Slifkin’s Perek Shirah: Nature’s Song views the natural world as a myriad of physical manifestations rich with attributes that can be emulated by the Jewish people. Here the focus is on the gazelle – Tzvi.
צְבִי אוֹמֵר. וַאֲנִי אָשִׁיר עֻזֶּךָ וַאֲרַנֵּן לַבֹּקֶר חַסְדֶּךָ כִּי הָיִיתָ מִשְׂגָּב לִי וּמָנוֹס בְּיוֹם צַר לִי: (תהילים נט יז)
The Gazelle is saying: “And I shall sing of your strength, I shall rejoice of your kindness in the morning, for you were a refuge to me, and a hiding place on the day of my oppression.”
(יז) וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ אָשִׁ֣יר עֻזֶּךָ֮ וַאֲרַנֵּ֥ן לַבֹּ֗קֶר חַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ כִּֽי־הָיִ֣יתָ מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לִ֑י וּ֝מָנ֗וֹס בְּי֣וֹם צַר־לִֽי׃
(17) But I will sing of Your strength, extol each morning Your faithfulness; for You have been my haven, a refuge in time of trouble.
Images of the deer or gazelle have been discovered in archeological digs. The image above is a fragment from a mosaic uncovered in Caesaria in Israel.
Slifkin explores the connection to Psalms 59:17 with the spiritual power of the gazelle by assigning symbolic and metaphoric meaning to particular biological and behavioral characteristics of the animal. He supports his ideas with passages from the Mishnah (Pirkei Avot), Proverbs and Song of Songs. Taking a cue from the wording in Psalms (59:17), Slifkin points out that the gazelle has a need for refuge, as it is a hunted animal.
(כ) יְהוּדָה בֶן תֵּימָא אוֹמֵר, הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר, וְקַל כַּנֶּשֶׁר, וְרָץ כַּצְּבִי, וְגִבּוֹר כָּאֲרִי, לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אָבִיךָ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עַז פָּנִים לְגֵיהִנֹּם, וּבֹשֶׁת פָּנִים לְגַן עֵדֶן. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁתִּבְנֶה עִירְךָ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ וְתֵן חֶלְקֵנוּ בְתוֹרָתֶךָ:
(20) Yehudah ben Teimah says: Be brazen like the leopard, light like the eagle, swift like the deer, and mighty like the lion to do the Will of your Father Who is in Heaven. He used to say: [the] brazen-faced [are bound] for Gehinnom (Purgatory), and [the] shamefaced [are bound] for the Garden of Eden. May it be Your Will, Lord, our God and the God of our forefathers, that Your city be rebuilt, speedily and in our days, and grant us our share in Your Torah.
(ג) עֲשֵׂ֨ה זֹ֥את אֵפ֪וֹא ׀ בְּנִ֡י וְֽהִנָּצֵ֗ל כִּ֘י בָ֤אתָ בְכַף־רֵעֶ֑ךָ לֵ֥ךְ הִ֝תְרַפֵּ֗ס וּרְהַ֥ב רֵעֶֽיךָ׃ (ד) אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן שֵׁנָ֣ה לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃ (ה) הִ֭נָּצֵל כִּצְבִ֣י מִיָּ֑ד וּ֝כְצִפּ֗וֹר מִיַּ֥ד יָקֽוּשׁ׃ (פ)
(3) Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself, For you have come into the power of your fellow: Go grovel—and badger your fellow; (4) Give your eyes no sleep, Your pupils no slumber. (5) Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter], Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler.
(יד) בְּרַ֣ח ׀ דּוֹדִ֗י וּֽדְמֵה־לְךָ֤ לִצְבִי֙ א֚וֹ לְעֹ֣פֶר הָֽאַיָּלִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָרֵ֥י בְשָׂמִֽים׃
(14) “Hurry, my beloved, Swift as a gazelle or a young stag, To the hills of spices!”
(ח) ק֣וֹל דּוֹדִ֔י הִנֵּה־זֶ֖ה בָּ֑א מְדַלֵּג֙ עַל־הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים מְקַפֵּ֖ץ עַל־הַגְּבָעֽוֹת׃ (ט) דּוֹמֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ לִצְבִ֔י א֖וֹ לְעֹ֣פֶר הָֽאַיָּלִ֑ים הִנֵּה־זֶ֤ה עוֹמֵד֙ אַחַ֣ר כָּתְלֵ֔נוּ מַשְׁגִּ֙יחַ֙ מִן־הַֽחֲלֹּנ֔וֹת מֵצִ֖יץ מִן־הַֽחֲרַכִּֽים׃
(8) Hark! My beloved! There he comes, Leaping over mountains, Bounding over hills. (9) My beloved is like a gazelle Or like a young stag. There he stands behind our wall, Gazing through the window, Peering through the lattice.
The swiftness of the gazelle is referred to in various parts of the Tanach and rabbinic texts and is often metaphorically presented in these texts as a quality of the Children of Israel. Like the gazelle, Israel must swiftly turn away from danger. The danger that Israel must face, however, is not the hunter but rather the evil inclination. For example, in Mishnah Pirkei Avot (5:20), the swiftness of the gazelle teaches us to be swift in the performance of Mitzvoth: “Be as swift as a gazelle” as shown in red … “to perform the will of your Father in Heaven.” There is also another nod to speed near the end of the selection which is also shown in red.
Slifkin sees that the message of this verse is in alignment with directives to not delay the fulfillment of a mitzvah in order to avoid the possibility of not doing it at all or of allowing for a period of idleness in which the yetzer hara (evil inclination) can hold sway. This notion is involved in making a halachic decision regarding whether to celebrate Purim in Adar I or II during a leap year. Basically if you want to do a mitzvah as quickly as possible, then one rabbi argues that you should celebrate Purim in Adar I . The counter argument was that the story of redemption in Purim should be celebrated close to the story of redemption in Pesach. The second argument won. But still, the notion of speed in the fulfilment of a mitzvah was an important consideration in the debate.
This point is reinforced in Proverbs (6:3-5): “Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself, for you have come into the power of your fellow/neighbor … Save yourself like a gazelle from his hand.” Slifkin argues that the “hand” (of your neighbor) in this selection of text refers to the evil inclination.
He also points to the speed of the gazelle in Song of Songs (8:14): “Flee my beloved and be like a gazelle.” Slifkin does not elaborate on the verse but given that it is grouped with the two previously mentioned texts, it is likely that it is also pointing to the idea of swiftly turning away from the yetzer hara.
Slifkin sees that the message of this verse is in alignment with directives to not delay the fulfillment of a mitzvah in order to avoid the possibility of not doing it at all or of allowing for a period of idleness in which the yetzer hara (evil inclination) can hold sway. This notion is involved in making a halachic decision regarding whether to celebrate Purim in Adar I or II during a leap year. Basically if you want to do a mitzvah as quickly as possible, then one rabbi argues that you should celebrate Purim in Adar I . The counter argument was that the story of redemption in Purim should be celebrated close to the story of redemption in Pesach. The second argument won. But still, the notion of speed in the fulfilment of a mitzvah was an important consideration in the debate.
This point is reinforced in Proverbs (6:3-5): “Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself, for you have come into the power of your fellow/neighbor … Save yourself like a gazelle from his hand.” Slifkin argues that the “hand” (of your neighbor) in this selection of text refers to the evil inclination.
He also points to the speed of the gazelle in Song of Songs (8:14): “Flee my beloved and be like a gazelle.” Slifkin does not elaborate on the verse but given that it is grouped with the two previously mentioned texts, it is likely that it is also pointing to the idea of swiftly turning away from the yetzer hara.
(טו) אֵלֵ֤ךְ אָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־מְקוֹמִ֔י עַ֥ד אֲשֶֽׁר־יֶאְשְׁמ֖וּ וּבִקְשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י בַּצַּ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם יְשַׁחֲרֻֽנְנִי׃
(15) And I will return to My abode—
Till they realize their guilt.
In their distress, they will seek Me
And beg for My favor.
Till they realize their guilt.
In their distress, they will seek Me
And beg for My favor.
Slifkin refers to a midrashic view of the gazelle as a symbol of the People of Israel; both have an “innate watchfulness,” a kind of GPS awareness that directs them to “the place:”
“Just as the gazelle journeys to the end of the world, but returns to its place, so, too, the nation of Israel – even though they are scattered throughout the world, they are destined to return, as it is written, “I shall go, I shall return to my place” (Hoshea 5:15). (Midrash Yalkut Shimoni still searching for exact reference)
“Just as the gazelle journeys to the end of the world, but returns to its place, so, too, the nation of Israel – even though they are scattered throughout the world, they are destined to return, as it is written, “I shall go, I shall return to my place” (Hoshea 5:15). (Midrash Yalkut Shimoni still searching for exact reference)
Slifkin uses this Midrashic reference to demonstrate that no matter where Israel and the gazelle are, they know the path of return. Slifkin does not go into much detail beyond this. I would argue, that the final destination or “place” [ממקומי “my place” in the text] referenced in the above passage is ta more concealed expression of Divinity, as “Place” (מקום) is one of the names for God. Obviously, “place” can refer to a physical location as well, or I would argue a metaphoric location such as the human heart (the heart-mind connection). “Place” could therefore refer to God, the Divine connection between God and humanity, the human heart, the Promised Land or all of the above. The message in this midrash is then that we have to search for that deep connection with the Divine.
Slifkin cites another passage from the Song of Songs (2:8-9) this time, presenting the gazelle as a symbol of God, instead of a symbol of Israel:
The voice of my Beloved! Behold, He comes, skipping over the mountains, leaping over the hills. My Beloved is similar to a gazelle… My Beloved called out and said to me, “Rise up, my beloved, my beautiful one, and go forth!”
He uses the above two verses to argue that God hastened Israel’s redemption from Egypt, “skipping like a gazelle.” In my view, relating the nature of the gazelle to God’s swift hand in redeeming Israel is the weakest part of Slifkin’s presentation. After all the Israelites were enslaved for 400 years (some calculate 210 years, which is still a long time).
The voice of my Beloved! Behold, He comes, skipping over the mountains, leaping over the hills. My Beloved is similar to a gazelle… My Beloved called out and said to me, “Rise up, my beloved, my beautiful one, and go forth!”
He uses the above two verses to argue that God hastened Israel’s redemption from Egypt, “skipping like a gazelle.” In my view, relating the nature of the gazelle to God’s swift hand in redeeming Israel is the weakest part of Slifkin’s presentation. After all the Israelites were enslaved for 400 years (some calculate 210 years, which is still a long time).
I believe that Slifkin misses a beautiful opportunity in the Song of Songs reference. The Eros embedded in the text allows for the potential of blurring the boundary between the two lovers featured in this work, commonly thought of in rabbinic literature as God and Israel. By reading the Song of Songs through the lens of the yearning to consummate true love, one can conceive of a liminal space in which the lovers are in communion with one another, where God and Israel are one.
In beautiful poetic verse, Song of Songs (2:8-9) portrays the gazelle (a manifestation of one of the lovers) as wild and free, yet beckoning, seen through the lattice fence of limitation and restriction as a glorious potential. Perhaps the gazelle in the Song of Songs teaches us about our freedom of will, our innate desire to run freely to spread ourselves to the end of the earth, yet also know where home is, where the deepest yearnings of our hearts lie.
The gazelle moves and acts swiftly yet with an impeccable watchfulness that guides us to “the place,” to the path of love and to the flow of life and creative potential. Perhaps this is what redemption is all about; it asks us to shift our consciousness to be in perfect harmony with the dynamic and mystical qualities of the gazelle and the wildness of the unfathomable; it invites us to dissolve into Oneness.
In beautiful poetic verse, Song of Songs (2:8-9) portrays the gazelle (a manifestation of one of the lovers) as wild and free, yet beckoning, seen through the lattice fence of limitation and restriction as a glorious potential. Perhaps the gazelle in the Song of Songs teaches us about our freedom of will, our innate desire to run freely to spread ourselves to the end of the earth, yet also know where home is, where the deepest yearnings of our hearts lie.
The gazelle moves and acts swiftly yet with an impeccable watchfulness that guides us to “the place,” to the path of love and to the flow of life and creative potential. Perhaps this is what redemption is all about; it asks us to shift our consciousness to be in perfect harmony with the dynamic and mystical qualities of the gazelle and the wildness of the unfathomable; it invites us to dissolve into Oneness.
SOME DEER IMAGES
The image above is of a headstone from a Jewish Polish cemetary – the custom was to have a relief carving of a gazelle or deer for people named Tzvi, Tzvi Hersh or Naphtali (see reference below).
אילה שלוחה - גבורים קלים כאילות, כדכתיב: וכצבאים על ההרים למהר. הנותן אמרי שפר - בשובם מן המלחמה ממהרים מתוך קלותם לבשר בשורות משופרות של נצחון המלחמה, וכדכתיב: זבולון עם חרף נפשו למות, ונפתלי על מרומי שדה, כדרך הצבאים הרצים על מרומי הרים.
אילה שלוחה, his soldiers were as fleet-footed as gazelles. In Chronicles I 12,9 this is described as Naftali being כצבאים על ההרים למהר , “as speedy as the deer on the mountains.” הנותן אמרי שפר. When they would return from battle, they would be the bearers of happy tidings, being the first to announce the victory won by the Jewish armies. The word שפר, is a derivative of שופר, the ram’s horn; they would announce the good news by means of the appropriate blasts of the shofar. We have some proof of this in Judges 5,18 where Devorah in her victory song speaks of זבלון עם חרף נפשו למות, ונפתלי על מרומי שדה, “Zevulun is a people that mocked at death, and Naftali-on the open heights.” [they were the only two tribes that heeded Barak’s and Devorah’s call to do battle against Siserah, the commander of the Canaanite armies of King Yavin whose army was equipped with 900 armoured vehicles. Ed.]
Here is a selection of Israeli stamps with Naftali being represented by the deer.
The image below is a 19th century wall decoration from the estate of Montifiore, a British leader and activist – it is probably a Mizrach – note the Tzvi opposite the lion.
And just so that we don’t feel alone in the world, other cultures have venerated the deer or tried to emulate it’s special qualities – Here we see an ancient Mexican shapeshift who is ½ deer and ½ man
And lastly we see images of a man performing Chinese Animal Frolics, looking at the central figure on the bottom, you can see the stance of the deer. Doing the deer pose is supposed to be good from one’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.
