song of songs: bein adam l'chavero or l'makom?

All the Holy Scriptures defile the hands. The Song of Songs and Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) defile the hands. Rabbi Judah says: the Song of Songs defiles the hands, but there is a dispute about Kohelet. Rabbi Yose says: Kohelet does not defile the hands, but there is a dispute about the Song of Songs. ... Rabbi Akiba said: Far be it! No man in Israel disputed that the Song of Songs [saying] that it does not defile the hands. For the whole world is not as worthy as the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the writings are holy but the Song of Songs is the holy of holies. If they had a dispute, they had a dispute only about Kohelet.

“God has spoken once, twice I have heard this” (Psalms 62:12). From one verse, emerge several explanations. [However] in conclusion, a verse does not depart from its literal sense and meaning. Although the Prophets have employed metaphors, let each metaphor be explained simply, each statement fitting its context.

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine” (Song of Songs 1:2). “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,” where was it stated? Rabbi Ḥinena bar Pappa said: It was stated at the sea, as it is stated: “To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots [I have likened you my love]” (Song of Songs 1:9). Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Simon said: It was stated at Sinai, as it is stated: “The song of songs” [hashirim]; the song that was recited by the singers [hashorerim], as it is stated: “First the singers [hasharim] and then the musicians” (Psalms 68:26). It was taught in the name of Rabbi Natan: The Holy One blessed be He in the glory of His greatness recited it, as it is stated: “The song of songs that is Solomon’s [lishlomo]”—the King [of Whom it may be stated that] peace [shalom] is His.” Rabban Gamliel says: The ministering angels recited it; “the song of songs,” the song that was recited by the supernal singers [sharim]. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It was stated in Sinai, as it is stated: “Let him kiss me from the kisses of his mouth.” Rabbi Meir says: It was stated in the Tent of Meeting, and he derives it from this verse: “Awake, north, and come, south, [blow upon my garden, that its spices will spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his delicious fruits]” (Song of Songs 4:16). “Awake, north,” this is the burnt offering that is slaughtered in the north [side of the Temple Courtyard]; “and come, south,” this is the peace offering that is slaughtered in the south. “Blow upon my garden,” this is the Tent of Meeting; “its spices will spread,” this is the incense of the spices. “Let my beloved come to his garden,” this is the Divine Presence; “and eat his delicious fruits,” these are the offerings. The Rabbis say: [It was stated] in the Permanent House [the Temple]. The Rabbis, too, derive it from this verse. “Awake, north,” this is the burnt offering that is slaughtered in the north; “and come, south,” this is the peace offering that is slaughtered in the south. “Blow upon my garden,” this is the Permanent House; “its spices will spread,” this is the incense of the spices. “Let my beloved come to his garden,” this is the Divine Presence; “and eat his delicious fruits,” these are the offerings. The Rabbis say that all the others, too, all of it was stated regarding the Eternal House. Rabbi Aḥa said: The verse of “a canopy bed” (Song of Songs 3:9) and those that follow it. The Rabbis render it an introduction to: “It was on the day that Moses concluded [setting up the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1). In the opinion of Rabbi Ḥinena bar Pappa, who said that it was stated at the sea, [Israel said:] Let Him rest the Divine Spirit upon us and we will recite many songs. In the opinion of Rabban Gamliel, who said the ministering angels stated it, [they were saying:] Let Him give us of the kisses that He kissed his children. In the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who said it was stated at the Tent of Meeting, [the meaning is:] Let Him send down fire and receive His offerings. In the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, who said it was stated at Sinai, [the meaning is:] Let Him give us kisses from inside His mouth. That is what is written: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.”

R. Berekhiah in the name of R. Judah b. R. Ilai: “It is written, ‘And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea’” (Ex. 15:22): “He led them on from the . . . sea. “They said to them, ‘Moses, our lord, where are you leading us?’ “He said to them, ‘To Elim, from Elim to Alush, from Alush to Marah, from Marah to Rephidim, from Rephidim to Sinai.’ “They said to him, ‘Indeed, wherever you go and lead us, we are with you.’ “The matter is comparable to the case of one who went and married a woman from a village. He said to her, ‘Arise and come with me.’ “She said to him, ‘From here to where?’ “He said to her, ‘From here to Tiberias, from Tiberias to the Tannery to the Upper Market, from the Upper Market to the Lower Market.’ “She said to him, ‘Wherever you go and take me, I shall go with you...” Said R. Yose b. R. Iqa, “And lo, a verse of Scripture itself proclaims the same point: ‘Draw me, after you let us make haste.’”

O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding place of the cliff, Let me see your face, let me hear your voice; For sweet is your voice, and your face is beautiful.

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 cliff [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—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].

(14) And when wicked Pharaoh pursued the people of Israel, the Assembly of Israel was compared to a dove trapped in the clefts of a rock–a snake threatening it from within and a hawk threatening it from without. In the same way, the Assembly of Israel was trapped in all four directions: in front of them was the sea, behind them the enemy pursued, and on either side were wildernesses full of fiery serpents which wound and kill people with their sting. Then immediately the Assembly opened her mouth in prayer before God and an echo came from the heaven above and this is what it said, “You, O Assembly of Israel, who resemble a dove, pure and hiding in the hiding-place of the clefts of the rocks or in the hidden places of the stairs: show me your face and your worthy deeds and let me hear your voice. For your voice is sweet when it prays in the small Temple and your face is beautiful when you perform good deeds.”

(1)“He brought me to the wine house, and his banner over me is love” (Song of Songs 2:4). “He brought me to the wine house,” Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Meir says: The congregation of Israel said: ‘The evil inclination gained control over me like wine, and I said of the calf: “This is your god, Israel”’ (Exodus 32:4). When wine enters a person, it confuses him. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: Enough, Meir, one does not expound Song of Songs disparagingly, but rather, favorably, as Song of Songs was given only in praise of Israel. What, then, is “he brought me to the wine house”? The congregation of Israel said: The Holy One blessed be He brought me to a large wine cellar, this is Sinai. He gave me there banners of Torah, mitzvot, and good deeds, and I accepted them with great love. Rabbi Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: The congregation of Israel said: The Holy One blessed be He brought me to a large wine cellar, this is Sinai. He gave me there the Torah, which is expounded with forty-nine approaches for purity and with forty-nine approaches for impurity, the numerical value of “his banner [vediglo].47Vav is equivalent to 6, dalet to 4, gimmel to 3, lamed–to 30, and vav to 6, which together equal 49. I accepted it with great love, as it is stated: “And his banner over me is love.” Rabbi Yona said: Two colleagues who engage in a matter of halakha, this one says the source of the halakha, and that one does not say the source of the halakha, the Holy One blessed be He says: “His banner [vediglo] over me is love.”48Although he cannot provide a source for his ruling, and therefore his conclusion is inaccurate, his efforts in Torah study are nonetheless beloved in the eyes of God. The word diglo is interpreted as referring to his incomplete [dilugo] studies (Maharzu). Rabbi Aḥa said: An ignoramus who calls love hate, e.g. [instead of] “you shall love” [ve’ahavta], [he says] “you shall hate” [ve’ayavta], the Holy One blessed be He says: His mistake [dilugo] is beloved to Me. Rabbi Yisakhar said: A child who calls Moshe Masheh, Aharon Aharan, Efron Efran, the Holy One blessed be He says: His ridicule [liglugo]49The letters lamed and dalet are both lingual letters so liglugo replaces dilugo. is beloved to Me. Rabbi Ḥunya said: In the past, if a person would point to the image [of a king] with his finger, he would be punished.50It was considered a lack of respect to point at a picture or statue of the king. Now, a person places his hand on a mention of God’s name and he is not harmed. Moreover, the Holy One blessed be He says: His thumb [gudalo] over Me is love. The Rabbis say: Even if a child skips the mention of God’s name several times he is not harmed. Moreover, the Holy One blessed be He says: His omission [dilugo] is beloved to Me. Rabbi Berekhya said: Even all the subterfuge [digulin] that Jacob employed regarding his father, just as it says: “And the hides of the goat kids, she placed on his hands” (Genesis 27:16), the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘I rest My Divine Presence over them.’ That is what is written: “You shall make sheets of goats’ hair” (Exodus 26:7). Moreover, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “His banner [vediglo] over me is love,” his subterfuge [vedigulo] over me is love. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: The congregation of Israel said: ‘The Holy One blessed be He brought me to a large wine cellar, this is Sinai. There, I saw Mikhael and his banner, Gavriel and his banner, and my eyes saw heavenly rites and I loved them.’ At that time the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Since the desire of My children is for banners, they will encamp with banners.’ That is what is written: “Each at his banner according to the insignia” (Numbers 2:2).