so you must be asking yourself... Why in the world do we read Song of Songs on Passover??
(9) I have likened you, my darling, To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots: (10) Your cheeks are comely with plaited wreaths, Your neck with strings of jewels. (11) We will add wreaths of gold To your spangles of silver. (12) While the king was on his couch, My nard gave forth its fragrance. (13) My beloved to me is a bag of myrrh Lodged between my breasts. (14) My beloved to me is a spray of henna blooms From the vineyards of En-gedi. (15) Ah, you are fair, my darling, Ah, you are fair, With your dove-like eyes!
- This is just a taste of the salacious and steamy love poetry in the Song of Songs. What do you notice about the text?
- What might you predict be the reason for 1) including it in the Holy Tanach (Hebrew Bible) and 2) reading it on Passover?
(2) Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine.
(3) Thine oils have goodly fragrance, thy name is ointment poured forth, therefore do young maidens love thee.
(4)Draw me, we will run after thee. . . .
(5) I am black, but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem!
Israel addresses God, saying:]
(2) Communicate your innermost wisdom to me in loving closeness, for your friendship is
dearer than all earthly delights.
(3) Like the scent of goodly oils is the spreading fame of Your great deeds; Your very name is Flowing Oil, therefore have nations loved You.
(3) Upon perceiving a mere hint that You wished to draw me, we rushed with perfect faith after You into the wilderness. .
(4) Though I am black with sin, I am comely with virtue, O nations who are destined to ascend to Jerusalem!
- How is Rashi understanding the Song of Songs?
- Rabbi Akiva himself argued strongly that the allegory was the only way to interpret the book; "All the Writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies." And that's how it comes to be in the Bible. Commentators understood the connection between Shir Hashirim and Pesach to be the awesome physical realization of the relationship between God and Israel. Why do you think this allegorical reading was so important to the commentators?
- How does that understanding sit with you? What are the implications for reading this as love poetry between God and the People of Israel?
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The Zohar tells us that Song of Songs embodies the entire Torah, the story of the exile in Egypt, and the redemption of Israel from there, as well as from the other oppressors, so that by reading it we are enhancing the mitzvah of recounting the story of the Exodus. How does the Zohar connect Shir HaShirim to Passover?
(י) עָנָה דוֹדִי וְאָמַר לִי קוּמִי לָךְ רַעְיָתִי יָפָתִי וּלְכִי לָךְ. (יא) כִּי הִנֵּה הסתו [הַסְּתָיו] עָבָר הַגֶּשֶׁם חָלַף הָלַךְ לוֹ. (יב) הַנִּצָּנִים נִרְאוּ בָאָרֶץ עֵת הַזָּמִיר הִגִּיעַ וְקוֹל הַתּוֹר נִשְׁמַע בְּאַרְצֵנוּ. (יג) הַתְּאֵנָה חָנְטָה פַגֶּיהָ וְהַגְּפָנִים סְמָדַר נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ קוּמִי לכי [לָךְ] רַעְיָתִי יָפָתִי וּלְכִי לָךְ.
(10) My beloved spoke, and said unto me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. (11) For, lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone; (12) The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing is come, And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; (13) The fig-tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines in blossom give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
- What themes do we see in this primary text that might connect it to Passover?
- Are there any other holidays that match well with this kind of nature-themed poetry?
- How does this connection sit with you? Is it strong enough?
(14) O my dove, you are in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, Let me see your face, let me hear your voice; For sweet is your voice, and your face is comely.’
R. Eliezer decoded the verse in the hour that Israel stood at the sea.
- My dove in the cleft of the rock in the hiding place of the steep [Song 2:14], that they were hidden in the hiding place of the sea
- Show me your face; this is what is written, “Stand forth and see the salvation of the Lord” [Exod. 14:13]
- Let me hear your voice; this is the singing, as it says, “Then Moses sang” [Ex. 15:1]
- For your voice is lovely; this is the Song (of the Sea)
- And your face is beautiful; for Israel were pointing with their fingers and saying “This is my God and I will beautify Him” [Ex. 15:2].
Rabbi Eliezer uses prooftexts to find the connection between the Exodus story and Shir haShirim. How does he do this?
(א) עַל־מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃ (ב) אָק֨וּמָה נָּ֜א וַאֲסוֹבְבָ֣ה בָעִ֗יר בַּשְּׁוָקִים֙ וּבָ֣רְחֹב֔וֹת אֲבַקְשָׁ֕ה אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃ (ג) מְצָא֙וּנִי֙ הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים הַסֹּבְבִ֖ים בָּעִ֑יר אֵ֛ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י רְאִיתֶֽם׃ (ד) כִּמְעַט֙ שֶׁעָבַ֣רְתִּי מֵהֶ֔ם עַ֣ד שֶֽׁמָּצָ֔אתִי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י אֲחַזְתִּיו֙ וְלֹ֣א אַרְפֶּ֔נּוּ עַד־שֶׁ֤הֲבֵיאתִיו֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אִמִּ֔י ...
(1) By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but I found him not. (2) ’I will rise now, and go about the city, In the streets and in the broad ways, I will seek him whom my soul loves.’ I sought him, but I found him not. (3) The watchmen that go about the city found me: ‘Have you seen the one I love?’ (4) Scarce had I passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, Until I had brought him into my mother’s house.
If we read the text as a metaphor of the love that exists between the People and God, than this doesn't bode well for our relationship with God.
What are the implications? Why is comparing our relationship to God of that of young love somewhat problematic?
Even when young love doesn't evolve into a deeper partnership, some of us look back fondly on the "chase" - is there worth in "chasing" a relationships with God? How do we hold tight so it blossoms into a more mature and mutual love?
(11) I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me. (12) Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. (13) Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see whether the vine hath budded, whether the vine-blossom be opened, and the pomegranates be in flower; there will I give thee my love. (14) The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and at our doors are all manner of precious fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.
Final Thoughts???
- Is Shir HaShirim about two young lovers, or the relationship that God has with the Israelite people (and us)?
- Do you think Passover is the best time of year to read this text? Why or why not?