"... Every relationship has a commanding quality to it. Every relationship compels the participants to behave in a way that is appropriate to the relationship. God's love for Israel is all that is needed to inspire Israel to live a certain way. Contra the traditionalists, then, what was revealed was not the specific commandments but the fact of being commanded. But, contra Kaplan, God is very much the authority - however implicit - for the commandments, just as a lover's expressions of affection are governed by the presence and implicit wishes of the beloved." (p.24, Sacred Fragments, Neil Gillman. 1990)
Part 1: Shir HaShirim and Passover
Why do we read Song of Songs on Passover?
Possible Connection #1
“And it is the custom to read Shir HaShirim on Shabbat of Chol HaMoed Pesach
because it speaks of the redemption of our people from Egypt,
as is written (Shir HaShirim 1:9),
“L’susati b’richvei Paroh dimitich rayati"
"With My mighty steeds who battled Pharaoh’s riders
I revealed that you are My beloved.”"
- The Rema in his book of Halacha
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.
Another reason for reading Song of Songs [is] that Passover is a time of love between G-d and Israel, who entered into a covenant and became betrothed [engaged] to G-d through the Exodus from Egypt [see Ezekiel, 16]. -- Chabad.org
1) 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.
2) What themes do we see in this primary text that might connect it to Passover?
(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 visage; 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
- And your visage is beautiful; for Israel were pointing with their fingers and saying “This is my God and I will beautify Him” [Ex. 15:2].
3) How does Rabbi Eliezer see a connection between leaving Egypt and Shir HaShirim?
Part 2: Samples from Shir HaShirim
The Song of Songs has been seen across time as both an intimate love poem, and also as a metaphor of the connection God has with us.
What do you think?
4) Does this seem more like a love poem, or like the connection that Jews want to have with God? Why?
5) In verse 9-11 and 15-17, what animals are used in the metaphor? Why do you think they are used to describe a relationship?
(8) Hark! my beloved! behold, he cometh, Leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. (9) My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart; Behold, he standeth behind our wall, He looketh in through the windows, He peereth through the lattice. (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 putteth forth her green figs, And the vines in blossom give forth their fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (14) O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; For sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.’ (15) ’Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vineyards; For our vineyards are in blossom.’ (16) My beloved is mine, and I am his, That feedeth among the lilies. (17) Until the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart Upon the mountains of spices.
6) In verse 16 it says, "My beloved is mine, and I am his." What does this phrase mean? Is it an ideal to strive for in relationships? Why or why not?
(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.
7) The search for one's love has been compared to a search for higher spiritual meaning in life - a sometimes endless search with no guarantee of success. Do you think that the search for love is a worthwhile search? What about the search for higher emotional or spiritual meaning? Why or why not?
(10) ’My beloved is white and ruddy, Pre-eminent above ten thousand. (11) His head is as the most fine gold, His locks are curled, And black as a raven. (12) His eyes are like doves Beside the water-brooks; Washed with milk, And fitly set. (13) His cheeks are as a bed of spices, As banks of sweet herbs; His lips are as lilies, Dropping with flowing myrrh. (14) His hands are as rods of gold Set with beryl; His body is as polished ivory Overlaid with sapphires. (15) His legs are as pillars of marble, Set upon sockets of fine gold; His aspect is like Lebanon, Excellent as the cedars. (16) His mouth is most sweet; Yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.’
8) What does this man look like? Draw your understanding below:
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9) What are your final thoughts? Is Shir HaShirim about people, or the relationship that we can have with God? Do you think Passover is the best time of year to read this text? Why or why not?