by Israel to be redeemed in those days? By this the greatness of their piety is put to the test, for great was their unity in bringing about redemption through their merit, for were they not twins of a gazelle? And this is the way of twin fawns of a gazelle: that the soul of each one is bound to the soul of its brother, to the point that the one cannot live even a moment after the death of the other, but rather as the death of one, so is the death of the other, due to the greatness of their attachment. So it was with Moses and Aaron: for although Aaron was at first the shepherd of Israel and their prophet, the one who led them out and brought them in, nevertheless, despite all this, he rejoiced in his heart at the greatness of Moses. And so too Moses, in saying, "Please send by the hand of whomever You will send" (Exodus 4:13), refused the mission for seven days so as not to encroach upon his brother's domain, as our Sages of blessed memory said: "Please send by the hand of whomever You will send" — by the hand of the one whom it is Your custom to send, that is Aaron. And likewise, with great joy Moses served during the seven days of the miluim (investiture) to induct Aaron into the High Priesthood, even though the priesthood would have been fitting for him [Moses] had he not refused the mission, as our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the verse, "Behold, Aaron your brother, the Levite" (Exodus 4:14). And likewise Aaron rejoiced in Moses's leadership, for this is a test and a sign of great piety. And this is [the meaning of] "twins of a gazelle" — meaning, these two were like twin fawns of a gazelle in that they were "shepherds among the lilies," that is, in that they were shepherds and leaders of Israel, who are called "lilies." Or, the sense of the matter is: "your two breasts" are Moses and Aaron, who hastened like two fawns to redeem Israel. And if you observe that Moses was reluctant for seven days, refusing to go on the mission — is this not because they were like twin fawns of a gazelle, whose mutual attachment and brotherhood were so great? Therefore Moses held back, out of love for his brother, so as not to remove him from the greatness he had held until then as intermediary between the Holy King and the people. That is why he said, "Please send by the hand of whomever You will send," as stated. And the proof is that afterward the two of them together were "shepherds among the lilies." Or, it may be said that "twins of a gazelle" [alludes to] what we know: that a gazelle (tzeviyah) gives birth only by means of a serpent's bite, which opens her womb. So too, the birth of Moses and Aaron came about by means of the serpent's bite, specifically upon Israel, as is known — this being in accordance with what we have written concerning the reason for the Egyptian exile: that it was meant to exhaust and melt away the filth (zuhama) of the serpent, so as to render them fit to receive the Torah and enter the Land. Therefore, in order to be of help and benefit to them, He, may He be blessed, brought Moses and Aaron [into being] in those days on account of the serpent's bite that afflicted the people of Israel. It follows that the serpent's bite caused their birth, in the manner of the gazelle. And this is [the meaning of] "twins of a gazelle": for had He, may He be blessed, delayed their birth until the four hundred years in Egypt were completed, then, since Israel still had the filth clinging to them, they would have been sunk there in idolatry and would have been lost. Therefore He, may He be blessed, reckoned the End to begin [counting] the four hundred years from Isaac, so that Moses and Aaron would come into the world according to that reckoning. And this is [the meaning of] "twins of a gazelle": that they came at the time of the serpent's bite, whose venom was at the height of its strength during the depths of the exile. And should you ask: why did He, may He be blessed, wait until Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old, and not count the four hundred years from the Covenant Between the Pieces (Berit Bein HaBetarim)? — Concerning the difference between that time and the birth of Isaac, Scripture says, "And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years" (Exodus 12:41), these [additional] thirty years being from the Covenant Between the Pieces until the birth of Isaac. Therefore it says, "who feed among the lilies," meaning that He waited until they would be "shepherds among the lilies" — that is, after the filth of the serpent had been exhausted from them and they remained [pure, like] lilies — as we explained in Parashat Shemot regarding the reason for the Egyptian exile: that they were like the smelting of silver in a furnace, where the dross separates out from the pure silver. So too, those in whom the essence of the filth resided separated out and died during the days of darkness, while those who were pure, in whom no filth remained, were the ones who went out [of Egypt]. And as for what our Sages of blessed memory said, that regarding Israel who stood at Mount Sinai, their filth ceased — the Zohar established the truth of this for me: that they were like a woman becoming purified from her impurity, who, after the blood ceases, counts seven clean days; so too, they counted seven weeks until the giving of the Torah, for then was the completion of the purification. Therefore our Sages of blessed memory attributed the matter to Israel's standing at Mount Sinai — in such a way that they were not purified to be called "lilies" until Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old. And this is [the meaning of] "who feeds among the lilies." Or, it may be said that "who feed among the lilies" [means as follows]: our Rabbis of blessed memory compare the lily/rose to redness and judgment (din), as is known, and thus our Sages of blessed memory said [that it is] like a red lily, regarding the verse "set about with lilies" (Song of Songs 7:3) — meaning that when Israel deserved wrath, judgment, and redness, it was Moses, on several occasions, and Aaron with the fire-pan (Numbers 16:46-48), who shepherded them and saved them. Or, it may be said [that it refers] to their nursing from supernal sources, for the level of prophecy of both of them was above that of every [other] prophet, even though Moses surpassed his brother.

"Your two breasts" — indeed, after this, behold, the teachers and instructors — that is, the judge and the high priest — were like two fawns that fight with one another, and did not agree upon a single view, as in the matter that our Sages, of blessed memory, related concerning Pinchas and Yiftach (Jephthah). "Which feed among the lilies" — among the thorns, in the wars with the men of Canaan.

"Your two breasts" — your breasts were equal to one another, like two fawns of a gazelle born as twins, which are in complete equality; and when they graze among the lilies, they are then most pleasing to the beholding eye — so too were your breasts pleasing. The allegorical meaning is about the king and the High Priest, who nursed [Israel] from of old and bestowed good upon her — the king through his warfare and the High Priest through his service — and they were equal in greatness, in agreement, and responsive to one another like beloved companions, and they were accepted by the nation like the two fawns, etc.

"Shadayich" — these are a woman's breasts. "Ofarim" — thus are called the young of the gazelle and the hind.

Until the sun spreads. Until the sun spreads. And the shadows flee. That is the time of intense heat, the hottest time of the day. I will save you, and you are pleasant to me. The sun. הַיּוֹם here means] “the sun,” and similarly, “in the direction of the sun הַיּוֹם,” and similarly, “for behold, the sun הַיּוֹם comes, burning like a furnace,” and once the sun has spread, “I will go to Mount Moriyah,” into the eternal Temple, [from] Bereishis Rabbah, i.e., from when they sinned before Me by profaning My sacred offerings and by spurning My meal offerings in the days of Chofni and Pinchas. I will leave you and I will abandon this Tabernacle, and I will choose for Myself Mount Moriyah, into the eternal Temple. And there, “you are completely beautiful ... and you are without blemish,” and there I will accept all your sacrifices. — Notes: (47) Usually it means “the day.” (48) Bereishis 3:8. (49) Malachi 3:19. (50) Bereishis Rabbah 55:7. (51) See I Shmuel 2:12-17. (52) Below Verse 7.

The second interpretation: And since you said to me, 'Until the day breathes,' I therefore went to the mountain of myrrh, for its good fragrance to you. The third interpretation: These are the words of the Shechinah: 'Until the day breathes' — [the meaning is] 'I will dwell on Mount Moriah as long as the day does not change,' and the meaning [concerns] the deeds of (Knesset) Yisrael.

"Until the day breathe," etc. He, may He be blessed, speaks concerning these virtues that you had in Egypt, [drawn] from the four matters, and your two breasts are Moses and Aaron. Therefore I said: why should I wait until the completion of the four hundred years? Rather, [I say,] "until the day" of the Egyptian exile "breathe" — that is, before the whole limit of the exile is completed — "and the shadows flee away," [the shadows] in whose shade you dwell being Moses and Aaron, before they are gathered to their people, "I will get me to the mountain of myrrh" — that is Sinai — to make you perfumed with myrrh, to put a stop to your defilement, "and to the hill of frankincense," to whiten you through My utterances, as explained above regarding "perfumed with myrrh and frankincense." Now our Rabbis of blessed memory said, in Shemot Rabbah and in Midrash Chazit, on the verse "This month shall be unto you," etc., that when Moses told Israel, "This month you will be redeemed," Israel said: "But all of Egypt is full of idolatry — how can we be redeemed?" etc. It is further stated there that they said: "But a hundred and ninety years still remain of the four hundred." And He answered: since He desires your redemption, He is not particular about your reckonings, etc. Now, the retort they had regarding the second claim was that it should not befall them as it befell the children of Ephraim, who advanced thirty years before the appointed time, and the Philistines killed them. Therefore, concerning these two [objections], He speaks. Regarding the first: "Thou art all fair, My love" — even the rest of the tribes, who had served idols, Levi excepted. And lest you say that the blemish of the idolatry is upon you — which was the first difficulty they raised, concerning the idolatry there — [He says]: "and there is no spot in thee" — rather [the blemish] is in them; it is not in you, except that something of theirs clung to you, as is discussed regarding "like a lily among thorns," etc. And like the parable of our Rabbis of blessed memory on "that I am swarthy" — from the parable of the Cushite maidservant of the beautiful mistress, whose hands were blackened, as discussed in its place — that idolatry does not cling to Israel except as blackness clings only to the outside. Or, "there is no spot in thee," because you have already atoned for it through the Passover offering, as our Rabbis of blessed memory said: "Withdraw your hands from idolatry and take each man a lamb," etc. — for the lamb which they had worshipped, they slaughtered it, so that there is no fear from the fact that Egypt was full of your idolatry. And regarding the second claim — that the time had not been completed — and she feared lest it befall her as it befell the children of Ephraim: do not fear, for behold, "with Me from Lebanon, My bride" — that is, you do not go forth without Me as the children of Ephraim did, but rather with Me, for it is only then that Hashem goes forth with them, since the Shechinah (the Divine Presence) remained in Egypt with Israel until the completion of the time. And this is like what they, of blessed memory, said in Shemot Rabbah, that Egypt is called "Lebanon," which is because there they were purified — a play on lavan, "white" — of their sins through the bricks (levenim), through the blood of the Passover offering, and through circumcision, from their defilement, as is explained by us regarding the cause of the Egyptian exile and concerning the matter of those who died during the days of darkness. And this is [the meaning of] "with Me from Lebanon, My bride." And since you are with Me from Lebanon, they will not stop you along the way; rather you will come as far as the aforementioned mountain of myrrh, and it will not befall you as it befell the children of Ephraim. And this is [the meaning of] "come." Or, the import of the verse is: whoever comes with Me from Lebanon — she is the one who will be the bride at Sinai. And behold, you shall come with Me from Lebanon, which was not so with the children of Ephraim, who came without Me. And as for your fear lest the reckoning not yet be complete until the full four hundred years have ended, and you doubt that Moses is mistaken, as was the way of Ephraim — do not fear. For do you mean to reckon "from the top of Amana," so that on that count you should be reckoned as mistaken — [counting] from the vision of the Covenant Between the Pieces, where it states there, "and he believed in Hashem" — just as the children of Ephraim erred, counting the four hundred years from that point, and erred by the thirty years that lie between the vision of the Covenant Between the Pieces and the birth of Isaac? Not so with you — rather, [reckon] only "from the top of Senir and Hermon," that is, from the "top" of Isaac and Jacob, which is from the birth of Isaac. And this is [the meaning of] "from the top." And this is their statement, of blessed memory, in the Midrash: "Senir" and "Hermon" are Isaac and Jacob. What is this? "Senir" — [a wordplay on] sonei et ha-nir, "one averse to the plow/toil" — so Isaac was tested (nitnasah) only one time. And "Hermon" — this is Jacob: just as with this Hermon all its bounty is given in its lowest part, so too the priesthood [comes] from Jacob, the Levitical service from Jacob, the monarchy from Jacob. [End of citation.] Thus [the verse] speaks concerning Isaac and Jacob, and this is according to our approach — namely, that they are the ones called "the seed of Abraham," so that [the decree] "thy seed shall be a stranger" would be fulfilled from the time of the birth of the first of them, and there is no error in this at all. And lest you say: how can the number of years of exile be fulfilled through them, seeing that they were not enslaved? — to this it answers, "from the lions' dens," etc. This is because Isaac was an exile from the "lions' dens" — Avimelech and his officers — and Jacob from the "mountains of the leopards" — from Esau and from Laban; and it does not say "lions" [regarding them], because they were not kings, only princes.

"Until the day breathes" — and all this continued until the light of noon came, in the days of David, who guided Israel in theory and in practice, as it says, "and let us bring the Ark of God around to us," "for we did not inquire of it in the days of Saul" (1 Chronicles 13:3). "And the shadows flee away" — for he removed the abominations from the land, which had held back the light of life. And so, "I will get me to the mountain of myrrh" — at the threshing floor of Ornan (Arnan). "And to the hill of frankincense" — to the Temple Mount, as in the days of Solomon. And behold, then you were...

"Until the day breathes" — as if to say: therefore, because of the merit and beauty found in you from of old, in ever greater measure, hope for the good, for there is hope. And until the time when the sun is "puffed" from the earth to go down and set, and until the shadows flee — that is the evening time, when the shadows of things flee, growing long and stretching into the distance — until that time comes, I will go to the mountain where myrrh grows, and to the hill where frankincense grows, and there I will lodge for the night. The allegorical meaning is to say: because of the merit of [your] deeds and the praise found in you from of old, I will hasten to rest My Shechinah (Divine Presence) in the Temple, the place where the spices of the incense-offering are burned, among them myrrh and frankincense.

"Sheyafu'ach" — from the language of blowing and breathing. "Hayom" — the sun. "Venasu" — from the language of fleeing and escaping. "Hatzelalim" (the shadows) — from the language of "etzel" (beside). "Hamor, halevonah" (the myrrh, the frankincense) — names of kinds of spices.

The second interpretation: And what more shall I add to praise you, for you are entirely fair? The third interpretation: 'You are all fair, [my love]' — [meaning] she who keeps my commandments.

"You are all fair, my love" — as it says, "that our sons are as plants... our daughters as corner-pillars" (Psalms 144:12). "And there is no blemish in you" — as it says, "no breach and no going forth" (Psalms 144:14). And from all this it became clear that Hashem was with you, in that you were with Him even without the Mishkan and its vessels — as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Whoever occupies himself with Torah has no need of a burnt offering, nor a meal offering, etc." Therefore...

"You are all fair, my love" — from your youth, my love, every part of your body is fair, and no blemish at all is found in you. The allegorical meaning is to say: you, Knesset Yisrael (the assembly of Israel), have from of old all been fit, and no unfitness is found in anyone called by your name.

With me [will you come] from Levanon O bride. When you are exiled from this Levanon [Beis Hamikdosh], with Me you will be exiled, for I will go into exile with you. With me from Levanon will you come. And when you return from the exile, I will return with you, and also throughout the exile, I will be distressed in your distress. Therefore, [Scripture] wrote, “with me from Levanon will you come.” When you are exiled from this Levanon, you will come with Me, and [Scripture] does not write, “With me to Levanon will you come,” to denote that from the time of your departure from here until the time of your return, I am with you wherever you will go and come. — Notes: (53) See Yeshayahu 63:9. You will look from the peak of Amanah. When I gather your dispersed ones, you will look and ponder what is the reward of your actions from the beginning of your faith [=מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה that you believed in Me, [e.g.,] your following Me in the wilderness, and your travels and your encampments at My command, and your coming to the peak of Snir and Chermon, which were the lions’ dens, Sichon and Og. Another explanation, “מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה” [=from the peak of Amanah], this is a mountain on the northern boundary of Eretz Yisroel, named Amanah. In the language of the Mishnah, [these are] the mountains of Amnon [or] Mount Hor, about which it is stated, “from the Great Sea you shall draw a line extending to Mount Hor.” When the exiles gather and arrive there, they will look from there and see the boundary of Eretz Yisroel and the air of Eretz Yisroel, and they will rejoice and offer thanks. Therefore, it is stated, “תָּשׁוּרִי [=You will sing] from the peak of Amanah.” — Notes: (54) See Yirmiyahu 2:22. (55) See Bamidbar 9:17-23. (56) Maseches Gittin 8a. (57) Bamidbar 34:7.

The first interpretation: "tashuri" (you shall look) — [meaning] you shall see, like "ashurenu ve-lo qarov" (I see him, but not near) (Numbers 24:17). The second interpretation: Now, "come with me from Lebanon" — why do you look at me from a high place and make me afraid to come to you, as if a lion's den were there? The third interpretation: "with me from Lebanon" — those who come up for the pilgrimage festivals. "From the top of Senir" — even from across the Jordan. "From the dens of lions" — even when they come to celebrate the festival though they are outside the Land [in the land of the uncircumcised, who are likened to lions and leopards — all of them will come], and the nations will not be able to prevent them or harm them.

"Come with me from Lebanon, my bride" — even though you do not dwell in My house, but only like a bride outside My house, [still] turn to Me, and pay no heed to the Sanctuary, even though it be not, for all its greatness, built of the cedars of Lebanon. "With Me from Lebanon you shall come" — to every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned. "Look" — to remove sins from the land. "From the top of Amana, etc." — these are the borders of the land. "From the dens of the lions" — for from there and outward were the dens of the Canaanites, who were like vicious, predatory beasts. For indeed, in the days of David...

"With me from Lebanon, O bride" — behold, you are a "kallah" (bride), meaning: comprised of every kind of beauty. "With me from Lebanon" — and he goes on to explain: "with me from Lebanon you shall come," meaning from the place where you now stand, in Lebanon; from there you shall come with me to the mountain of myrrh, etc., and there we will delight in love and drink our fill of love until morning. "Look from the top of Amana" — you shall step forth and go from the place where you now are, from the top of Mount Amana and from the top of the mountains of Senir and Hermon, which are places, dens of lions and leopards, and you shall no longer remain in these places, for you shall come with me to the mountain of myrrh, etc. The allegorical meaning is to say: you shall come with Me to your land and go forth from the galut (exile).

"Milevanon" — the name of a forest. "Kalah" (bride) — she is called thus because at that time she is "kelulah" (perfected) with every kind of beauty and splendor. "Tashuri" — a matter of stepping and walking, as in "be'ashuro achazah ragli" (my foot has held fast to his steps) (Job 23:11). "Amanah, Senir, and Chermon" — names of mountains. "Mime'onot" — a matter of dwelling, as in "Hashem, You have been a dwelling place (ma'on) for us" (Psalms 90:1).

You captured my heart. You have drawn My heart to you. With but one of your eyes. Of the many good characteristics that you possess, if you had only one, I would love you dearly, and all the more so with all of them. And similarly, “with one necklace of your necklaces,” with but one of the chains of your necklaces. These are the adornments of commandments through which the [Bnei] Yisroel are distinguished. Another explanation of “בְּאַחַד עֲנָק,” with one of your forefathers, [the one] referred to as, “was one,” the one singled out, and this is Avrohom, who is called עֲנָק [=a giant], “the greatest man among the giants בַּעֲנָקִים.” — Notes: (58) Yechezkeil 33:24. (59) Yehoshua 14:15.

The first interpretation: "libbavtini" (you have ravished my heart) — you have removed my heart; like "mesa'eph [porah]" (one who lops off [a bough]), meaning "yakhrit ha-sa'if" (he cuts off the branch) (cf. Isaiah 10:33), and similarly "ve-shorshekha" (and He will root you out) (Psalm 52:7). "With one bead ['anaq] of your necklace" — [beads] tied and strung together, like "ve-anaqim le-gargerotekha" (and necklaces about your neck) (Proverbs 1:9). The third interpretation: "libbavtini" — you have fulfilled the desire of my heart through one of the prophets, namely Elijah, who brought Israel back in repentance. "With one bead of your necklace" — this is the tribe of Judah, (whose kings) were mostly pious.

"You have ravished my heart, my sister" etc. — Our Sages, of blessed memory, said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "You had one heart in Egypt, and you gave Me two hearts: 'You have ravished My heart with one of your eyes' — with the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision; 'with one bead (anaq) of your necklaces' — this is Moses, the unique and mighty one of your tribes." [End of the quoted Midrash.] Now it is fitting to give thought to what [our Sages] saw in the verse to expound it in this way. Furthermore, one who has only a single heart — how can he give two? And also, where did they give the two? Furthermore, it says "with one of your eyes" [meaning] the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision — if so, how does the verse call them "one"? And what is the connection of Moses to this matter, and why does it call him mighty and unique? Now, wickedness and merit are each two, which are [really] four categories. This is because the wicked person, or the idol-worshipper, if he acts, Heaven forbid, with his whole heart — for he has cast Hashem behind his back, which is the ultimate wickedness — such a person has no heart at all, for even his good inclination is enslaved to the evil inclination. But one who worships idols the way Israel did in Egypt, while their heart was with Hashem — as in the matter of "if we had forgotten the name of our God, and spread out [our hands to a strange god]" etc. (Psalm 44:21), which speaks of the exiles whom they forced to worship idols, and this was not from their heart — this is the meaning of "if we had forgotten the name of our God," that is, [even] when "we spread out our hands to a strange god, would not God search this out, for He knows the secrets of the heart?" (Psalm 44:21-22). Now, one who acts this way has one heart, for his good inclination has not been lost, since he feels it and remains steadfast with Hashem; but it cannot be said that he has given that heart to Hashem, for he has not yet given it to Hashem — he has not done anything active with it — he merely has, in his very being, one [intact] heart. And in one who actively does good, there are two categories: one who begins to perform the commandments, but whose evil inclination is not yet subdued, nullified, and wholly enslaved to Hashem — such a person is to be classified with one who has given one heart to Hashem, namely, the good inclination. But one who has subdued the evil inclination as well, so that it too is, as it were, enslaved to Hashem — of him it is correct to say that he has given the evil inclination to Hashem as well, like Abraham, of whom it is said, "and You found his heart (levavo) faithful before You" (Nehemiah 9:8); and [the Sages] said in the Jerusalem Talmud that this means He found both of his inclinations faithful to Hashem — derived from its saying "levavo" [with the doubled letter], and not "libo" [in the plain form]. Let us come to the explanation. [The Midrash] found it difficult in the verse: how can [Scripture] make a verb out of a noun [turning "lev," heart, into the verb "libavtani"], and also, why does it say "libavtani" with two beits [i.e., with a doubled letter]? Therefore it explained, saying: "You had one heart in Egypt" — meaning that they were idol-worshippers, but not with their heart, for their heart was whole with Hashem; thus they had one heart, namely the good inclination, but they had not given it to Hashem — this is the meaning of "you had." And afterward you rose to the utmost extreme, "and you gave Me two hearts" — this is because the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision are the two "eyes," for with both of these they looked toward God. Now, at first, when they slaughtered the Paschal offering, with which they began [performing] the commandments, they gave [Hashem] one heart, namely the good inclination, but not the second; for although this was a great act — in that they nearly gave up their lives, lest the Egyptians rise up to kill them upon catching them slaughtering their god — nevertheless their evil inclination had not yet essentially submitted to keep [the commandments], until the blood of circumcision. And this is [the meaning of] "You have ravished my heart with one [of your eyes]" etc. — that what you gave Me of the two hearts was not [given] through each of the two "eyes," but only through one of them. And what are the "eyes," through one of which they "ravished" the Holy One, blessed be He? The blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, for through these two "eyes" they began to look toward God, which had not been so until that day. And as to through which of the two "eyes" the two hearts were given to Him — therefore it says, "with one bead of your necklaces" etc., "this is Moses" etc. This is like what our Sages, of blessed memory, said regarding the verse "Behold, the bed of Solomon" (Song of Songs 3:7), and regarding the verse "While the king [sat at his table]" (Song of Songs 1:12) — [asking] who was "king" in Egypt: Rabbi Berechiah says, Moses was the mohel [who performed the circumcision] and Aaron uncovered [the corona], etc. And this is [the meaning of] "with one bead" etc. And the sense of the verse, according to this, is: through which of your two "eyes" did you give Me the two hearts? It is through the latter one — the one that was done by [the hand of] a single "giant" (anaq), namely Moses, who is called anaq [giant — the same word also meaning a necklace-bead] because of his might in circumcising all of Israel by himself, and [because he was] unique — just as a giant is singular among the rest of the people — namely, [what was accomplished through him,] the covenant of circumcision. For through the blood of circumcision they earned merit and gave the two hearts. And it says "of your tribes" with reference to "your necklaces" (tsavronayikh), for upon them the eternal life hangs, at the neck — since without Israel there is no world — so the tribes are found to be, as it were, the twelve necks of the celestial Chayot (the living creatures [of Ezekiel's vision]). And according to our own approach, we shall say something close to their intent. Now, in the Mekhilta, our Sages, of blessed memory, disputed as to on account of what merit they were redeemed: some say, on account of the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision; and Rabbi Elazar HaKappar says, on account of four qualities — that they did not change their names, did not change their language, were not suspected of slander (lashon hara), and were not suspected of sexual immorality (arayot). Now, above, in giving the reason for the redemption, [the verse] mentioned the four [qualities], as is made clear from its saying "your teeth are like a flock" [in pairs] — [alluding to] two righteous ones, like Moses and Aaron, and that through these He, may He be blessed, said He would redeem them. And it says, "with Me from Lebanon, O bride, with Me from Lebanon, come" — He said: behold, you had two more great merits, namely the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. And this is [the meaning of] "you have ravished my heart" etc. — meaning, through the two hearts that you gave Me, through one you became "My sister," and through the second you became adorned like a "bride." And it immediately explains them, saying: the first is "with one of your eyes," meaning, through one of the things special to your "eyes." This is because above we said, regarding "your eyes are [like] doves," that those who were the "eyes" of the congregation did not sin in the [matter of the Golden] Calf — like doves, who do not exchange their mates; thus it is found that the thing special to those called "the eyes of Israel" is [their] distancing themselves from idol worship. So too in this matter, Israel gave one heart to the Holy One, blessed be He, in Egypt, through the commandment by which they distanced themselves from idol worship — namely, the slaughtering of the Paschal offering, as it says, "Draw your hands away from idol worship, and take for yourselves flocks" etc. — for the lamb that they used to worship, they tied to the legs of the bed and slaughtered it. And through this they became "My sister," who separated from impurity. And the second heart, through which they were adorned in finery like a bride, is "with one bead of your necklaces" — that is, the covenant of circumcision. And the matter is that the Levites are called "necks," as was said above regarding "your neck is like the Tower of David" — because their service of Hashem, namely their song and their music, depends on the neck. Behold, they had in Egypt two necklaces of pearls: one, the Torah, which contains countless pearls, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, that Amram was the head of an academy; the second, circumcision, in which there are thirteen covenants that were made with Abraham, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said regarding the verse stated about the Levites, "for they have observed Your word" — this is the Torah — "and kept Your covenant" — this is circumcision (Deuteronomy 33:9). [The verse] says that with one necklace of the two necklaces of the Levites, who are called "your necklaces," namely the necklace of the covenant of circumcision — through it the two hearts were given. And this is [the meaning of] "with one bead" etc.

"You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes" — for the king was favored, but Abiathar the high priest was not. "With one bead of your necklace" — through Benaiah, who was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, not through Joab. For indeed, in the days of Solomon...

"You have ravished my heart" — behold, from of old, when I was with you, you drew my heart to you, my sister, my bride; and he says "my sister" as an expression of extra affection. "You have ravished my heart with one of your eyes" — he explains with what she drew his heart, and says: with the glance of one of your eyes, for a glance given in a manner of affection with one eye draws the heart very greatly. "With one bead of your necklace" — even with one ornament of the jewels of your neck you drew my heart to you, and how much more so with all of them. The allegorical meaning is to say: My love for you is because of Abraham your father, who was the "eye of the world," to publicize My divinity among mankind, to guide them in the way in which they should walk; and because of Moses My servant, who brought you into covenant with Me. He called him [Moses] "one bead" of the neck, for he was the special ornament among those who spoke on your behalf and who proclaim aloud to walk in the ways of Hashem and keep His commandments.

"Libavtini" — from the language of "lev" (heart). "Anak" — thus is called neck jewelry, as in "va'anakim legargeroteich" (and chains about your neck) (Proverbs 1:9).

How beautiful is your love. Every place where you showed me affection is beautiful in My eyes; Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov, Givon, and the eternal Temple. That is what the [poet] from Bavel composed, “A resting place and other meeting places,” “resting place” refers to Yerusholayim, and “other meeting places” refers to each place where the Divine Presence met with Yisroel. And the fragrance of your oils. Your good name.

The third interpretation: "How fair is your love" — Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, Gibeon, and the Temple. "And the fragrance of your ointments" — the service of Hashem and good deeds.

"How fair is your love [dodayikh]," etc. — He says: How fair are these two acts of love of yours — that of the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, mentioned [above] — in order to make you, through the one, "My sister," and through the other, an adorned bride, as discussed above. Then it says, "How much better..." [is your love than wine], etc. — this is understood by what we know from the Zohar, that wine symbolizes what is stated aloud, with voice, and oil symbolizes what is stated quietly, in silence. And he states a great principle in the service of the Creator, blessed be He: that He desires more the inner goodness of one's disposition expressed through love, than through deed or speech. This is [the meaning of]: "Behold, how great is your merit" — for how good is your love, in that you cherished Me in your inner self, beyond your spoken words. This is [the meaning of] "than wine" — for you cherished Me in your heart more than what you would reveal in your speech. And this refers to those who reveal the love of their heart [in words], and also to those who did not reveal with their mouths their goodwill regarding the commandments, but performed them quietly — these are associated with oils rather than with wine. It is not that their not revealing it verbally means that their heart was not steadfast; rather, "and the fragrance of your oils" was a pleasing fragrance before Me, more than all spices. Or, the verse means: "You have captured my heart [libbavtini], etc. How fair is your love, etc." — directed toward the matter of what our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said regarding "and Pharaoh drew near" (Exodus 14:10), etc.: A parable of a king who saw a maiden, the daughter of his beloved, in the hands of bandits, and he sought to marry her to himself, and redeemed her from their hands. After he redeemed her, she grew lax in her attachment to him, and he wanted her to begin clinging to him, but she was not doing so. What did he do? He incited the bandits against her. Then she cried out to the king and drew near to him. Then the king dealt well with her and took her to himself as a wife. So too this King — He is the Holy One, blessed be He — saw the assembly of Israel [Knesset Yisrael], the daughter of His beloved, in the hand of Egypt, and sought to take her to Himself as a people, He to be a God to her, by means of the marriage canopy of the wedding at Mount Sinai, and He redeemed them. He then sought that we begin to cling to Him, and we were not doing so; then He incited Pharaoh and his army against us. And when "Pharaoh drew near" (Exodus 14:10), then "the children of Israel cried out" (Exodus 14:10) and clung to Him, and also "believed in Hashem" (Exodus 14:31), etc., and He took us and drew us near before Mount Sinai, He being like a bridegroom going forth to meet the bride. This is [the meaning of] "you have captured my heart, etc." — meaning: Behold, from the aspect of your very existence, namely from your being the daughter of My beloved, you acquired in Me two hearts, that is, two separate thoughts: instead of your being estranged from Me, worshipping idols [avodah zarah], you would be My sister, cleaving to Me, in that you would deny idolatry — and a second thought, that you would be a bride to Me, whom I would marry as a bridegroom takes a bride, so that you would be a people to Me and I a God to you. And he explains that what made our two hearts — namely, being "my sister" and being a "bride" — [was]: being "my sister" [came] through "one of your eyes," for you had two eyes with which to look toward Me — they are the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said, that the two bloods are the two eyes, as mentioned above. And through one of them you became "my sister" — that is the blood of the Paschal offering, for through it you withdrew your hands from idolatry and made atonement through it, by the slaughter of the lamb that you used to worship. And your becoming a "bride" to Me [came] through "one jewel of your necklace" — that is the blood of circumcision, which was performed by the hand of Moses, who is the distinctive "jewel of your necklace," as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said, that Moses circumcised him [Israel], and they called him [Moses] "the jewel of your necklace," in that he is like a pearl pendant on the necks of all Israel — that is Moses — for all the pearls of the Torah are in him, so that all Israel may adorn and glorify themselves through him — every Torah scholar [talmid chacham] in every generation — for everything comes from him, since all are his disciples and the disciples of his disciples. This is [the meaning of] "one jewel" — for it is regarded as a jewel of pearls upon your necklace. Or, the meaning of the verse is: "you have captured my heart" refers to the two thoughts — one, that you would be My sister, and the second, that you would be a bride whom I would marry. And through what were the two thoughts completed? Through "one of your eyes" — that is the distinctive one of your two eyes, namely the blood of circumcision. And all this, that I desired you be a bride to Me, is for the sake of "one," that is, "the jewel of your necklace" — namely, the vitality of Israel, like the neck upon which a person's life depends — [referring] to the three Patriarchs, who are like three necks to us. And the choicest of the Patriarchs is Jacob, whose bed [mittato] was perfect [i.e., all his offspring were righteous] — he being like a pendant upon which many pearls [hang]; so too are the twelve righteous ones [the tribal ancestors] dependent upon him, and he is included among the "necks." This is [the meaning of] "one jewel of your necklace" — and this is what our Rabbis, of blessed memory, meant, that He desired to marry her to Himself because she is the daughter of His beloved, since the essential point is that she is the children of Jacob. Now perhaps you will say: If so, then afterward, why did You make me [undergo] the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision? How were we [still] in Pharaoh's hand, so that "Pharaoh drew near" (Exodus 14:10), etc., until we cried out to You again? Was it not good in Your eyes, what we had already become to You — a sister and a bride? — It is not so! For behold, "how good is your love, my sister, bride" — for these two things you did with affection at the time of doing them, the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, but not in essence, for you slackened immediately afterward. But "how good is your love" in essence is that you returned and clung to Me — that is [the meaning of] "than wine," which pertains to the [realm of] voices, since wine symbolizes them — through "the children of Israel cried out to Hashem" (Exodus 14:10), for then they clung to Hashem, after I incited the bandits against them, "and believed in Him" (cf. Exodus 14:31) — through this, and they entered the sea up to their nostrils. But greater than this was "the fragrance of your oils," etc. — this is because, even though all of Israel entered [the sea], even more credit is due to Benjamin, and to Nahshon and his faction. For our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said that the tribe of Benjamin went first and entered [the sea]; and when Nahshon ben Amminadav and the leaders of Judah saw this, they were seized with zeal and stoned Benjamin, until they too went forth and entered, so that the water reached up to their nostrils, and Nahshon said, "Save us, O God, for the waters have come up to the soul" (Psalms 69:2). That is what is meant by "there is Benjamin, the youngest, their ruler [rodem]" (Psalms 68:28) — do not read it as "rodem" [their ruler], but as "rad yam" [he went down into the sea], etc. Now, these two, Benjamin and Judah, and especially Nahshon, merited being anointed with the anointing oil to reign over Israel, as we wrote in our commentary on Psalms — from the necessity of the verses — that through this merit he merited kingship; for by virtue of what Judah did, he merited that Israel would be under his dominion. And so it is likewise possible regarding Benjamin, that through this [merit] He advanced to make Saul, of Benjamin, king before [one of] Judah — apart from the matter of Amalek, which was fitting for him, as is known. The sum of the matter is: even though the faith of all Israel grew great, and they [all] entered the sea, Benjamin and Judah prevailed over their brothers in that they went first. And behold, they are the roots of the branches that were anointed as kings — Saul and David. It is found, then, that at that time there was the fragrance of the oils yet to come, and they sanctified Hashem the most. And of them it says, "and the fragrance of your oils" — they are the ones destined to be anointed with two oils: Saul with the balsam oil that was in the flask, and David with the anointing oil that was in the horn — and their fragrance rose up before Me more than all the spices, that is, more than the rest of Israel, for I valued the fragrance of the oils — namely, Benjamin and Judah — more than all the other tribes; even though the other tribes, too, gave off fragrance in that they sanctified Hashem, for they also sanctified the Heavenly Name, and the fragrance of their righteousness rose up before Me.

"How fair is your love" — for they were all righteous: the king, and Zadok the high priest, and Benaiah son of Yehoyada over the army. "How fair is your love" — in theory and in practice. "How much better is your love" — to teach knowledge to the people. "And the smell of your ointments" — in character traits (middot). Therefore...

"How fair is your love" — how very fair were the displays of your affection to me, my sister, my bride; how much better were they than the drinking of wine, and the smell of the oil with which you anoint yourself, which is a smell more pleasant than the smell of all spices. The allegorical meaning is to say: the faith that you place in Me, and the publicizing of the holiness of My Name that comes about through you, is fitting in My eyes and accepted before Me.

"Mah yafu" (how fair) — the word "mah" indicates the intensity of the matter, as in "mah rav tuvecha" (how great is Your goodness) (Psalms 31:20). "Dodayich" — your love and your affection.

Honey. [Which is] sweet. Your lips drip. [With] explanations of Torah. And the fragrance of your garments. The proper commandments pertaining to your garments; ritual fringes, blue thread, the garments of a kohein, and the prohibition of sha’atnez [=wool and linen].

The third interpretation: "nofet" (honeycomb) — the reasons of the Torah. "And the fragrance of your garments" — the tallit and tzitzit.

"Your lips drop honey," etc. — You had yet another merit from the standing at Mount Sinai, through which you earned that honor, namely that "[your lips] drop [honey]," etc. The point is that the essence of the service of Heaven depends upon the intention of the heart and inner devotion (deveikut), so that the merit not be only from the lips outward, but rather that the inside be like the outside. Therefore it says: behold, like [a honeycomb] that drips — it drips honey, and within it is honeycomb, whose essence is wax, which by its nature has cohesive devotion — so your lips dripped honey, through your pleasant words when you said "we will do and we will hear" (na'aseh ve-nishma), and within you was essential devotion, and not merely from the lips outward. And so great was your belovedness that it made a great impression, for "honey and milk are under your tongue," etc. In order to come to the matter, let us recall their statement, of blessed memory, on this in Midrash Chazit (Song of Songs Rabbah), as follows: "'And the smell of your garments,' etc. — it is written, 'and he came near and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his garments' (Genesis 27:27). Rabbi Yochanan said: there is nothing whose smell is worse and more offensive than the stench of goats, yet it says 'and he smelled the smell of his garments'! Rather, when our father Jacob entered, the smell of the Garden of Eden entered with him — this is the meaning of what he said to him: 'see, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed' (Genesis 27:27). Since Esau entered, Gehinnom entered with him, etc. — this is the meaning of what he said to him: 'who then (mi eifo) — who was baked (mi nafah) in this oven?'" (cf. Genesis 27:33) [end of the midrash's words]. And it is fitting to give thought to this: what does the smell of your garments have to do with the matter of Jacob? If the intent is that the verse speaks of the time when Jacob came in to his father, that has no connection at all to what was expounded in that midrash at the head of the verse. And if the intent is that "the smell of your garments" refers to the smell of the Garden of Eden, why would it call it by this name? Furthermore, what is the difficulty here — "there is nothing whose smell is worse than the stench [of goats]," etc.? Let it simply be said that this was said of the precious garments of Esau! And furthermore, in its answer, "since Jacob entered," etc. — if so, how can it then say "and he smelled the smell of his garments"? What has the Garden of Eden to do with garments? And also, what is the point of its saying "this is the meaning of what he said to him," etc.? And what need was there to bring in the matter of Esau, that Gehinnom entered with him? However, we learn from the statement of the Zohar that from a person's good deeds two spiritual garments are made for him, and these are the "robe of the Rabbis" (challuka de-rabbanan) mentioned in the Gemara. One is made from the performance of the mitzvot, and the second from the intention behind the deed. With the first, the spirit (ruach) is clothed in the lower Garden of Eden; and with the intention, the soul (neshamah) is clothed in the upper Garden of Eden. This is what Rabbi Yochanan intended to explain by saying "and the smell of your garments" — as will be explained with God's help — namely, that it refers to the smell of the garments of souls in the Garden of Eden. And he needed to bring proof for two things: first, that there are, in the Garden of Eden, garments for the spirit and soul of the righteous; second, that they have a smell, in that there is power in them to be smelled. And he brought proof for this from the fact that Isaac smelled the smell of the garments of the spirit and soul of Jacob that were in the Garden of Eden — and this is the meaning of what is written, "and he came near and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his garments." And he raised the difficulty that the odor of goats is a foul smell, and it was not fitting for him to say that this referred to the precious garments of Esau — for if so, what would "his garments" mean? They are the garments of Esau! And there is a second proof: for behold, in beginning to derive his teaching from the verse, he took hold of the statement "and he came near and kissed him," and did not take hold of the statement "and he smelled" — because behold, when Jacob drew near to him and he felt his hands, it would have been more fitting for him to smell the garments that were upon his body than when he kissed him, for the kiss was not upon them — on the contrary, at the kiss his nose was closer to the odor of the goats that was on the smooth part of his neck than to the garments that covered him from his shoulders down. Therefore he said that the Garden of Eden entered with him — that is to say, that Jacob's garments were there, in the Garden of Eden. And moreover, as appears from the book of the Zohar, the upper Garden of Eden entered with him, for in order to come into this world it must join with the quality of what is below. Therefore, then, "and he smelled the smell of his garments" — of Jacob, which were in the Garden of Eden that entered with him — and this is the meaning of "the smell of his garments." And to bring proof that "his garments" means the garments of his soul, and also for the statement that "the Garden of Eden entered," he said: this is the meaning of what he said to him, "see, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field" — for it is difficult in the verse: how can it say "the smell of my son"? It should rather say "see the smell of my son's garments"! But this teaches only that the garments and his son are one and the same, for they are the garments of his soul. And concerning the entry of the Garden of Eden, he brought proof from the statement "like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed" — this is a field of apples, for it is blessed by Hashem — and he, Isaac, recognized, by the quality of its holiness, the resemblance of his son to the smell of the Garden of Eden, for it is one and the same matter, as has been said. He brought a further proof from what corresponds to this concerning Jacob: why did Isaac tremble such an exceedingly great trembling, and what is the meaning of his saying "who then (mi eifo)" rather than saying "who is he that hunted the venison," etc.? Rather, it indicates that he saw Gehinnom, and therefore he trembled and said "who was baked (mi nafah) there." And from this we understand the parallel concerning Jacob, that the Garden of Eden entered with him. And now the statement "and the smell of your garments" will likewise be said concerning the garments of Israel that are in the Garden of Eden. Now let us come to the matter in our own way. It says "honey and milk," etc., and "smell," etc. This is because honey is a tangible sweetness, while milk is not tangible. Furthermore, honey comes about through an action performed by the bees, which eat grasses and flowers and hold them in their mouths until their quality is transformed into honey, and they regurgitate it from their mouths; but milk is made from illness [transformed blood]. And according to these characteristics, it is fitting that they be taken as a parable for "we will do and we will hear": honey, which is a tangible sweetness and comes about through an action, is a parable for the doing; and milk, which is not tangible and does not come about through an action, is a parable for the hearing. And He, may He be blessed, said: see how mighty are your words, in saying "we will do and we will hear" — and this is by virtue of what we know, that the Holy One, blessed be He, joins a good thought to the deed. For behold, "honey and milk," which are "we will do and we will hear," were still "under your tongue" — that is, before you had spoken — and already "the smell of your garments," produced by them in the lower Garden of Eden, and by means of the intention in the upper one — the "robe of the Rabbis" — had already given off a scent "like the smell of Lebanon," the place of the supernal fullness of souls, which is called by this name, as is known from the book of the Zohar; for the good thought, in the goodness of the realm of devotion (deveikut), and the intention, made a great impression above. Or it may be said in the manner of the preceding: "your lips drop honey" with inner devotion, in the honeyed flow of your lips, when you said "we will do and we will hear." And not only that, but you spoke the matter with all your heart — that is, with both of your inclinations (yetzarim). For honey represents the good inclination (yetzer tov), whose essence and outcome are good, like honey, whose beginning is good grasses and flowers and whose end is sweet honey; and also the evil inclination (yetzer hara), whose essence is impurity and agitation, was turned white to become good, like milk, whose essence is blood and which is turned into white milk, good for eating. And this is the meaning of "honey and milk are under your tongue." And through this, "the smell of your garments" in the Garden of Eden was "like the smell of Lebanon," as in the preceding manner.

"Your lips, O my bride, drop honey" — It is fitting that you occupy yourselves, even after the destruction, with Torah and mitzvot. For indeed, "honey and milk are under your tongue" — for the matter is very near to you, in your mouth (cf. Deuteronomy 30:14), and under your tongue is the honey and milk of study and practice, to learn and to teach. "And the smell of your garments" — in [good] character traits. "Like the smell of Lebanon" — favored in the eyes of God and man.

"Drip nectar" — the words of your lips are sweet and pleasant, as though they drip, flowing honeycomb, and as though under your tongue is honey and milk, flowing from your mouth. This is a repetition of the same matter in different words. The allegorical meaning is about engagement in the study of the wisdom of the Torah. "And the smell of your garments" — the smell wafting from your garments, from the incense, is like the smell of the forest of Lebanon, in which are found many herbs and spices that give off a good smell. The allegorical meaning is about the commandments that depend on garments, such as the commandment of tzitzit and the prohibition of sha'atnez.

"Nofet" — a matter of dripping and melting, as in "venofet tzufim" (and the honeycomb's drippings) (there, [Psalms] 19:11); and the word "tzufim" is omitted here, but it is understood on its own, meaning: like the dripping of honeycombs. "Titofnah" — drops shall fall in drips. "Salmotayich" — your garments.

A locked garden. This refers to the modesty of the daughters of Yisroel, who are not of loose morals. — Notes: (60) Alternatively, ‘גן’ refers to the Pentateuch which has fifty-three sidros, the numerical value of ‘גן’. (Gra) A locked up spring. This can be explained as a term referring to a fountain, as in, “upper fountains גֻּלּוֹת,” and it can also be explained as a term referring to a gate, and it is an Aramaic term in the Talmud, “lock the gates גַלֵּי.” — Notes: (61) Yehoshua 15:19. (62) Maseches Berachos 28a.

The first interpretation: "gal" (spring) — like "gullot illiyot" (upper springs) (Joshua 15:19), close in meaning to "ma'ayan" (spring). The second interpretation: Behold, you are considered like a locked garden that no man can enter, and it is as if your plantings were an orchard of pomegranates with every precious fruit mixed with every kind of spice — the meaning being that every pleasant and good fragrance has been joined together in you, and you are like a fountain of gardens, a well of living water that restores a weary soul. The third interpretation: "a locked spring" — [the daughters of Israel] who are modest.

"A garden shut up," etc. — Behold, in order to calm our worry over the length of our exile, and the yearning for the good that is hoped for after our redemption, when we say, "Who would grant that it be like the days of our going out from the land of Egypt" — for You hastened to bring us out, and kissed us with the kisses of Your mouth swiftly and quickly, after seven weeks, at the standing at Mount Sinai — so may You do again with us — therefore God, blessed and exalted be His name, comes and tells us of the greatness of our perfections which were in us when we went out from Egypt, for it was because of this that all that goodness came to us, unlike now, as He has recounted up to this point, as has been said. Now, we could answer Him, blessed be He, and say: But in Egypt these perfections were not seen in them — on the contrary, they were worshipping foreign gods! And nevertheless You made Your kindness wondrous with them. How much more so now, You, our Father in Heaven, should make it wondrous to act with us, for we are better than they were before the stirring of their redemption — for behold, they were worshipping the gods of the nations, and even though they improved their deeds through the blood of the Pesach offering and circumcision, from Heaven You poured out upon them a spirit of holiness to strengthen their hand toward redemption. Therefore He, blessed be He, says: if you have seen that I did great kindness with them, do not wonder at the matter, for great was their preparation and their perfections — in potential, locked up within them, inside them. For behold, like a locked garden whose trees, flowers, and good spices are not visible, so was "my sister, [my] bride" — for so did these perfections exist for them, in potential, locked up within them and inside them, not visible outwardly to the eyes of all. And as for the fact that a spirit from on high did not shine upon them to help them serve Hashem by virtue of their perfections which were within them — according to His way, blessed be He, as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said regarding the verse "The wicked watches the righteous [and seeks to slay him; Hashem will not abandon him into his hand]" (Psalms 37:32-33) — this is only because the "gal" (spring) was locked, and this is the meaning of "gal," as in "gulot mayim" (springs of water) (Joshua 15:19), according to the words of the commentators. And so it was that the "gal," the place of the supernal flow which pours out a spirit of holiness upon people so that they not sin, so as to display deeds corresponding to the holiness of their souls if they are righteous in their hearts — as Israel was in those days, whose perfection was hidden within them, for everything depends on divine assistance — was then sealed shut, on account of the impurity that separated between them and their Father in Heaven, which was on account of the foreskin (orlah). However, once the sealed spring — that is, the head of the body, which is the spring from which all the seed of Israel goes out — since it was then sealed with the sign of the holy covenant, then it was revealed that they were "a planting of Hashem in which to glory" (Isaiah 61:3), and so, "your shoots are an orchard [of pomegranates]," etc. And this is because, behold, all Israel has a portion in the World to Come, for they are all righteous; and behold, our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: To what is the righteous person comparable in this world? To a tree planted in a place of purity, whose foliage leans toward a place of impurity, etc. The matter is this: the root of all souls is above, in the holy place, and its branches are sent out into this world, which is a place of impurity. And it is known from the book of the Zohar that every single soul in this world — each one made up of three parts called nefesh, ruach, and neshamah — has the root of each part remaining above, and those roots send their branches downward. And one who is devoid of transgressions and walks in wholeness — the attachment is not severed, so that through this they remain attached to Hashem, and their lives are called "life," for their soul is in their lives — their portion that is on earth is attached to the root, and the root is attached to the Shechinah — the opposite of the wicked, whose sins separate and sever the attachment, so that even in their lifetime they are called "dead." The general point of the matter is that the root of a person's soul sends its shoots down to the earth, in order to produce choice fruit above through Torah and good deeds. And of these it says "your shoots" — they are your shoots, which were made from the roots of your souls above; they produced important fruits here, for they were "an orchard of pomegranates," full of perfections and commandments like a pomegranate [is full of seeds], which were revealed here from what had been hidden with them in Egypt: the four merits, and the blood of the Pesach offering and the blood of circumcision — as was revealed when they entered into the midst of the sea before it split, for they believed in Hashem; and in their saying "we will do and we will hear" before the day of the giving of the Torah — they and the little ones, who were chosen. And this is "with choice fruit" — they are the infants, who said at the sea, "This is my God, and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2), as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said regarding the verse, "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings You have founded strength" (Psalms 8:3), etc. And also the elders together with the youths who possess dark hair (teshoret) — and this is "kefarim (henna) with spikenard" — that is, the elders, who are cold by nature like frost (kefor) [a wordplay on kefarim], as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said concerning Abraham, when he begot Isaac, that his blood had congealed once he had subdued his evil inclination, etc. Or, he called them "kefarim" on account of the whiteness of their beard, [white] like frost; and the black-bearded youths (teshoret) he called "neradim" (with spikenard), on account of the spikenard plant (shibolet nerd), for they have a truly black beard, as is visible to the senses. And this is "kefarim with spikenard" — meaning that the people together with the little ones, who are "your shoots with choice fruit," were whole — "an orchard of pomegranates" — and also the elders together with the youths. And what was their perfection, and in what respect? It is "nard and saffron (karkom)" — meaning that in the service of Heaven, it is not the deed itself that is the main thing, but rather the joy with which one rejoices in it and performs it, as He, blessed be He, has said: "Because you did not serve Hashem your God with joy," etc. (Deuteronomy 28:47). Now, we know from our Rabbis, of blessed memory, that a good fragrance is a metaphor for good deeds, as they, of blessed memory, said regarding the verse "And you shall take for yourselves," etc. (Leviticus 23:40) — that the four species of the lulav are a metaphor for types of people: the etrog has both taste and fragrance, corresponding to those who have both Torah and good deeds; the palm branches (kapot temarim) have taste but no fragrance, a metaphor for those who possess Torah but have no good deeds; the myrtle (hadas) has fragrance but no taste, a metaphor for those who have good deeds without Torah, etc. Now let us come to the matter [of the verse]. He says that that generation, which He, blessed be He, brought near to Sinai, was "nard and saffron" — they possessed a good fragrance, which is good deeds, like nard, and joy like saffron (karkom), for there is nothing that gladdens like saffron, as is known, to the point that from the abundance of joy it puts the senses to sleep — which is why they feed it to those about to be executed by the government, so that they should not feel their death, for from an abundance of joy a deep slumber falls [upon a person]. And they sanctified their body and the three parts of their souls — nefesh, ruach, and neshamah — and this is "calamus and cinnamon," etc. For behold, through the commandments the senses are sanctified, and also the limbs — for this reason Hashem gave us two hundred and forty-eight commandments corresponding to the two hundred and forty-eight limbs, in the matter of "who has sanctified us with His commandments," and as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said regarding "All my bones shall say: Hashem, who is like You" (Psalms 35:10), etc. For it is also known that the body is not the person, but rather a garment for him, as it says, "Upon man's flesh it shall not be poured," etc. (Exodus 30:32). Behold, it is not the flesh that is the person, but rather the soul; the material [body], however, is like a garment or a husk (kelipah) for it. Therefore, in saying that they sanctified themselves and gave off a good fragrance in their material bodies, he likened them to the fragrant calamus (kaneh), which is a covering for the inner part of the tree and its bark. And since not all bodies are equal in quality — even though what they have in common is that they are all husks and garments — some are purer than others, as in the matter stated: "When Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi died, the clear glass ceased" — that is, those possessing a pure, clear physical substance, able to receive the flow of prophecy. Therefore, regarding those possessing a pure physical substance, he says, "and cinnamon (kinamon)" — that they, according to their measure, gave off a more beautiful fragrance through their good deeds, like the superiority of the fragrance of cinnamon over calamus, even though both are the bark of a tree — and they purified their material substance, together with "all the trees of frankincense (levonah)" — these are their souls, which are trees from the supernal source called "levanah" (the white/moon) — and this applies to all three parts, nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. And this is "myrrh (mor)," which Rabbeinu Yaakov, of blessed memory, explained to be blood that congeals for a living creature at its nape and dries — and therefore he called the nefesh "mor" (myrrh), for the blood is the nefesh; and "aloes (ahalot)" refers to the ruach, which overshadows (me'ahil) the nefesh, for its root is higher than it; together with "all the chief spices" (rashei besamim) — these are the neshamot, which are heads over them from above.

"A garden shut up is my sister, my bride" — Do you not see that the salvation does not depend on the Temple? For indeed, in the days of David, it was "a garden shut up" — the place of the Temple was not yet known. "A spring shut up" — the Temple Mount. "A fountain sealed" — the place of the altar; and in any case, they were, in his days—

"A garden shut up" — Now he returns to praising her for her modesty, and thus he says: Behold, you are like a garden shut up, which no one can enter except the owner of the garden, for so much do you not allow anyone to approach you. "A spring shut up" — You are shut up like a sealed spring, for no one has uncovered you to spoil and break your virginity, and behold, you are shut up. "A fountain sealed" — He repeats the matter in different words, and the allegorical meaning refers to keeping distance from idol-worshippers (lit. "worshippers of stars and constellations").

"Na'ul" — closed, likewise "vena'al hadelet" (and he bolted the door) (II Samuel 13:18). "Gal" — a spring, as in "gulot mayim" (springs of water) (Joshua 15:19). "Chatum" — a matter of sealing, as in "ki chatum hu" (for it is sealed) (Isaiah 29:11).

Your arid fields. Dry land is called בֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִין [=thirsty land], and it necessary to irrigate it constantly; a field watered by rain [=בֵּית הַבַּעַל is superior to it. Here he praises the arid field, “Your arid fields” are replete with all good like a pomegranate orchard. This is said of the smallest of Yisroel, who are succulent with good deeds like a pomegranate orchard. — Notes: (63) The Mishnah in Bava Basra describes בית הבעל as a field in the valley that is moist and does not require irrigation. (Sifsei Chachomim) Henna with spikenard. These are types of spices.

The first interpretation: "shelachayikh" (your shoots) — your plantings; like "be-shalchah teriveinah" (when it grows forth, you contend with it) (Isaiah 27:8), or [referring to] the branch that spreads out to every side, like "teshalach ketzirah ad yam" (it sends forth its branches to the sea) (Psalm 80:12) [and likewise "sheluchoteha," its branches]. "Pardes" (orchard) — a garden. The third interpretation: from "your shoots" until "all the chief spices" there are twelve items, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel, the meaning being the daughters of all the tribes.

"Your shoots" — which are lands unsuitable for [growing] fruit. "A park of pomegranates" — they were like a park of pomegranates, for indeed the times of distress from the wars with Ammon and Moab were, all his days, [a source] of wealth and honor for him. "With precious fruits" — to understand and to teach, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Had David not occupied himself with Torah, Joab would not have waged war." "Henna with spikenard plants" — in [good] character traits, as it is said, "He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house, etc." (Psalms 101:7).

"Your shoots" — Behold, according to your fitting deeds and your keeping of modesty, I am assured concerning you that your shoots will be an orchard of pomegranates; that is to say, the fruit of your womb that spread out and are sent forth from you will be full of wisdom, like a pomegranate that is full of seeds. "With precious fruits" — They will also be children of good character, like fruit that is choice and excellent in many kinds of praiseworthy qualities — in taste and in beauty and the like. "Henna with spikenard" — The renown of their names will spread far off like the scent of henna with spikenard, for that combination gives off a pleasant fragrance that wafts far away; and the allegorical meaning is one with the literal sense.

"Shelachayich" (your shoots) — thus are called the branches that spread out and go forth, as in "shilchoteha nitashu" (its branches spread out) (there, [Isaiah] 16:8). "Pardes" — thus is called a garden of fruit trees, likewise "ganot ufardesim" (gardens and orchards) (Ecclesiastes 2:5). "Megadim" — thus is called something choice and excellent, as in "umigdanot natan le'achiha" (and he gave precious gifts to her brother) (Genesis 24:53). "Kefarim, nerardim" (henna, spikenard) — kinds of spices.

The first interpretation: "qaneh" (calamus) — this is fragrant cane [qaneh bosem]. "And aloes" — fragrant trees, like "ka-ahalim nata Hashem" (like aloes planted by Hashem) (Numbers 24:6).

"Spikenard and saffron" — and so it was in the days of Asa, who exerted himself to teach the people knowledge, as it is said, "whoever would not seek Hashem, the God of Israel, should be put to death" (2 Chronicles 15:13) — so likewise were his "shoots," and the troubles of the war with the Cushite were, for him, [a source] of wealth and honor. "Myrrh and aloes" — and likewise Jehoshaphat, who exerted himself in this, as it is said, "and brought them back to Hashem, the God of their fathers" (2 Chronicles 19:4) — he had wars with Ammon and Moab, [a source] of wealth and honor for him.

"Spikenard and saffron" — that is to say, the renown of their praise will continue increasingly to spread from a great distance, like the scent of spikenard, etc., together with every kind of frankincense tree, myrrh and aloes, together with all the choicest kinds of spices, for there is no combination greater than this one for giving off a good fragrance, pleasant even from afar. And the allegorical meaning is one with the literal sense.

"Nerd vecharkom, etc." (spikenard and saffron, etc.) — all of these are names of kinds of spices. "Roshei" — a matter of the finest and choicest, as in "vereishit shemanim" (and the finest oils) (Amos 6:6).

You are a garden spring. All this refers back to, “Your arid fields,” and he praises them like a fountain which irrigates them. The allegory is: It refers to the immersions of purification which the daughters of Yisroel immerse themselves. And flowing streams from Levanon. From a place of cleanliness, without the murkiness of mud.

The first interpretation: "uri tzafon" (awake, O north wind) — the north wind. The third interpretation: "ma'ayan ganim" (a fountain of gardens) — the immersion of purification.

"A fountain of gardens," etc. Behold, just as an orchard cannot blossom without water, so Israel — who are "an orchard of pomegranates," etc. — requires that water flow and abundance be poured down upon them from on high, so that good deeds may blossom; for without the help of Shaddai no one does good, as is known from the words of our Sages of blessed memory on the verse "The wicked watches for the righteous," etc.: "There is not a day that a man's evil inclination does not overpower him," etc., "and were it not that the Holy One, blessed be He, helps him, he would fall into its hand." Therefore it says: behold, there is "a fountain of gardens" — this is the Shechinah, which waters and sustains all the gardens in general, [meaning] Israel and the nations of the world. But that is physical sustenance, to nourish their souls within their bodies, and therefore it was a fountain that flows of itself, without any merit being required, only to sustain His world. But the sustenance and spiritual abundance of eternal life — such as the pouring of an abundance of holiness into a person, to desire and to perform the Torah and the commandments of Hashem, blessed be He, forever, and to grasp the supernal knowledge in His Torah — this is not attributed to a fountain that draws of itself, but rather to "a well" that flows, whose waters are gathered within it, and one who drinks of them cannot drink unless he exerts himself and draws them up with rope and bucket; for so must a person begin of himself to come and purify himself, to perform the commandments, and then he is helped [from Above]. And this is "a fountain of gardens" — that which draws forth something equally for all the gardens, Israel and the nations of the world — and it is also "a well" that does not draw of itself, without a bucket, in the sense of "living water" — these are waters of vitality and eternity, and the living waters are not from what is enclosed within it (i.e., a cistern); for indeed, "and flowing streams" are from Lebanon, which is the very supernal source, where the supernal souls are. Therefore He, blessed be He, said then at Sinai to the aforementioned fountain — which is the Shechinah — "Awake, O north wind": this is a supernal, awesome power that relates to the attribute of judgment included within it, as is known, for she has four chariots: Michael in the south, which is the aspect of "teiman" (south), on the side of chesed (kindness); and Gabriel in the north, on the side of judgment. That is to say, "awake" is an arousal, by the letter of the law, to find some opening by which they would be deemed worthy in judgment — and this is the "bucket" to draw up the abundance. And then, "and come, O south wind" — this is the attribute of chesed, a perfect attribute in its very essence, to act wondrously out of kindness. And what shall the south wind do? "Blow upon my garden" — for it shall pour upon it an abundance of a spirit of purity and holiness, through which "let its spices flow out." And this is because the commandments and good deeds that a person performs in this world are what ascend on high and attach themselves to the sources of their souls, and cause an abundance from above to flow down to the earth below. And this is "let its spices flow out" — that the "heads of spices" (i.e., the tops, the finest parts), which we wrote above are the supernal souls, are — through the good deeds performed by their owners — brought down an abundance from above, and are found drawing from the well of living water through the arousal of the north [wind], as has been said, and the rest from the side of chesed; "and let its spices flow out" from the flowing streams from Lebanon. Alternatively, one might say that "Awake, O north wind" means: awaken the merit associated with the aspect of "north" — this is the Binding of Isaac (Akeidat Yitzchak), which is associated with the north side of the altar, in accordance with what our Sages of blessed memory said, that a person should have in mind, when he says [the words] "northward, before Hashem" (Leviticus 1:11), the Binding of Isaac, which is associated with the north, as is known — so that [these merits] be accepted in complete favor before Him, blessed be He. And through this, "and come, O south wind," as has been said. Therefore the Shechinah returns her words to Him, blessed be He, and says: "Let my beloved come into his garden" — at Sinai — and through this they will be showered [with blessing] of their own accord, "and let him eat his precious fruits" — this refers to my Beloved's utterance, blessed be He, of the Ten Commandments (Aseret HaDibrot), which are the "precious fruits," for they became fruits, and my Beloved ate them and received them. And this is because with each and every utterance (dibbur) that went forth from the Holy One, blessed be He, they [Israel] became sanctified and attained a store of many merits — as our Sages of blessed memory said, that with each utterance, it would say to each and every one of Israel: "Do you accept Me upon yourself? So-and-so many commandments are contained within Me, so-and-so many gezeirot shavot (verbal analogies)," etc., and to each thing he would answer "Yes," etc. And inasmuch as every man answered "Yes" to each and every thing, an angel and a power of holiness was made from it — so much so that our Sages of blessed memory said that through this, their strength was great, in that by their saying "Yes" they added strength to His, blessed be He, utterances, which would ascend on high and be engraved upon the Tablets, as it is said, "The voice of Hashem hews out flames of fire" (Psalms 29:7) — so His, blessed be He, precious fruits were found to be producing fruits, and He, blessed be He, receives them.

"A fountain of gardens" — that is to say, it is fitting that the shoots should be an orchard of pomegranates, etc., for the fountain that waters the gardens is a well of living water surrounded by enclosures, and not exposed so that dust and dirt should get into it; and also, those waters flow and issue from Mount Lebanon, and therefore they are exceedingly sweet. And for this reason it is fitting that the shoots should succeed in being an orchard of pomegranates, etc. — that is to say, it is fitting that your children should be full of wisdom and good character, since you are the source from which they are hewn, and it is proper for you to bear such offspring. And the allegorical meaning is to say that since the place from which Knesset Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) is hewn is from fit and righteous fathers and mothers, the offspring ought to resemble the fathers.

"Chayim" (living) — flowing, as in "al mayim chayim" (upon living water) (Leviticus 14:5). "Venozlim" — from the language of "hazalah" and "netifah" (flowing and dripping).

Awake, wind from the north, and come, wind of the south. Since they are pleasing to me— your fragrance and the beauty of your dwellings, I command the north and south winds to blow upon your garden so that your good fragrance should spread afar. The allegory is: It refers to the ingathering of the exiles, and from all the nations they will bring them as an offering to Yerusholayim, and in the days of the rebuilding [of the Beis Hamikdosh], the [Bnei] Yisroel will be gathered there for the festivals and for the pilgrimages, and Yisroel will reply, “Let my Beloved come to His garden,” for if You are there, all are there.

The second interpretation: She answered and said, "Awake, O north wind ... let my beloved come" — the meaning being that her beloved would go to his garden, and because the north and south wind would be stirred and blow upon her garden [so that its spices flow out], then he would come. The third interpretation: "Awake, O north wind" — when the north wind was stirred and the day changed, so that instead of [the winds] blowing upon the garden and its spices flowing out, the matter was reversed — the meaning being that [Israel] changed their deeds; then the Shechinah came to the garden. And the meaning is that it had ascended on high, as it is written, "[I will go] and return to My place" (Hosea 5:15). And the meaning of "and eat his precious fruits" alludes to the work of the Tabernacle — the meaning being that He delights in dwelling among them like the delight of one who eats precious fruits.

"Awake, O north wind" — for indeed he exerted great effort to arouse Israel to repentance, as it is said, "And the runners went with the letters from the king, etc." (2 Chronicles 30:6), saying, "Children of Israel, return to Hashem, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel." "And flowing streams from Lebanon" — and from Lebanon and the Temple (Beit HaMikdash) there flowed gathered assemblies to the Torah.

"Awake, O north [wind]" — When there reached the ear of the beloved [woman] the abundance of praise with which the beloved [man] praised her, she said: You, the north wind, awaken to blow, and you, the south wind, come here and blow upon my garden, so that its spices may flow and its sap and nectar may drip forth; and so that because of the abundance of fragrance that will waft far off, my beloved may come swift and quick to the garden that I have prepared for him to stroll in, and there eat the precious fruits that I have made ready for him, so that he may continue to dwell with me always. And the allegorical meaning is as if Knesset Yisrael were to say, in effect: if I find favor in His eyes, may He make haste and hurry to let His Shechinah (Divine Presence) dwell within me, in the House established for His dwelling, and there accept my offerings willingly.

"Uri" — from the language of "hit'orerut" (arousal). "Hafichi" — from the language of blowing and breathing.