Song of Songs · Chapter 8

If only you were a brother to me. That you would come to comfort me in the manner that Yoseif did to his brothers, who did evil to him, and it is stated concerning him, “and he comforted them.” incorporated into the Oral Law. Mount Sinai was suspended over Bnei Yisroel’s heads “like an apple” in order to arouse them to accept the Oral Law of the Torah. (Yosef Beor) — Notes: (1) Alternatively, if only my desire that my relationship with God, i.e., to be near Him and to pursue His holiness were out of love, as one’s relatioship is with his brother. (Sforno) (2) The Gemara in Bechoros 8a states, that from the time of an apple tree’s blossoming until its fruits are ripened, a period of sixty days elapse. Accordingly, an apple represents the sixty masechtos When I would find you outside I would kiss you. I would find Your prophets speaking in Your Name, and I would embrace them and kiss them; I also know that “no one would scorn me,” for Your love is worthy that Your beloved should go about in search of it.

The second interpretation: "and now, come my beloved, let us go out to the field," for we cannot be joined together in the city (medinah); "and oh that you were to me like a brother," until I bring you openly to my mother's house, and she will teach me how I shall give you to drink of spiced wine. The third interpretation: ("oh that you were to me like a brother" — Knesset Yisrael said to Mashiach: oh that you were to me like a brother, and I would find you) and cleave to you.

"Oh that you were as a brother to me..." [Song 8:1] — Behold, I said, "Come, my beloved, let us go out into the field" [Song 7:12] — from within the exile — "let us lodge..." and then, freed from the yoke of worldly affairs, "there I will give you my love" [Song 7:13], meaning that all my occupation would be with repentance, Torah, and good deeds. Should you say to me, "I would do this now, in the very midst of the exile" — that is why it says "Oh that you were..." — meaning: Oh, that I, while still in exile, would be aroused to return to You until I find You! If then I were to cast off from myself the yoke of worldly affairs and bear only the yoke of Torah and mitzvot, with tremendous attachment and revulsion toward all the affairs of the world, like one who kisses and clings to his Maker — then, while in exile, [the nations] would not strike me and wound me, I who dwell among them; or at least they would not despise me and I would not become a laughingstock in their eyes, for You would help me against those who oppress me. Would I truly do this? But I fear that, because we betrayed the husband of our youth, this will not stand for us against them when we cleave to You — as Scripture says, "Is it not because my God is not in my midst..." [Deuteronomy 31:17] — that this, too, will happen to me: that after my labor to seek You until I find You, and I say, "Is it not because my God is not in my midst" — which is the beginning of repentance — what is written after it? "And I will surely hide My face..." [Deuteronomy 31:18] — "and it shall be consumed" [Deuteronomy 31:17]. Therefore I said, "Come, my beloved, let us go out into the field" — where there are no nations between Me and you — "and there I will give you my love." And to sweeten the matter, he drew a parable of a woman divorced from her husband, who loved him in her heart, and would meet him sometimes outside, sometimes in the streets, and would say in her heart: Oh, that you were a brother to me! For then, if I kissed you outside, I would not be shamed, for such is the way of brothers — and all the more so if the brother is a small child, an infant or a nursing babe, whom a sister may kiss in front of everyone with no one holding it against her. But my husband — if I kiss you, they will despise me, for it is the way of a man not to present himself before his wife in the marketplaces and streets, since his honor and hers belong only in his house and within his walls. Second, that if he finds her outside, he will not kiss her in front of every passerby, for it would be a shame and a disgrace to him. Third, that she also would not lead him along the way to their destination; rather, he leads her, or walks at his own pace, and they arrange to dwell together within their home. Yet indeed, a brother with his sister — and how much more so if the boy is a young lad, still tender, nursing at his mother's breast, for he is small — if his sister, his mother's daughter, finds him outside, she surely would not be ashamed to kiss him and embrace him, for it would not be held against her, nor to lead him to their mother's house. So too is it, may He be blessed, regarding what we were, in the aspect of bridegroom and husband, with the wife of His youth. Therefore, in our wrongdoing, we were likened to a woman who commits adultery against her husband, so that he sends her out of his house, and she goes forth and becomes a wanderer and a fugitive in the marketplaces and streets. For so we were before Him, may He be blessed, when we were sent out of His house and His palace into the streets — these being the cities inhabited by idol-worshippers, the [other] nations among whom [Israel dwells], who are under the ministering princes above, to whom Hashem allotted [dominion] to govern them, and He gave them rule over us ever since our sins, and He hid His face from us because we betrayed Him beneath Him — just as one who divorces his wife, who wronged him, hides his face from her once his anger has begun to subside from her, since it is not his honor to show himself to her, and all the more so in a place where others can see. But indeed, had we been before Him in the aspect of a sister to a brother, whose anger, when she transgresses his will, would not grow so great that when she pleads with him he would not turn his anger from her, he would present himself to her and give a hand to raise her up in front of everyone, for what she wronged him with would not be considered like a wife's betrayal of her husband. Now let us come to the explanation of the allegory. Behold, the King is the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, and we, His people, the House of Israel, are likened in every respect to His wife, as in the verse, "I remember for you... the love of your espousals..." [Jeremiah 2:2], and as in the verse, "For your Maker is your husband" [Isaiah 54:5]. And we betrayed Him beneath Him, and He sent us out of His house into this bitter exile in the lands outside [the Land] (chutz la'aretz). Yet still, His hand of compassion is stretched out over us to have mercy on us, and His voice knocks upon our heart, as explained above regarding the verse, "The voice of my beloved knocks... open to me, my sister..." [Song 5:2]. Knesset Yisrael (the Assembly of Israel), who is now outside His holy cities, may He be blessed, bearing the exile, says: Behold, when You were knocking, You said to me, "Open to Me, My sister..." — relating Yourself to me as a brother. Oh, that You were truly related to me in that way! — and this is [the meaning of] "Oh that you were as a brother..." — and not in the aspect of a husband. And also, [she says]: although I have no breasts of merit for You to nurse from and receive, for my breasts are shriveled, and You did not call me "My sister" except with respect to the time of my fitness, as discussed above — oh, that You were nursing at the breasts of their mother — meaning the merit of our father Abraham, whose soul is related to the mother of the nation, as in the verse, "to my mother's house, and to the chamber of her that conceived me" [Song 3:4] — and not as it is now, when the merit of the fathers has been exhausted. Or one may say that "nursing at the breasts of my mother" refers to the Shechinah, based on the statement of the Zohar: that when we are righteous, the Shechinah shows her face upward, displaying before Him, may He be blessed, the holy lights of our merits that cling to her, and He, may He be blessed, draws them in and receives them; but not so when we do not do the will of the Omnipresent and there are no good deeds to show, for she then, as it were, is inclined to turn her face away. And this is [the meaning of] "Oh that you were... nursing at the breasts of my mother" — these are the lights of our good deeds, which You would suck from the Shechinah, through which You would be related to us as a brother — for our mother truly receives the [divine] flow, and your mother would be related [to us] in that she sucks and receives, from the breasts, the lights of our merits which cling to and spread out from her. And this, I believe, is the intent of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: "He did not cease from cherishing her until he called her, 'My mother'" — that this refers to the days when we do [His will], and His will, may He be blessed, is that then her endearment before Him is very great, for He willingly receives the merits she shows before Him, and through them there comes a bond of union, as is known. If You were to me in this aspect, You would not hide Yourself from me because I am in the lands outside [the Land] (chutz la'aretz); rather, I would find You outside, for You would present Yourself to me in the sight of the nations among whom I was cast out, so that they would recognize and know that there is a God attached to Israel. And then, "I would kiss You" — I would cling to You utterly, binding my soul to You, which is the aspect of a kiss, as we explained on the verse, "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth" [Song 1:2] — and I would cast off from myself the yoke of worldly affairs and cling to You day and night, occupied with repentance and good deeds, for I would be holding fast to You. If I did so, You would be as a brother to me — needless to say that our exilers would not strike me and wound me for cleaving to You, and would lift from me the yoke of their subjugation; moreover, they would not despise me, as they do day after day, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" [Psalms 42:11], and mocking us for observing the statutes of the Torah. And the reason is that they only despise, strike, and wound us when they see the hiding of His face, may He be blessed, from us — as it says, "But my beloved had turned away and was gone" [Song 5:6], which is the hiding of the face; or when [Israel] arises to seek Him, they strike me and wound me even after my return, as it is said, "And I will surely hide My face..." [Deuteronomy 31:18], and it is written just before it, "And he shall say on that day, Is it not because my God is not in my midst that these [evils] have found me..." [Deuteronomy 31:17] — meaning that after this recognition, [Israel] resolves to complete the purging of their sin, for having been as a husband to me while I betrayed Him beneath Him — and this is [the meaning of] "for he had turned to other gods" [Deuteronomy 31:18] — and through this, the leaven in the dough weakens the hands of those doing repentance, and they revert to folly. Not so if You were as a brother to me, as discussed, for then You would present Yourself to me continually, before their eyes. And with this, I would not need my question and request, when I said, "Come, my beloved, let us go out into the field... that there I may give you my love" — for even in the exile itself, I would do so. And not only that, but I would cling to You so completely that I would not be like Noah, who needed support to sustain him, but rather like the Patriarchs, of whom it is said, "my fathers walked before Him" [Genesis 48:15] — and this is [the meaning of] "I would lead you" [Song 8:2] — that I would not need You to lead me after You, but rather that I would walk before You — and this, too, is [the meaning of] "I would lead you." And furthermore, that I would not let go of You until I brought You to my mother's house — and not as at first. For behold, our Sages, of blessed memory, said: When the world was created, He caused His Shechinah to dwell among the lower beings. When Adam sinned, He removed His Shechinah to the first firmament; when the generation of Enosh sinned, to the second firmament, and so on until the seventh; then Abraham came and brought it down [one level]... until Moses, who brought it down from the first firmament, below, to the earth, as our Sages said in Genesis Rabbah (Bereishit Rabbah). [Knesset Yisrael] says: Behold, through Your presenting Yourself to me — so that thereby I would kiss You and cling to You, as discussed — it will not be as in those generations, where each generation brought down one firmament until Moses; rather, even though Your Shechinah is in the upper firmaments, I will lead You down to the Temple in the lower world — and this is [the meaning of] "I would bring You to my mother's house" — this is the Temple, which is uniquely bound to the Shechinah. And the reason is that "greater is one who is commanded and performs [a mitzvah] than one who performs it without being commanded" [cf. Kiddushin 31a] — therefore, what seven generations did without being commanded, I will do by myself alone, and I will not fear a return to corruption and the destruction of the Third Temple, as happened to the first and second, for indeed now You Yourself will teach me. This is as we explained regarding the verse, "love truth and peace" [Zechariah 8:19] — for indeed, as though it were something foreign, all the hoped-for happiness is made to depend upon truth and peace, and not upon all the other details of Torah and mitzvot. The reason is that the Temple was destroyed twice: the first, on account of the neglect of Torah, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "The Holy One, blessed be He, forgave [Israel] for idolatry, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed, but did not forgive the neglect of Torah" [cf. Jerusalem Talmud, Chagigah 1:7] — and this is the statement of Scripture, "For what did the land perish...? And Hashem said, Because they forsook My Torah..." [Jeremiah 9:11-12]. And the Second Temple was destroyed on account of baseless hatred [cf. Yoma 9b]. Therefore, in saying, "the fast of the fourth [month]... and the fast [of the fifth, and the seventh, and the tenth]... shall be for the house of Israel..." [Zechariah 8:19] — which is the hoped-for happiness — the meaning is: only by your correcting the flaws that brought about the destruction of the first [Temple] — namely, the absence of Torah, which is called truth — and the absence of peace, which caused the destruction of the Second Temple — and concerning the correction of both of these he said, "love truth and peace," and through this they will be corrected. And behold, what He, may He be blessed, will do after the building of the Third [Temple], speedily in our days, to correct us so that we do not revert to folly — this is His statement, may He be blessed: "And all your children shall be taught of Hashem..." [Isaiah 54:13] — as we have explained, that through all of us being taught of Hashem, there will be implanted in us a love and desire for His Torah, may He be blessed, bound to our souls through the kisses of the utterances of His mouth to us, so that we will never again grow slack a second time — "and great shall be the peace of your children" [Isaiah 54:13]. This is as is known, that because the souls of Israel have a relationship and bond with the Torah, a teacher and his students who occupy themselves together with the Torah of Hashem — all the more so when it is for its own sake — have their souls bound to one another, uniting in a mighty union and bond, so that their peace increases. How much more so when we learn from His own mouth, may He be blessed, whose breath of speech, going forth from His mouth, binds us with a mighty bond of intense holiness — it follows that our peace will increase without end. Thus we find in this the correction of the two matters on account of which this House was destroyed twice, and through this we will no longer fear its collapse again. This is what Solomon says here in his wisdom, by his holy spirit, in saying, "you would teach me" [Song 8:2] — Knesset Yisrael says: I will not fear reverting to folly and being destroyed time after time, for indeed You Yourself will teach me, and through this I will not falter, as discussed regarding the verse, "and all your children..." [Isaiah 54:13]. And then, through this, we will gain the advantage that in my mother's house mentioned — this is the Temple — we will not offer in it sin-offerings and guilt-offerings that come on account of sin, nor burnt-offerings that come on account of wicked thoughts; nor will I make thanksgiving-offerings and peace-offerings the main thing, but rather [I will make primary] the service most beloved before You — namely, the incense-offering. And this is [the meaning of] "I would give you spiced wine to drink" [Song 8:2] — this is the incense, [called] "spiced" (rekach), the work of a rokeach (a perfumer/compounder) — a compound (merkachat), the handiwork of a rokeach. And because sometimes the incense is offered on account of sins that, God forbid, cause plague — as in the matter of Aaron with the fire-pan [Numbers 17:11-13] — and it is not a good thing that comes about through it — nevertheless, "I would not give you [ordinary] spiced wine to drink" — that is, the incense — in order to dispel "foaming wine, full of mixture" [Psalms 75:9], which is the power of [strict] judgment that intoxicates and confuses us on account of our guilt, which is likened to foaming wine; rather, [I would give you to drink] "of the juice of my pomegranates" [Song 8:2], which does not intoxicate, on account of its sweetness and inner affection, like the juice of the pomegranate, which is sweet and pleasant, hidden within the pomegranate — alluding to a hidden, inner sweetness and affection. Or one might say that "of the juice of my pomegranates" means that I would give You to drink not only from the pleasant juice of the faithful, loyal ones of Israel (shlomei emunei Yisrael), but also from those likened to the pomegranate — namely, the reikanin (the "empty ones," i.e., the sinners) among us, of whom it is said, "Your temple is like a piece of pomegranate" [Song 4:3]. And as for what I said — that it would not be in order to nullify the "foaming wine" of harsh judgment, such as plague and the like — this is because I am confident that no trouble will come upon me requiring that, in those days, when You bring back the return to Zion for the third time. For behold, "his left hand is under my head..." [Song 8:3] — and this is understood by paying attention to the change in its wording, for above it says "under to my head" [Song 2:6], and here it says "under my head..." Now, above, it speaks of our troubles in exile; and behold, the left hand is the attribute of judgment, which strikes us — yet it is for our good, like a support, as in, "your rod and your staff..." [Psalms 23:4], for the rod of chastisement from Him, may He be blessed, is considered a support, in that it sustains us so that we may endure here and in the World to Come, in the scouring away of the filth and impurity of our guilt. Yet it cannot be avoided that the rod also strikes upon our head and crushes us. And regarding these two aspects, he said, "His left hand" — which is the attribute of judgment — "is under to my head," which is like a support and a prop for my head to lean on, while the second aspect cannot be avoided — namely, that it is also upon the head, to strike it; this is the meaning of the [extra] lamed [in "tachat le-roshi"]. However, in the future there will be only the one aspect — that even the attribute of judgment will be good to us and will be [only] a support beneath the head, to raise it up, and not the second [aspect] — and this is the absence of the lamed [in "tachat roshi"]. "And his right hand embraces me" [Song 8:3] and encircles me, to keep me far from sin, so that the incense will not serve to remove trouble, but only for the sake of the endearment of [divine] service.

"Oh that you were as my brother" — Oh, that I might attain Your ways and serve out of love, as one serves a brother, and not merely out of fear, as is fitting toward a father. "When I should find you without, I would kiss you" — in such a way that even when I am occupied with the affairs of temporal life (chayei sha'ah) outside the houses of study, that occupation would be directed toward serving You out of love. "and none would despise me" — so that they should not think that my deeds are for show (le-yuhara, i.e., ostentation). And so, "I would lead you, I would bring you into my mother's house" — I would merit having Your Shechinah dwell in the houses of study, as it is said: "And Hashem will create over the habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day, and... fire, etc."

"Oh that you were as my brother" — This too is from the words of the betrothed. She sends forth her words to say to the beloved: behold, I desire to kiss you in the marketplace, publicly, but I am ashamed lest I become an object of scorn. And would that you were to me like a little brother who still nurses at my mother's breast, for whom there is no shame for his sister to kiss him in the streets — for if you were so to me, I would kiss you when I found you in the marketplace, and I would thus fulfill my desire, and also no one would scorn me. And the allegorical meaning is to say: would that the causes that prevent me from complete, wholehearted service would depart, for if it were so, I would then be engaged in Torah and commandments in every place I walk.

"shdei imi" (the breasts of my mother) — [i.e.] the breasts (dadei) of my mother. "bachutz" (without) — in the marketplace. "eshakekha" (I would kiss you) — from the language of "neshikah" (kiss). "yavuzu" (would despise) — from the language of "bizayon" (contempt).

To my mother’s house. The Beis Hamikdosh. That you should teach me. As You were accustomed to do in the Tent of Meeting. I would give you spiced wine to drink. Libations. Of the nectar. Sweet wine.

The first interpretation: "she will teach me" [telamdeni] — the tav [prefix] refers back to "my mother." The third interpretation: "I would lead you, I would bring you into my mother's house, that you might instruct me" — [my mother's house is Jerusalem, and the meaning of "that you might instruct me"] is that you will teach me the commandments, and I will rejoice with you like a woman who drinks wine with her husband.

"I would cause you to drink" — "Hashem will rejoice in His works." "of spiced wine" — through the wisdom of the righteous ones and sages of the generation. "of the juice of my pomegranate" — and likewise through the deeds of the multitude in practical matters (ma'asiyot).

"I would lead you" — I would lead you to bring you into my mother's house, so that you might teach me there how I could please you in order to fulfill your desire, and there I would give you to drink of wine mixed with spices, and of the juice squeezed from my pomegranate. And the allegorical meaning is to say: I would further seek to know the hidden things of the commandments and the depth of their secrets, and I would perform them with the utmost perfection and the greatest precision, so that it would be pleasing to you.

"anhagekha" (I would lead you) — from the language of "hanhagah" (leading) and walking. "ashkekha" (I would give you to drink) — an expression of drinking. "harekach" (the spiced wine) — an expression of a mixture of spices, like "rokeach mirkachat" (a compounded perfume) (Exodus 30:25). "me'assis" (of the juice) — an expression of pressing/squeezing, meaning the liquid that comes out through pressing, and likewise "v'cha'assis damam yishkarun" (and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine) (Isaiah 49:26).

His left hand is under my head, etc.

The second interpretation: she returned and said: now my desire is fulfilled, in that his left hand is under my head, while they were asleep. The third interpretation: "his left hand" — then the morning and evening burnt-offerings will be restored.

"His left hand" — as if she were saying: Indeed, I know that through this he will cling to me in the way of love, and he will put his left hand under my head and his right hand will embrace me. And the allegorical meaning is to say: Behold, through this You would cause Your Shechinah (Divine Presence) to rest upon me in the way of love and abundant affection.

"techabkeni" (would embrace me) — an expression of the arm encircling the body.

I bind you under oath. Now the congregation of Yisroel addresses the nations, “Even though I complain and lament, my Beloved holds my hand, and He is my support in my exile; therefore, ‘I bind you under oath.’” Why should you cause hatred or disturb. For it will be of no avail.

The third interpretation: "I have adjured you" — Solomon said to Knesset Yisrael: I have adjured you not to awaken [love] until the end (ha-ketz) arrives, so that you do not endanger your souls.

"I adjure you, etc." — It is fitting to pay attention to the fact that he changed his wording from what was stated above: for there it says "by the gazelles, or by the hinds of the field," but here he did not mention them; and he also changed from the word "if" to the word "what," saying "what will you awaken, or what will you stir up, etc." Now, above, He, may He be blessed, was adjuring the nations of the world, or their [heavenly] princes — the ones specifically set aside for "achishenah" [I will hasten it], of which there are many, as is known from the book of the Zohar — who are likened to gazelles and hinds for their swiftness, as explained above; [He was adjuring them] that the cause [of their awakening] should not be their awakening and stirring by intensifying the yoke of subjugation that they impose upon Israel, but rather that it should come about through the desire of Knesset Yisrael (the assembly of Israel), so that they [the nations/princes] awaken of their own accord — and this is [the meaning of] "by the gazelles, etc." And his saying "if" [indicates that] He adjures them conditionally — if they act in this way. But now, after Knesset Yisrael said, "Would that you were as a brother to me, etc." (8:1) — meaning: would that I had exerted myself until I found You, and kissed You, and clung to You, and You would not hide Your face after my coming to be purified, leaving me in the hand of those who seek my harm, to persist in the distress of their subjugation, in Your manner of hiding Your face from us — even when we begin to return, until the purification (refinement) is complete, as it is said, "And I will surely hide [My face]" (Deuteronomy 31:18), after we recognize that "it is because my God is not in my midst that these evils have found me" (Deuteronomy 31:17) — rather, if we hope before You, I will find You outside; that after I begin to be purified and find You, if I kiss You and cling to You in essence — needless to say that they will no longer strike me and wound me, but even more, You will not give them dominion over me, nor let them despise me — and You will not release Your hold until "I will lead you, I will bring you into my mother's house" (8:2), that is, the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple), that You will gather our exiles together with You when You are found by us, with a favor openly revealed to all the nations; for then we shall cling to You in essence from the very place of our exile, through repentance (teshuvah) and good deeds, and we shall not let go, for we shall see You found unto us — unlike what happens through the hiding of Your face, whereby our hands grow weak, God forbid. Therefore, He, may He be blessed, responds and says to the Babylonians, "I adjure you, etc." — in whichever appointed time (ketz) it may be, whether among those designated for "achishenah," or among those for "be'itah" [in its due time], and for this reason he stated it without specifying. And what I adjure you [regarding] is "what will you awaken, etc." — meaning, that whatever you awaken and stir up of the love, through the sufferings of the subjugation you impose upon them [Israel], shall not continue except until she [Knesset Yisrael] desires it and returns to Me willingly, and not after being forced into the desire — as it was at first, when after the desire and the recognition and the saying, "Is it not because my God is not in my midst that these evils have found me," the concealment would return, as it is said, "And I will surely hide, etc.," and the yoke of exile would return upon them. But now, whatever you awaken, etc., shall be only until she desires it herself. And this oath is the removal of their power. And so we hope from our God, the Merciful One, that all the birth-pangs of the Mashiach (chevlei mashiach) shall be only until we bind ourselves in love, with complete desire, with Hashem our God, and we sanctify ourselves to sanctify His name with desire and love — and then we shall cast off the yoke of troubles from upon us.

"I adjure you" — that Gog and Magog should not hasten to come and negate it; and thus he will not be cleared of my oath (imprecation).

"I adjured" — now she turns her face toward the maidens, and says to them: the punishment for breaking the oath that I adjured you with previously will be upon you, on account of your arousing toward yourselves the love of that beloved one by making me repulsive in his eyes; and all this warning holds only until the time when the love returns of itself, and as long as it has not yet returned I warn you of this — as if to say: but once the love returns there is no longer any need to warn you, for then you will no longer be able to make me repulsive so as to stir up his love toward you. And the allegorical meaning is as if Knesset Yisrael (the Assembly of Israel) says to the idolatrous nations: the punishment for breaking the oath will be upon you, on account of your forcing me to transgress the faith so as to make me repulsive in the eyes of the Omnipresent, blessed be He, so that I would be forfeited into your hand; and all this warning, etc., as in the parable.

"ta'iru," "te'oreru" (awaken, stir up) — from the language of "hit'orerut" (arousal), and the doubling of the word is to intensify the matter.

Who is she. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, and His Tribunal, say about the congregation of Yisroel, “Who is she?” How very worthy she is, who was ascended from the wilderness with all the good gifts. There she became elevated at the giving of the Torah and cleaving to the Divine Presence, and her love was visible to all, and while still in her exile— Clinging to her beloved. She is attached to her Beloved, admitting that she is His companion and attached to Him. “רפק” [is found] in the Arabic word “רפקתא,” [which means] attachment. Beneath the apple tree I aroused you. So she says as she seeks the affection of her Beloved; “Beneath the apple tree I aroused You.” Remember that under Mount Sinai, which was suspended over my head like an apple, there “I aroused You.” This is an expression of the affection of the wife of one’s youth, who arouses her beloved at night when he is asleep on his bed, and she embraces him and kisses him. — Notes: (3) Bereishis 50:21. There [your mother] had birth pains. We have already stated that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, called her [Yisroel] His mother. There she became to You as a mother. — Notes: (4) Above 3:11. Birth pains. An expression of birth pangs. Birth pains. Birth pangs came to her from You, as in, “my children have left me,” [i.e.,] they went away from me. — Notes: (5) Yirmiyahu 10:20.

The first interpretation: "mitrapeket" [leaning] — attaching herself; and so also in the language of Kedar (Arabic) [and it has no parallel elsewhere in Scripture]. "chibbelatekha" [she was in travail with you] — like "behold, he travails with iniquity" (Psalms 7:15), and it is from [the same root as] "chevlei yoledah" (the pangs of a woman in labor). The second interpretation: her beloved awakened her, and she said to him, "who is this coming up from the wilderness" — for she sought her beloved [first], just as I did; "and I awakened you under the apple tree," under which we lie, to remind you that there your mother was in travail with you; and the meaning is: because she conceived under the apple tree, therefore your fragrance resembles its fragrance. The third interpretation: "who is this coming up" — then the nations of the world will say this concerning Knesset Yisrael, when she comes up from the wilderness of the nations together with the Mashiach. And she said to him, "under the apple tree I awakened you" — and the meaning is: I awakened you through my speech, and my prayers gave birth to you, as in the matter of what is stated, "like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word fitly spoken" (Proverbs 25:11).

"Who is this," etc. — Knesset Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) says: I have seen that through this He has addressed part of our petitions, so that the concealment (hester) should not continue further, though not yet to actually manifest Himself to us in His very essence from now on, before the idolatrous nations rouse and awaken [us] through their oppressive burdens. Therefore Knesset Yisrael answers and says, "Who is this coming up from the wilderness" — that is to say: who was it? Was Knesset Yisrael of that generation truly so perfect, more than I, that she ascended so greatly in stature, to the point of "leaning upon her beloved"? That is to say: for even though they were close to being sunk in all the idols of Egypt — as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said, "these are idolaters, etc., and those are idolaters, etc." — they nonetheless acquired an ultimate elevation, and this came to them only "from the wilderness," through their being in the wilderness of Sinai, as it is said, "And Israel encamped there" (Exodus 19:2), etc. — in the singular, because their contamination had ceased and they had become united, as we have said regarding, "Had He brought us near before Mount Sinai," etc. (cf. the Passover Haggadah's Dayenu) — that on account of this they all prophesied, to the point of saying, "We wish to see our King," and it came about for them: "face to face Hashem spoke to your whole assembly" (cf. Deuteronomy 5:4, 22). And this is [the meaning of] "leaning upon her beloved": longing for her beloved and attaching herself to him, like a very beloved son who longs for his father — so much so that our Rabbis, of blessed memory, wondered at their saying, "We wish to see our King," etc. — how did He, may He be blessed, agree to it? And they said: "Does one give a child everything he asks for? Rather..." And this is Knesset Yisrael's complaint now: "Who is this coming up," etc. — was she better than I, that she merited that great attachment with Him, may He be blessed? Yet this came to her only "from the wilderness," through her cleaving to You in a place devoid [of worldly concern], since they had gone out from among the Egyptians and were free of the yoke of worldly labor (derech eretz), for they were eaters of the manna. If so, then — since, after we said, "Who will make you like a brother to me" (8:1), this cannot be sustained — I now return to the petition I set forth earlier, namely, "Come, my beloved, let us go out to the field," etc.; for then we too shall ascend in stature "from the wilderness," free of the yoke of worldly labor as before, for then "there I will give you my love" — [meaning] that all our reliance and every desire with which we shall occupy ourselves night and day will be only for the service that we shall render to Hashem our God, and for Torah, and for service through complete repentance and very great love. He, may He be blessed, answers and says, "There your mother was in travail with you," etc. To arrive at the explanation, let us take note of the fact that the word "there" (shammah) is stated twice, and also of the doubling in the matter: "your mother was in travail with you ... she who bore you was in travail." And it is that He, may He be blessed, says: let it not enter your mind that they went out of Egypt imperfect, and that all their stature was acquired only in the wilderness, on account of the absence of exile and the ready provision of their needs, and that you should therefore say that you ought to do likewise now as well. For know, then, that before your departure from Egypt, "under the apple tree I aroused you" — and this is the saying of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, concerning the women of Egypt: that when they were pregnant and the time of their delivery arrived, they would go out to the field and give birth under the apple tree, as it is said, "under the apple tree I aroused you, there your mother was in travail with you," etc. Once the Egyptians recognized them, they would come to kill them, and a miracle was performed for them, and they were swallowed into the ground; and [the Egyptians] would bring oxen and plow over them, as it is said, "upon my back the plowers plowed," etc. (Psalms 129:3); and once they grew up they would come in flocks (adarim), etc. And when the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed at the Sea, they recognized Him first, as it is said, "this is my God, and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2) — end of quotation. And with this, He, may He be blessed, says: behold, before your departure from Egypt I aroused you, so as to endow you with the perfection and the ascent [you now attribute to the wilderness alone]; for already then, "under the apple tree I aroused you," through a great preparation and a great trial, in which I tested you and found you [worthy]. Is this not [the meaning of] "there your mother was in travail with you" — that they gave birth in the field and left their children, at the time of their birth, out in the open field, and their mothers and fathers did not have second thoughts about it — so that through this they were already prepared then, in Egypt? But from the wilderness alone no good came to you; on the contrary, harm came to you, for "there your mother was in travail with you" — "there she who bore you was in travail" — for there came upon them the harm of the decree of the metei midbar (those who died in the wilderness), in that that entire generation which had led you died there. And therefore the word "there" is stated twice: one refers back to the statement "under the apple tree," from which it concludes and says, "there your mother was in travail with you"; and the other refers to the wilderness, with which it had opened, and says, "there she who bore you was in travail." If so, then, as for your statement in which you said, "Who is this coming up from the wilderness" — [know that] when they ascended then from the wilderness, in giving their love to You, it was because they were free of exile and free of the need to seek the satisfaction of their needs, since You did not withhold anything from their mouths. So too now, [you would say,] let us return to our petition, "Come, my beloved, let us go out to the field," etc., free of the yoke of worldly labor, "and there I will give you my love" — but this is not so; on the contrary, in the wilderness they were harmed, and they did not ascend in stature except through the preparation that they had acquired from the time of the exile in Egypt. So too you: from your being in the midst of the exile (galut), prepare yourselves for redemption.

"Who is this that comes up from the wilderness" — And the blessed God said: what wonder is it regarding this one who comes up from Egypt and from Babylonia, which were like a wilderness, with no man in it? "leaning" — striking herself and lamenting. "upon her beloved" — over the delay of the Messiah's coming, saying: "Was it not, under the apple tree..." — while I was lodging in the shadow of Shaddai [the Almighty], like in the shade of an apple tree. "I awakened you" — I strove through my prayer to bring you. "there she was in travail with you" — like [the verse], "as a woman with child, that draws near her time to give birth." "your mother" — the assembly of Jacob (Kehillat Yaakov). "she brought you forth" — the congregation of Hashem (Adat Hashem), consisting of the righteous of the generations, whose prayer was the cause of your coming into being and your being revealed; and this is as it is said to the blessed God in their prayer.

"Who is this coming up" — now she sends her words to the beloved, and thus she says: who else is like me, who came up from the wilderness, a place of desolation, and even there she remained joined with her beloved and did not part from him. And the allegorical meaning is as if Knesset Yisrael says to the Omnipresent, blessed be He: who else believed in You as I did, to go after You into the wilderness, a land not sown. "Under the apple tree" — while you were still under the apple tree, I awakened your love for me there, and there your mother was in labor pains because of you; and just as she was in labor pains there, so she bore you there. As if to say: from the very beginning of your coming into the world, under the apple tree where you were born, I immediately awakened your love for me. And the allegorical meaning is to say: from the time your nature came forth into the world I have placed my trust in you, for through Abraham our father His name became known in the world, and he and his descendants were drawn after Him.

"mitrapeket" (leaning) — an expression of joining and clinging, and it has no parallel elsewhere in Scripture, and it is from the Arabic language. "al dodah" (upon her beloved) — [meaning] with her beloved, and likewise "vayavo'u ha'anashim al hanashim" (and the men came with the women) (Exodus 35:22). "orartikha" (I awakened you) — from the language of "hit'orerut" (arousal). "chiblatkha" (was in travail with you) — thus is called the pain of childbirth, as it is said: "chavalim yochezukh kemo eshet leidah" (pangs shall take hold of you like a woman in labor) (Jeremiah 13:21).

Set me as a seal. For the sake of that love, seal me upon Your heart, so that You do not forget me, and You will see. — Notes: (6) In the same manner that a seal is affixed on one’s hand and is not removed, so too, set me as a seal upon Your heart. (Metzudas Dovid) For love is as strong as death. The extent of my love that I loved You is to me equal to my death, for I am killed for Your sake. — Notes: (7) My love to You is so strong that I would choose death before relinquishing my love for You. (Metzudas Dovid) Jealousy is as harsh as the grave. The quarrel that the nations were jealous and quarreled with me because of You. “קִנְאָה” every place [in Scripture] means enprenment in O.F., an expression of conveying feelings to wreak vengeance. Fire from the flame of God. Coals of a strong fire that comes from the force of the flame of Gehinnom. The cantillation symbol of the zakef gadol, which punctuates “רִשְׁפֵּי” teaches us about the word “אֵשׁ [fire],” that it is connected to “שַׁלְהֶבֶתְיָה,” meaning “fire from the flame of God.”

The first interpretation: "its flashes" [rishpeha] — like "and the devouring flames of resheph" (Deuteronomy 32:24); its coals. "shalhevet" [flame] — the shin stands in place of "asher" (the relative pronoun), and the lamed is quiescent, which is not in accordance with its usual pattern in Scripture. The second interpretation: and now, "set me [upon your heart] like a seal, upon your hand and upon your arm like a seal." The third interpretation: and afterward Knesset Yisrael will say to the Shechinah, "set me like a seal upon your heart" — and the meaning is that she will never turn away from following the Shechinah.

"Set me as a seal," etc. — Knesset Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) says: Behold, from the sum of Your words it appears that we cannot avoid the birth-pangs of Mashiach (chevlei mashiach), for as to what we asked — "Come, my beloved, let us go out into the field" (Song of Songs 7:12) — You did not agree now, and neither to the matter of "Who would give that you were as a brother to me" (Song of Songs 8:1), etc.; rather, the nations of the world, through the burdens they impose upon us, will arouse us to return to You through the birth-pangs of Mashiach. And the good that You did in Your kindness is that You made the nations of the world swear an oath — "how they shall awaken and how they shall stir it up" (echoing Song of Songs 8:4), etc. — as is explained nearby. Therefore, our Father in Heaven, one thing we ask of You: is it not "Set me as a seal," etc.? And this means: that in the time of the distress of the birth-pangs of Mashiach, place me in Your thought like a seal is placed in the sealed object. For just as all the impressions and letters on the seal remain imprinted on the sealed object even after the sealed object separates from the seal — and furthermore, the impressions on the seal are reversed, while on the sealed object they appear in their correct, upright form, as is known, for they would not appear correctly on the sealed object had they not been reversed when the seal was pressed in — so too, place us in Your heart, that we be always imprinted in Your thought: that if the leaven in our dough (the evil inclination) and our coarse material nature turn us somewhat crooked, You will bring righteousness close from Yourself, and it will be, in Your heart, upright — like the reversed letters on the seal, which appear upright on the sealed object. So will I, the crooked and twisted one, be made upright in Your heart. And through this being so in Your heart, it will follow that we will likewise be so upon Your arm — that is, the power of judgment (din) stretched out over us — in such a way that You will weigh Your arm with mercy. And lest You say: since you sinned with the [golden] calf, two decrees were decreed upon you — one, that we would have no freedom from the angel of death; the second, exile. And if, so that we taste a taste of death in fulfillment of the decree of death, You would hand us over to the sword of our enemies in the birth-pangs of Mashiach and not leave us alive — behold, is it not that "love is strong as death" is the love we have for You? For out of love for You we place our souls in our own hands, so let death take but the earlobe (a mere token) in place of this. And if we still have further guilt and must in any case die, to descend to Sheol to purge our sins — behold, "jealousy is cruel as Sheol" is the jealousy we feel upon seeing all the idol-worshippers glorying in their idols at the very height of the world, while we, the children of the living God of the ages, the living God and King of the universe, are filth and refuse beneath the soles of their feet. Let this distress of jealousy be in place of Sheol. And do not say, our God, "if so, then how have we survived and not died from all this distress?" — for behold, the sparks of this jealousy are truly consuming sparks of fire, from the soul to the flesh, and it is no wonder that our whole being is not consumed by it, for behold, this is not the ordinary fire below, which consumes what it burns; rather, the flame of Yah is a fire from above, which burns but does not consume, as is known. Or, it may be said: behold, the way of sparks is to remain below, while the flame rises upward. By this it means: behold, "jealousy is cruel as Sheol" — its sparks, which are below, pertain to our souls that bear the exile (galut), and this distress is truly sparks of fire, but it does not rise in essence. But the flame that rises in essence is the flame of the Name Yah. For on account of our sins, which multiplied, the Great Name, may He be blessed forever, is, as it were, not complete, but separated — God forbid — into the letters Yud-Heh, from the remaining two letters [Vav-Heh], as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said concerning the verse, "For the hand is upon the throne of Yah [Hashem will war with Amalek from generation to generation]" (Exodus 17:16), etc. And this is "a very flame" — that the flame which rises above, out of the sparks that touch us, is on account of the Name Yah; for this is very bitter to me, and it is the flame that rises above all the sparks of fire of the distress itself, for what are we in relation to the greatness of His blessed Name forever, amen. And as for what we said — that the wrath would be joined with mercy, as has been discussed — it is not spoken out of worry that we might, God forbid, exchange our honor on account of the flood of adversaries who besiege us, as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: that in the birth-pangs of Mashiach, people of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the corner [of the garment] of every Jewish man, saying that he should exchange his glory [i.e., apostatize] — God forbid that this be for us! For behold, "many waters cannot [quench love]..." (v. 7), etc., as its explanation will come, with Hashem's help. Or, it may be said: "Set me as a seal," etc. For behold, the way of a seal is that the marks of the imprint are sunken within it, but on the sealed object they protrude outward. Knesset Yisrael says: behold, our love for You is sunk in our heart, only it is not essentially revealed — for even one who does not perform His service, blessed be He, cannot help but love His voice, blessed be He, in his heart; it is only that his corporeal, material nature restrains him from revealing it. I hope before You that it not be so with us — that we remain sunk in Your heart and that You not draw out and reveal Your love for us outwardly — but rather that You set me as a seal upon Your heart, so that we be like the seal and Your heart like the sealed object, so that what is sunk within us will protrude from Your heart and go outward, for then Your love for us will be revealed before the eyes of all. And if we are worthy to receive the sufferings of the birth-pangs of Mashiach, we will also be like a seal upon Your arm, which is stretched out over us, so that we not be destroyed in the birth-pangs of Mashiach — and this is "as a seal upon your arm." For behold, if we sinned and became liable for death or for Sheol, see, our God, that we have one thing corresponding to each of these: namely, if we became liable for death, then corresponding to it, "love is strong as death" is the love we have in our heart for You — for we have this only by warring with our [evil] inclination through all our troubles, until we subdue it to love You in our heart, which is a thing as difficult and mighty as death. And if we became liable for Gehinnom (the netherworld of punishment), behold, "jealousy is cruel as Sheol" is the jealousy that is ours, upon seeing idol-worshippers in a position of great honor, while we, Your people, are given — "the corpses of the servants of Hashem, as food for the birds of heaven" (cf. Psalms 79:2) — for behold, this jealousy alone will stand for us in place of Sheol, for this jealousy is very great indeed, and all of it stems from the love that [Israel] has for You. As for the jealousy that I feel toward the Babylonians — this is so even though we do not actually die from the love itself; and moreover, behold, the sparks of love are sparks of fire, for from Your love sparks are drawn, for they burn us for the sanctity of Your Name, for our keeping ourselves far from their faith. Let this comfort not be hidden from my eyes: that they are sparks of a fire greater than the sparks of Gehinnom, for they are sparks of fire drawn from the flame of the Name Yah. For this Name — from the time we came into the world, we came into being through it, as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said concerning "the tribes of Yah, a testimony for Israel" (Psalms 122:4): that this Name is attributed to us in that it is a testimony for Israel, that their seed is set apart in holiness from the Egyptians — for it therefore says "the Chanochite, the Paluite" (Numbers 26:5) — to cast the Name Yah into every family, as is written by us in its place: for this Name would be joined together at their birth, the yud of the man and the heh of the woman, and this was so only when they were fit [legitimate]; and the testimony is that this Name did not separate from them at the birth of their children, showing there was no blemish in their birth. Therefore this Name cleaves to all Israel, and they are called "the tribes of Yah." It follows that the sparks of the oppressors who put us to death for the sanctification of His blessed Name are sparks of fire — and had we been [merely burned] like they ordinarily burn, I would have kept silent. But the flame that rises is from the Name Yah, for that which has its quality from this Name — those upon whom Your Name rests — will be burned by fire. To what can I compare this distress of mine, that I should find comfort in it — that those who bear the quality of this Name should be burned by fire? For that cannot be, for it would not be for His honor, blessed be He, God forbid. Or, it may be said: behold, there are sparks that remain below, while the flame rises above. As regards what touches me from our troubles, let us not fear that it will fail to rise above, but rather let our troubles be like the sparks that remain below. Thus, "its sparks" — [belonging] to Knesset Yisrael — will be sparks of fire that do not rise; but what will rise, by the very nature of the flame, is the honor of the Name Yah, whose letters Yud-Heh have multiplied without joining to the letters Vav-Heh to complete the [Divine] Name, until we are redeemed, speedily in our days — for it is for the honor of Your Name that we are scorched. Therefore, let these things be a stirring to help bring about my request: that You set us as a seal, etc., as has been discussed.

"Set me as a seal upon your heart" — so that You remember me at the coming of Your Messiah. "as a seal upon your arm" — to bare Your holy arm before the eyes of all the earth. "for love is strong as death" — even though our deeds are not good. "Jealousy is cruel as the grave" — in our hearts. "its flashes" — in our hearts, like a fire burning, confined within our bones.

"Set me" — therefore set me upon your heart so that the love will never depart, like the seal that is placed upon the hand and does not move from there. "As a seal upon your arm" — like the seal placed upon the hand, so set me upon your arm; and this is a repetition of the same matter in different words. "For love is strong as death" — the love that I have for you is as strong as death; it stands firm against death so that death cannot nullify it — meaning, I would rather accept death upon myself than remove my love from you, and therefore it is fitting that you should not remove your love from me. And the allegorical meaning corresponds identically to the parable. "Jealousy is cruel as the grave" — jealousy is a thing as harsh as descending into Sheol (the grave); and it is as if to say: in this matter, were you to remove your love so as to part from me again, the jealousy would be very hard for me to bear, seeing the maidens my own age sitting under their husbands and delighting, while I would be solitary and forsaken. And the allegorical meaning is to say: if I remain still in exile, the jealousy will be hard for me, seeing all the nations sitting in their own land secure and at ease, while I am exiled and turned away. "Its flashes are flashes of fire, a very flame [of Hashem]" — the ember of love is like flashes of fire and like a great flame; meaning, my love for you is preserved forever, like the warmth of an ember that endures for a long time, and it is also as strong as the flame of a great fire that burns fiercely. And the allegorical meaning corresponds identically to the parable.

"kachotam" (as a seal) — it is the ring made for sealing documents with, and likewise "chotamkha u'ftilekha" (your seal and your cord) (Genesis 38:18). "azzah" (strong) — powerful. "kish'ol" (as the grave) — it is the pit of the grave. "kin'ah" (jealousy) — its meaning is a certain distress felt upon seeing something in another that one is unable to attain, like "vatekanei Rachel ba'achotah" (and Rachel envied her sister) (Genesis 30:1). "rishpeha" (its flashes) — an expression of a burning ember, and likewise "u'miknehem larshafim" (and their cattle to the flashes) (Psalms 78:48). "shalhevet-yah" (a very flame of Hashem) — "shalhevet" is an expression of flame, like "tivash shalhevet" (its flame shall wither) (Job 15:31), and it means a great flame of fire, for such is the way of Scripture: when it wishes to magnify something, it attaches it to the Name of Hashem. And likewise "eretz ma'feliyah" (a land of thick darkness) (Jeremiah 2:31), and there are many similar cases.

Many waters cannot quench the love. Since he refers to them with an expression of coals, the term “cannot quench” is appropriate for them. — Notes: (8) The pain and suffering that Bnei Yisroel endured throughout its many exiles, “cannot quench the love [for God],” which remains intact. (Sefer Dudaim) Many waters. The nations. And rivers. Their princes and their kings. Cannot drown it. Through force or terror, or even through enticement and seduction. If a man would give all the wealth of his house. In exchange for your love. They would surely scorn him. On all these the Holy One, Blessed Is He, and His Tribunal, testify that to this extent the congregation of Yisroel clings to her Beloved. Now— — Notes: (9) Rashi adds, “and His Tribunal,” because the Verse following begins with “We...”, the plural form. (Sifsei Chachomim)

The third interpretation: "many waters" — even if all the nations of the world were to gather together, they would not be able to harm Knesset Yisrael.

"Many waters cannot quench [love]," etc. — Knesset Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) says: Have I not entreated Your presence, "Set me as a seal upon Your heart," etc., and have I not recounted the greatness of my love for You, "for love is as strong as death," etc.? Behold, I know that troubles will not be lacking to me, and behold, I ask of You that my love for You within my heart benefit me, so that it strengthen me in my love for You when I come into troubles or distress, that I may stand firm in the trial. And this is [the meaning of] "many waters cannot quench it," etc. — for the many troubles, which are likened to many waters, that will come in the birth-pangs of Mashiach (chevlei mashiach), I need You to "set me as a seal," etc., so that there be an emanation (shefa) projecting from You to touch our heart and draw us intrinsically — not out of fear of losing the love, for we would never exchange it, God forbid, but rather so that they [the waters] cannot quench it, so that the many waters not suffice to extinguish the fire, and so that [one] not be like a man who is stunned, without the fire of love burning in him, as befits times such as these — [rather,] to be in joy and gladness, with His love, may He be blessed, and the sanctification of His blessed Name burning within, like one entering the bridal canopy (chuppah). So indeed I fear lest I be like one grieved and cold of heart. And likewise, "and the rivers" — these are the dominions of every nation — let them not be such that they wash it away with a washing and a rinsing, that out of fear of them my love not remain stamped in his heart merely like a stain of color and redness whose place is washed off by water and whose redness fades, so that Hashem's Name would not be sanctified with joy of heart and with strength. Therefore I need "[set] me [as a seal]," etc., to draw me and to strengthen me intrinsically. And all of this concerns [the danger] that I not exchange my glory, God forbid, and nullify the love, out of the dread of death — [decrees] falling upon me to destroy, to kill — should I not transgress; for that I need the shield of Your help. But if they do not do so, but instead only increase upon me greatly the bride-price and the gift, should I transgress in this way — I am not afraid of being enticed, for in the greatness of my love I trust that I will not exchange His glory, God forbid, and nullify the love. For behold, "if a man" among them "would give all the substance of his house" for love, "he would utterly be contemned."

"Many waters" — cannot quench — the love of Hashem. "Neither can the floods drown it" — and this is because indeed, "if a man would give all the wealth of his house, etc." — nothing would be reckoned of value to us [in exchange for it].

"Many waters" — since he compared the love to fire, he therefore said "many waters," etc., language appropriate to the extinguishing of fire, meaning that no enticement or persuasion will avail to nullify the love. And if a man were to give all the wealth of his house in exchange for love, to trade it for hatred, all the people of the world would despise him and mock him, for not having had the sense to know that this intense love cannot be nullified by anything. And this refers back to what was said above, that it is fitting that you no longer remove your love from me, since my love for you too is very strong. And the allegorical meaning corresponds identically to the parable.

"l'khabot" (to quench) — from the language of "kibbuy" (extinguishing). "yishtefuha" (would drown it) — an expression of sweeping away by force of pursuit, and likewise "tishtof sficheha" (it washes away its growth) (Job 14:19). "hon" (substance) — an expression of wealth, and likewise "hon yakar" (precious wealth) (Proverbs 1:13). "boz yavuzu" (utterly despised) — from the language of "bizayon" (contempt).

We have a [little] sister. In the earthly abode, who unites, joins and desires to be with us, and she is little and humbles herself more than all the nations, as the matter is stated, “Not because you are more numerous, etc.” for they humble themselves. — Notes: (10) Devorim 7:7. A [little] sister. אָחוֹת is] an expression of joining, [as in,] “These are the rends that may not be sewn up completely מִתְאַחִין.” — Notes: (11) Maseches Mo’ed Katan 26a. But she has no breasts. As the matter is stated concerning the exile of Egypt, “[Her] breasts were developed,” when the time of the redemption arrived, but this one, “she has no breasts;” her time has not yet arrived for the time of love. What shall we do for our sister — Notes: (12) Yechezkeil 16:7; connoting the readiness for redemption. on the day she is spoken for. When the nations whisper about her to destroy her, as the matter is stated, “Come, let us destroy them from being a nation.” — Notes: (13) Tehillim 83:5.

The second interpretation: here is the word of one of the sons of my mother, who said, "we have a little sister; what shall we do for our sister on the day that she is spoken for, to be married?" If she guarded herself and she is [like] a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver, and the matter is secured; and if she is a door, we will enclose her [with a board of cedar], (and she will be shut in; she said,) "behold, I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers," (as in the matter of) "your breasts were formed" (Ezekiel 16:7). then I was in the eyes of my lovers like one who has found peace. The third interpretation: "we have a little sister" — when Israel goes up [from exile], then they will say to one another, "we have a little sister" — and these are the two and a half tribes who went into exile first, as it is stated, "as the former time he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, etc." (Isaiah 8:23). "and she has no breasts" — perhaps she has no teachings [Torah]. "in the day that she is spoken for" — that she will stand in judgment.

"We have a little sister," etc. — Is it not strange that He, blessed be He, speaks as though with someone else, saying "we have a sister" — implying that she seems to belong to Him, blessed be He, yet that they too have a share in her, as one party? And what is the point of saying "and she has no breasts" — for since she is little, is it not natural that she would not yet have breasts? So what kind of question is "what shall we do for our sister, on the day when she is spoken for" — for what is there to do for her? And how did they arrive at proposing her extended remedy, saying "if she is a wall we will build," etc.? If she is a little sister, how could she be a wall, and how would they build upon her? And if she is a door, how would they panel her with a board of cedar? And how would this remedy the fact that she has no breasts? And how can it then say "I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers" — if these are the words of the aforementioned sister, how can her breasts be like towers, when He, blessed be He, had testified that she has no breasts? And what is "the peace" that she was like one who finds? And how, after speaking of the present, does it go back to speaking of the past? And how does the statement "there was a vineyard," etc., connect, in that it goes on to recount the wage of its fruit — is the account of the leasing of Solomon's vineyard coming merely to relate a story, and yet it says "my vineyard is my own" — for surely, if it is his vineyard, then of course it is his own [there is no need to say so]? And what is this distinction, "the thousand is for you, and two hundred," etc. — if the whole is a thousand pieces of silver, from where do the two hundred come? And how do the rest of these verses connect to this? Now, regarding the verse "Let us make man," where it does not say "I shall make man" — we learn from the words of our Sages of blessed memory, as explained by us elsewhere with the help of Heaven, that after He, blessed be He, created all the worlds, He created a being into which He placed a portion from every world, so that through its merit in fulfilling the Torah — which is like a soul to the world — all the worlds would be bound together and would endure, through the chain of the [divine] flow running through all the worlds of which it is composed. This being is man: his matter was gathered from the lowly world — "dust from the ground" (Genesis 2:7) — together with the other elements; his moving soul (nefesh) is from the world of the spheres, which is the world of motion; his spirit (ruach) is from the world of angels, as it says, "He makes His angels into spirits" (Psalms 104:4); and his soul (neshamah) is from the supernal world. Now let us come to the matter. When He, blessed be He, saw the plea of Knesset Yisrael (the assembly of Israel) that He turn to her in mercy, so as to be compassionate in the judgment concerning the birth-pangs of Mashiach (chevlei mashiach), then He, blessed be He, is, as it were, speaking with all four worlds — the supernal world, which is the world of souls; the world of angels; the world of the spheres; and the lowly world — since the man of Israel is composed of all four: his matter from the lowly world; his moving soul, possessed of vitality and motion, from the world of the spheres; his spirit, akin to the world of angels, as it says, "He makes His angels into spirits"; and his soul from the supernal world. This is why the verse states, as we have said, "Let us make man" — He, blessed be He, saying, among them all, "Let us make man," for each of the three [other] worlds gives its portion, and I too — My portion is from beneath the wings of the Shechinah (the Divine Presence), from the supernal world. Therefore He asks all of them and says: behold, we have a sister — all of us share kinship and a portion in her — and behold, she is little in merits, and has no breasts, [breasts] by which she would suckle sustenance to lean upon, as Moses and Aaron were breasts, for those who left Egypt suckled [merit] from them in order to be redeemed by their merit. Therefore, what indeed shall we do for our sister on the day when she shall be spoken for — this being at the time of the end, when it comes to pass that merits are lacking; for then she will certainly be spoken of, in one way or another — whether it be at the time of the end associated with "I will hasten it" (Isaiah 60:22), which comes in a meritorious generation; or whether it will be spoken of in a harsh sense, as in "the man, the lord of the land, spoke [harshly to us]" (Genesis 42:30) — that is, on the day of the end, if they failed to merit bringing forward the merit in time, [that is, before] the time of which it is said "they merit — I will hasten it," then there is no doubt that she will be spoken of harshly in the court above, on account of our not having been a meritorious generation, so that [the redemption] was delayed until the time of the end, and would then require the birth-pangs of Mashiach. And He, blessed be He, answers in the presence of them all and says, "if she is a wall," etc. This means: she is comparable to a city against which enemies come to conquer it, rising up to wage war against her and to strip away her glory. Then, if she is like a wall — strong against those who fight her, so that they cannot tear her down and she does not budge from her place — so shall she strengthen herself in the holiness of Hashem and not budge from her faith, even though they seek to destroy her; then we will build upon her, on account of her merit, a turret of silver — this being the Beit HaMikdash (the Holy Temple) that will come down from above, spiritual, never to be shaken, since no [element of strict] judgment will have a part in it, only silver, which is a term for unmixed compassion. But if she is a door — which, in the face of those who fight against her, is like a door that a few light blows can open, or that can be turned on its hinge this way and that — so will she be, not strong against them, unlike a wall that stands strong in the face of its besiegers — then the remedy made for her will not be that we "besiege" her intensively, [that is,] the birth-pangs of Mashiach will not be strong and concentrated within a short time, lest she, Heaven forbid, be lost; rather, we will lay siege upon her with a dominion that is not powerful like iron or stone, but rather like a plank, so that her sufferings will not be so intense that she can barely bear them, but they will be long, drawn out over a great span of time. And this is [the meaning of] "cedar" — that they will be long, like the cedar — meaning that what would properly be done with [great] intensity within a short time will instead be done gradually, over a long time. Israel answers and says, "I am a wall," etc. — meaning: how can You say, my God, that because I have no breasts, if I am a strong wall against them You will build upon me a turret of silver? Behold, I was a wall in Egypt, when I put myself in mortal danger to sanctify His holy Name, blessed be He — this being when they took the lamb on the tenth of the month and each one tied it to the legs of his bed, at which time every man of Israel exposed his life to death, lest the Egyptians kill them, putting their lives on the line — for who would slaughter that which was an abomination to Egypt before their very eyes and not be stoned for it, as we have written elsewhere on the reason for this commandment. And though I was like a wall, I also had breasts like towers — these being Moses and Aaron, who were breasts, for those who left Egypt suckled great merit from them, like great towers. And despite all this, at that time I was, in His eyes, blessed be He, not yet fit to receive that good and that redemption, but only like one who finds peace by chance — for great merit is required in order to be redeemed. If so, then, when breasts are lacking from which I might suckle, how can You say that on account of my being a wall alone You will build upon me a turret of silver? That is to say: it appears from Your words that You will not lend a hand and bring near abundant righteousness of Your own accord, but will leave everything to my fitness and my merit. Therefore we are troubled, since You leave the matter to us alone, and have not said that You too will be in our midst — for otherwise one might fear, Heaven forbid, that You are, as it were, withdrawing Your hand from me and disgusted with us, having driven us from Your palace and abandoned us into the hand of our enemies. And the argument we have for this, showing that You have utterly rejected us and been disgusted with us, is this: "there was a vineyard belonging to Solomon" — the king to whom peace belongs, that is, Israel, for "the vineyard of Hashem of Hosts is the House of Israel" (Isaiah 5:7) — and it was "in Baal Hamon," that is, it was not in exile [chutz la'aretz, outside the Land], those places that lie under the individual princes above, each over his own place; rather, it was in the place that belongs to the "Master of the Multitude," that is, the Land of Israel, where none rules save the One who is Master of the whole world, Sovereign of the whole world — for it is under no prince at all, but is a land that Hashem our God constantly seeks out. And behold, we see — Heaven forbid it should truly appear so — that He literally gave, gave the vineyard over to keepers: in their exile, He gave them to the princes above, who, in truth, are only keepers, since He, blessed be He, is Master of all, and merely appointed me to watch over the nations, each prince over his own nation — which is a great disgrace and vexation. Therefore it is decreed to say that You have been disgusted with us and handed us over as a gift to the princes — and this is the intent of saying "gave the vineyard," a term of gift. And You might say: is this not indeed the statement of Isaiah the prophet, "for the vineyard of Hashem of Hosts is the House of Israel"? — but since He hoped it would produce grapes, and it produced wild grapes, He therefore cast us away from before Him, so that on account of its bad fruit He gave it to keepers, as the prophet Isaiah says of this: "there was a vineyard belonging to my beloved," etc., "and He hoped it would produce grapes," etc. (Isaiah 5:1-2). This cannot be, for we were not lesser than Sodom, for on account of the [merit of] ten [righteous men] You would not have destroyed them; yet here Nebuchadnezzar carried off into his own exile a thousand sages and perfectly righteous men, as it says, "the craftsman and the smith, a thousand" (2 Kings 24:16). And this is astonishing: is it conceivable that this man, Nebuchadnezzar, would bring with him into exile, on account of the fruit of the vineyard having turned to wild grapes instead of grapes, a thousand pieces of silver — that is, a thousand [souls] deemed worthy of mercy for their sake, silver being a term for the attribute of mercy — and even their merit did not suffice to protect themselves? Rather, this shows that You have been disgusted with us, Heaven forbid. He, blessed be He, answers and says: as for your statement "gave the vineyard," [implying] that I gave it away as an outright gift, Heaven forbid — rather, "my vineyard is my own." And as for your statement that it is [entirely] in the hand of the keepers, Heaven forbid — even there, in exile, it is before Me, for wherever they were exiled, the Shechinah is with them. Israel answers and says: if so, then where do the thousand come in? Why were they exiled at all — let it be "for you, Solomon" — that is, let the peace that is Yours be that Your people dwell in Your land, in Jerusalem, and You should not have had to give Nebuchadnezzar dominion over them. And You might say that You exiled them for the protection of Israel, as our Sages of blessed memory said, that He, blessed be He, exiled Jeconiah, and the craftsman and the smith, some years before the destruction, in order to protect Israel, so that the testimony spoken against them, "you shall utterly perish," etc., would not be fulfilled in them — as our Sages of blessed memory said, that they established academies [yeshivot] before the exile of Zedekiah. But for this, the two hundred would have sufficed — these being from the sons of Issachar, "who had understanding of the times," "their chiefs, two hundred" (1 Chronicles 12:32) — and they were still alive in those days, as our Sages of blessed memory said concerning "and the king said to the wise men who knew the times" (Esther 1:13), that these were of the sons of Issachar, "who had understanding of the times," whom Ahasuerus summoned, and they answered him that he should go to Moab, for "Moab has been at ease from his youth, and has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, and has not gone into exile," etc. (Jeremiah 48:11) — and if at the end of the Babylonian exile they were still alive, how much more so now, before the exile! If so, then, if Your reason for exiling Jeconiah and the craftsman and the smith, a thousand, was to preserve the fruit of the vineyard so that it would not be lost in Babylon — that they should establish academies and fix the study of Torah in place, so that the exiles would teach Zedekiah at the time of the destruction, in order that the vineyard be preserved and not lost — then, if that was Your intent, You should have kept the thousand for Yourself, Solomon, in Jerusalem, with Your people, seeing that You Yourself never moved from the Western Wall; and, for the sake of guarding the vineyard and its fruit so that the exiled children not be lost without Torah, let the two hundred alone serve as keepers of its fruit. He, blessed be He, answers and says, "see now how I have not forsaken you," etc. — is it not so that "she who dwells in the gardens" refers to the synagogues and study houses, and "companions" refers to the ministering angels who listen for your voice, receiving your prayers to bring them before Me? And lest you say, if so, then what is still being awaited — behold, it is "let Me hear it": that you make yourself fit to the point that there are no intermediary companions left between Me and you, but rather "let Me hear it" directly between Me and you; and then you will see plainly whether you are My vineyard, or whether I have handed you over to the princes above. Israel answers and says, "flee, my beloved," etc. — meaning: behold, I know that Your heart is whole with me and that You have not abandoned me, even though I am still in exile, outside the Land; and the judgment is with You, that You should wait until I return to You. Nevertheless, I hereby set aside concern for my own distress, and instead take up worry over the honor of Your Shechinah — for, as it were, He is with me in [my] distress, as is stated in the Zohar concerning the vision of Ezekiel, "the word of Hashem came" (Ezekiel 1:3), where He showed him the whole of the Chariot (Merkavah) in Babylon, in order to make known to Israel that the Shechinah is with them, so that they should not despair of the redemption; and so that it should not be that His honor remains in exile, outside the Land. Therefore Knesset Yisrael says, "flee, my beloved" — meaning: flee for Yourself from exile, the place of the diaspora, and go, on Your own, to a place from which the Shechinah has never departed — this being the Beit HaMikdash, from which the Shechinah has never moved, from the Western Wall — and also [flee] with the aspect that is with us: flee to the aspect that has never moved from there. This is [the meaning of] "for yourself" [lecha] — that is, flee on Your own account, for the power of the Shechinah has never moved from there; and this is why it says "lecha." And You might say: how can You abandon me by fleeing, while I remain gathered among the nations? Behold, the remedy is "and be like a gazelle to yourself" — for it is the way of the gazelle that, in the course of its flight, it continually turns its face back toward the place from which it fled; so too, in Your fleeing, be like the gazelle, whose face is turned back toward the place it came from, so that the face of Your providence will always be turned toward us, toward the place from which You fled, watching over us from there. Or take another path: if You will not be like the gazelle, which always turns its face back, then be like a young hart, the swiftest and fastest of them — this being [the meaning of] "or like a young hart" — that You should not delay after fleeing from us, but hasten to return to us to redeem us. And to where should You flee? "To the mountains of spices" — to Mount Moriah, where the sweet fragrance is ever present, since Adam offered sacrifices there, and so did Noah, and Abraham bound his son Isaac there, and Jacob set up a monument there, and Israel offered many sacrifices there, and the fragrance of the incense has still not ceased. And even if we are not worthy, may You still savor the pleasant fragrance of these and watch over us from there, so that it should not be said of You, Heaven forbid, that You bear the character of exile — for what are we before Your glorious throne, that for our sake You should remain among the nations? Rather, flee to the place that Yah has chosen for Himself, on Mount Moriah. Finished and completed. Praise to God, Creator of the world.

"We have a little sister" — the blessed God replies: Behold, you are pained over the delay of the resting of My Shechinah in your midst and the coming of My Messiah. Behold, even at the ingathering of the exiles (kibbutz galuyot), the congregation of the righteous will be few. "and she has no breasts" — and those few do not teach knowledge to the people and do not protest to turn [them] back from iniquity, since the multitude will then be occupied entirely with the affairs of temporal life alone, as it is said, "engaged in cattle and possessions." "What shall we do for our sister" — I, and My Messiah — for the Messiah too is like a fire that refines silver.

"We have a little sister" — and because the beloved heard that the heart of her lover was well disposed toward her and he desired to dwell with her, she sent her words to the beloved and said thus: behold, we have a young kinswoman, small in stature, who has no breasts to nurse children; now I ask you, tell me what shall be done for her at the time when it is spoken of her to be married to a man? As if to say: who would be found to marry her, given her smallness and lack of breasts? And the allegorical meaning is to teach that after the promise of the redemption, when the time comes, the children of Judah will say: behold, our brothers, the descendants of the Ten Tribes, are small in the performance of the commandments, for even while they were still in their own land their kings drove them away from following Hashem, and how much more so in exile; and also there were not found among them men of wisdom and knowledge, as there were among my people in the Second Temple period — the Men of the Great Assembly, and among them prophets — and so they found no one to nurse them with the milk of the wisdom of the Torah; if so, by what merit will they too attain the redemption?

"bah" (for her) — meaning, concerning her matter.

If she be a wall. If she is strong in her faith and in her fear of God, to be against them like a copper wall, that they should not enter her midst, meaning that she will not intermarry with them, and they will not intermingle with her, and she will not be seduced by them. We will build upon her a fortress of silver. We will become for her a fortified city and for a crown and beauty, and we will build for her the Holy City and the Temple. If she be a door. Which turns on its hinges, and opens whenever someone knocks on it, she, too, if she opens for them so that they enter her and she into them. — Notes: (14) I.e., intermarry, intermingle. We will enclose her with panels of cedar. We will put on her door wooden panels which rot and which the worm gnaws and eats. Thereupon, the congregation of Yisroel replies—

The first interpretation: "tirat" [turret] — like a palace, as in "and all their encampments" (Numbers 31:10). The third interpretation: "if she is a wall" — if she guarded herself like a wall [and did not depart from the faith], we will build for her a place [and turrets full of silver], and we will go on her behalf. "and if she is a door" — a breached city that has no wall [because she did not keep the commandments], we will close her in, so that it does not come upon us.

"If she be a wall" — behold, if their merit is sufficient to protect their generation. "we will build upon her a turret of silver" — we will build the Temple (Beit HaMikdash) of silver, so that fire will have no power over it. "and if she be a door" — that they will not shut a door behind them and will not concern themselves with the betterment of the multitude. "we will enclose her with boards of cedar" — we will make for them a house of study (beit midrash) of honored cedar wood, but the Temple will not be built through their merit.

"If she is a wall" — as if the beloved sends his words to state his counsel: if she is closed and sealed like the structure of a wall, and no man has lain with her in the manner of a woman so as to destroy and break her virginity, then we will build for her a turret of silver, that she may dwell in it alone without a husband, and she will delight to dwell in a turret of silver even if she does not delight in dwelling under a husband. "And if she is a door" — if she has not preserved her virginity and is like a door that opens, then we will make for her an enclosure, a strong structure guarded with boards of cedar, so that no one can approach her, and she will sit solitary and desolate. And the allegorical meaning is as if the Omnipresent, blessed be He, answers: if they were like a wall and did not allow the idol-worshippers to enter among them to cling to them, then they too will merit the building of the Temple; but if they opened the door and entered among them, they will remain still imprisoned in exile.

"nivneh" (we will build) — from the language of "binyan" (building). "aleha" (upon her) — for her sake. "tirat" (turret) — a palace and citadel, and likewise "tehi tiratam neshamah" (let their habitation be desolate) (Psalms 69:26). "natzur" (enclose) — from the language of "matzor" (siege) and "mivtzar" (fortress). "luach" (board) — a plank, like "et kol luchotayim" (all your planks) (Ezekiel 27:5).

I am a wall. Strong in the love of my Beloved. And my bosom is like towers. These are the synagogues and the study halls, which nurture Yisroel with words of Torah. Therefore. When I say this. I am in his eyes as one who found peace. Like a bride who is found to be perfect שְׁלֵמָה=שָׁלוֹם, and who finds peace in her husband’s house. — Notes: (15) See Maseches Pesachim 87a.

The third interpretation: then she answered and said, "I am a wall" [I was a guardian of my faith], "and my breasts," which are the teachings [Torot] that guarded me; then she will be, in the eyes of the Shechinah, like one who has found favor.

"I am a wall" — the congregation of the multitude replies: I strove through my deeds to be a wall, to protect. "and my breasts" — the sages who instruct. "like its towers" — like a tower of strength, to protect and to be a refuge (beit manos) from all distress, through their prayer. "then I was" — and so I was like one who found peace, even though it was a time of distress. Therefore, now it is fitting that through this we merit the coming of our Messiah.

"I am a wall" — The beloved answered and sent her words, saying: Am I not like a wall, for I guarded the place of my virginity and no one lay with me; and although my breasts are large like towers that arouse the desire of adulterers, nevertheless I guarded myself. And it is as if she says: Since this is so, it is fitting for me to dwell in a palace of silver, and let the close one dwell with me. And the allegorical meaning is as if the House of Judah replies, saying: Behold, I did not cleave to idol-worshippers, and I have among me masters of wisdom and knowledge to nurse me from the milk of the wisdom of Torah, and I am worthy to return from the exile and for the building of the Temple, and for my sake they too will return to their land and merit the building of the Temple. "Then I was, etc." — She was praising herself before the maidens and said: When I spoke these words, I was precious and honored in his eyes, in the manner that one honors her who seeks peace and finds it, for it was good in his eyes that I was seeking the peace of the close one. And the allegorical meaning is the same as the parable itself.

"k'migdalot" (like its towers) — from the language of "migdal" (tower). "k'motzet" (as one who found) — from the language of "metzi'ah" (finding).

Shlomo had a vineyard. This is the congregation of Yisroel, as it is stated, “For the vineyard of Hashem, Master of Legions, is the house of Yisroel.” — Notes: (16) Yeshayahu 5:7. In the Plain of Hamon. In Yerusholayim, which is populous and has a multitude of people [=הָמוֹן. Ba’al. An expression denoting a plain, as in, “from the Plain מִבַּעַל of Gad in the Levanon valley.” — Notes: (17) Yehoshua 12:7. He gave over the vineyard to caretakers. He delivered her into the hands of harsh masters, Bavel, Madai, Greece, and Edom. In Midrash Shir Hashirim, I found some support concerning these “caretakers,” that they are these kingdoms. Each of them brought for its fruit. Whatever they could collect from them, [e.g.,] head taxes, tithes, and illegal foreclosures; they collected everything from them to bring into their homes. — Notes: (18) I.e., they kept for themselves whatever monies they collected.

The second interpretation: (she said,) "Solomon had a vineyard" [at Baal-hamon — she said this to praise herself for the greatness of her love for her beloved; and the matter is that] behold, King Solomon gave his vineyard to keepers, and took from the fruit of the vineyard [which the keepers brought him] a thousand pieces of silver; but I did not do so — rather, my vineyard (which is mine) is before me; I delight in it together with you, and I do not want money [neither the principal nor the profit]. And you, Solomon, take (from now on) the fruit of your vineyard, and let the keepers also take another two hundred. The third interpretation: "Solomon had a vineyard" — like the matter of "For the vineyard of Hashem of Hosts is the house of Israel" (Isaiah 5:7); and the matter is that Solomon reigned over all of Israel [and this is the meaning of "at Baal-hamon" — that the entire multitude (hamon) was his]. "He gave the vineyard to keepers" — the matter is that he brought it about that the kingdom would be divided, and he did not give his sons Jerusalem except two portions out of twelve, namely Judah and Benjamin. "Every one shall bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver" — this is Jeroboam ben Nebat, who had ten portions.

"Solomon had a vineyard" — the King Messiah replies: behold, there was a vineyard belonging to Solomon, the holy King. "at Baal-hamon" — for "the vineyard of Hashem of Hosts is the House of Israel." "he gave over the vineyard to keepers" — to the sages of the generation. "every one for its fruit brought a thousand pieces of silver" — so that each of them would raise up many disciples, magnify Torah and make it glorious. And behold, "my vineyard which is mine" — those sages of the generation who are Mine and who see My face are the only ones fit for building, who will be able to stand when I reveal Myself, for they did not strive to increase the clusters, and so their disciples are few.

"Solomon had a vineyard" — Now the beloved returns to relate and say: Behold, because I was seeking the peace of the close one, my words were precious in his eyes, so that he praised all my statements. For this beloved one, who is precious in my eyes like King Solomon, had a vineyard in a plain where a great multitude of people were found, and because he feared theft, he handed it over to keepers who succeeded one another, in such a way that each keeper, in his turn, would bring in a thousand pieces of silver for himself — this being for his share in the fruit of the vineyard, as payment for the guarding — and the rest of the silver would belong to the beloved, the owner of the vineyard. And the allegorical meaning concerns the congregation of Israel, who are called by the name "vineyard," as it is said, "For the vineyard of Hashem of Hosts is the House of Israel." And He handed them over to keepers — these are the kings of Israel, who reigned one after another, each one ruling in his time over the ten tribes. And the hint comes by way of the word "thousand," for that is ten hundreds — a hundred for each tribe.

"b'Ba'al" [Baal-hamon] — in the plain, and likewise "Ba'al Gad" (Joshua 11:17). "hamon" — an expression of a great multitude.

My vineyard is before me. On the Day of Judgement, the Holy One, Blessed Is He, will bring them to judgement, and He will say, “My vineyard, even though I delivered it into your hands, it is Mine, and before Me is all that you seized for yourselves, of its fruit, and it is not hidden from Me what you collected from them.” And they will reply— The thousand are yours Shlomo. “The thousand silver pieces that we collected from them, we will return everything to You.” And two hundred for those who guard its fruit. “And we will add much more of our own, and we will give it to them, to their leaders and their sages,” as the matter is stated, “In place of the copper I will bring gold.” — Notes: (19) Yeshayahu 60:17. For those who guard its fruit. These are the Torah scholars, and those payments are for the Torah scholars, as it is stated, “but to those who sit before Hashem belong its merchandise,” and the hire of Tzor. And it can also be explained, “and two hundred for those who guard its fruit,” according to the law of a person who derives benefit from consecrated property, that he must pay the principal and a fifth. We too will pay, for, “Yisroel is holy to Hashem, the first of His produce,” the principal and a fifth, i.e., a fifth of the principal, and two hundred is a fifth of a thousand. — Notes: (20) Ibid. 23:18. (21) Yirmiyahu 2:3.

The third interpretation: "My vineyard, which is mine" — (Knesset Yisrael [the assembly of Israel] says: "my vineyard is mine") — the matter is that all the tribes will return to be together. "The thousand is for you, Solomon" — [the meaning is that] Solomon is the King Messiah, and he is called by this name because he is of his family, and similarly, "and David My servant shall be prince over them forever" (Ezekiel 37:25); and the matter is that then the ten tribes will return to you, Solomon, for you are the King Messiah, and also the two hundred that belonged to the keepers [of its fruit], which Solomon left to his sons, will return.

"You, O Solomon, shall have the thousand" — the congregation of the sages of the generation replies to the blessed God: it is not in our power to increase according to Your will, for that You alone are capable of. "and two hundred" — but we strove to raise up the few, to the extent that our hand could reach.

"My vineyard, which is mine, is before me" — And I sent my words, saying: My vineyard, which is mine, shall be before me, meaning to say: I will set my own eye upon it to guard it. "The thousand, etc." — The thousand pieces of silver that each keeper took in his time shall be yours, for you shall take them. "And two hundred, etc." — As if she says: Not only shall you take the thousand, which you gave beyond what was proper, but even the two hundred pieces of silver, which is the amount proper to give to the keepers — behold, now that I myself will guard it, you shall take this as well, and you will not have to spend anything on the wage of the guarding. And the allegorical meaning is to say that at the time of the future redemption, the kingdom of Judah will request that the entire congregation of the children of Israel be under its dominion, so that the ten tribes will then belong to Hashem, to believe in Him — not as they were previously, when their kings turned them away from following Hashem. Also the two hundred, which hint at the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, they too will be after Hashem, and each man will help his brother.

"lanotrim" (to those who keep) — an expression of guarding, like "noterah et hakeramim" (keeper of the vineyards) (above, 1:6).

You who sit in the gardens. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, says to the congregation of Yisroel, “You, who are scattered in exile, grazing in the gardens of strangers and sitting in synagogues and study halls.” Companions listen to your voice. The ministering angels your friends, children of God like you, hearken and come to listen to your voice in the synagogues. Let me hear [your voice]. And afterwards, they will sanctify [My Name], as it is stated, “When the morning stars sing together.” These are the Israelites, and afterwards, “and all the angels of God shout praise.” — Notes: (22) Iyov 38:7. (23) Ibid.

The second interpretation: He answered and said to her, "You who dwell in the gardens" — my companions the shepherds have come, and they are listening for your voice: "let me hear it"; so tell me, "Flee, my beloved," before they notice that I am with you inside the garden. The third interpretation: "You who dwell in the gardens [companions hearken]" — then the Shechinah (Divine Presence) will say to Knesset Yisrael: "You who dwell in the Eternal Temple (Beit Olamim)," which is like the Throne of Glory, as in the matter of "a glorious throne, on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary" (Jeremiah 17:12) [the place of our Temple]. "Companions hearken" — the matter is that the kings desire to hear your new songs, as in the matter of (as it is said,) "Sing unto Hashem a new song" (Psalms 96:1), and further, (that) "on that day this song shall be sung (to Hashem)" (Isaiah 26:1). I too desire to hear the majesty of your voice, and this is the meaning of "let me hear it."

"You who dwell in the gardens" — the blessed God replies to the assembly of Jacob, the common people (kehillat Yaakov ha-hamonit), who dwell in the gardens, engaged in cattle and possessions. "The companions hearken for your voice: cause me to hear it" — let Me hear the voice of the companions in the houses of study who hearken to your voice, when you give them sufficient for their want, so that they be strengthened, and you merit, together with them, in the Torah of Hashem.

"You who dwell in the gardens" — Now she relates and says: My words were so pleasing in his eyes that he said to me: You who dwell in the gardens, the place where the companions, owners of vineyards like me, are found — behold, they are listening to the voice of your counsel; as if to say, lest they too do the same, and then your glory would not be over them. Therefore, let your words be heard only in a whisper, to me alone, and let no one else hear. And the allegorical meaning is to say, as if the Omnipresent, blessed be He, answers her: You, the kingdom of Judah who dwells in Jerusalem — behold, all the House of Israel, your companions, are listening to your voice and desire this, as it is said, "and they shall seek Hashem their God, and David their king." But take care to let your voice be heard by Me alone, and turn no more to other gods.

"hayoshevet" (you who dwell) — with the vocative heh, like "hador atem re'u" (O generation, behold) (Jeremiah 2:31). "makshivim" (hearken) — an expression of hearing and listening.

Flee my beloved. From this exile, and redeem us from among them. And be like a gazelle. To hasten the redemption, and to cause Your Divine Presence to rest—Upon the mountains of spices. This is Mount Moriyah and the Beis Hamikdosh, may it be rebuilt speedily and in our days, Amen.

The third interpretation: "Flee, my beloved" — Knesset Yisrael said: If you desire to hear my song, come down to me, and [flee] from the place of your companions — they are the ministering angels [before you] — and come to the mountains of spices, [that is,] the mountains of Zion, where Hashem commanded the blessing, life forevermore (Psalm 133:3). (The commentary on the Song of Songs is finished. Praise to Him who made the lights.)

"Make haste, my beloved" — the entire assembly of Jacob replies: You, my beloved, the Messiah — since it is the will of the holy King to increase the disciples of the sages, hasten your coming to this Mount Zion, and shepherd us with knowledge and understanding, pleasing before Him. "upon the mountains of spices" — Mount Zion, which was the seat of kingship for the House of David, and the Temple Mount, where the Great Sanhedrin was.

"Flee, my beloved" — And I said to him: If there is reason for concern in this, hurry to leave the gardens, and make yourself, in swiftness of running, like a gazelle, etc., and come upon the mountains of spices, and I will come after you, and there we will sit and there we will speak our words, and no one will be found there to listen to our words. And the allegorical meaning is to say, as if the House of Judah replies, saying: If so, hasten and cause Your Shechinah (Divine Presence) to dwell in the Temple, the place where they will burn the incense, and this will be the cause to root Your faith and Your awe firmly.

"berach" (make haste) — an expression of swiftness of movement. "u'demeh" (and be like) — from the language of "dimyon" (likeness). "l'ofer" (to a young hart) — thus is called the young of the hart.