Song of Songs 3-8

I have come into my garden- The Garden of Eden above. My sister, bride- Assembly of Israel. For on that day, couplings were coupled completely; couplings were coupled in that Garden of Eden, for all of them were blessed by the watering of the strem and each one joined his fellow. As is written: I have plucked my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk- all of them were watered and saturated from the spring of the stream. Eat, companions! Drink and be drunk, lovers!- all those below, and all those branches were blessed and nourished when these were blessed above. How are they all blessed and sweetened? By the aroma of the offering.

"In a flame of fire from the midst of the bush (Ex 3:2)" The Midrash says that this is to show [that] "there is no place devoid of the divine presence- not even a thornbush." This is the purpose of exile: that Israel make visible [God's] kingdom, which is indeed everywhere. The true meaing of the word galut [exile] is hitgalut[revelation], that the glory of God's kingdom be revealed in every place. This task is completed by the souls of Israel in this world, as the Midrash says on the verse: " I am asleep but my heart wakes. The sound of my beloved knocking: 'Open for me! (SOS 5:2).

The blessed Holy One has chosen us and given us the Torah. Torah is beyond time; just as for the Holy One, past and future are all one. In that case, the choosing of Israel and their attachment to God that happened when Torah was given were already revealed to God "beforehand" as well. This powerful attachment to Torah- even though it was still hidden and unrealized by Israel- was still "the sound of my beloved knocking: 'Open for me,'" calling the them to make this attachment real by opening " as wide as the eye of the needle."

Holiness can be revealed in this world only through the opening that Israel makes. When we said: " We shall do and we shall listen (Ex 24:7), we were making real the light of Torah, to which we were already attached somewhere deep within ourselves. Now that we have accepted the Torah, this is even clearer. The sound pounds in Israel's hearts. Even though exile hides it, we need only long that it be revealed. Thus it was in the galut (exile) of Egypt that "the Holy One nigleh (was revealed) upon them and redeemed them" (Haggadah).

It is of this that Scripture says: "As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show you wonders" (Mic. 7:15)

“Who is she who appears like dawn, fair like the moon, pure like the sun, formidable like banners?” (Song of Songs 6:10)
“Who is she who appears like dawn?” There was an incident in which Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta were walking in the Arbel Valley in the early morning and they saw the light of dawn breaking. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said to Rabbi Shimon bar Ḥalafta: So will the redemption of Israel burst forth, as it is written: “Though I sit in darkness, the Lord is a light for me” (Micah 7:8). Initially it will come little by little, then it will sparkle, then it will increase, and then it will continuously spread. So too, initially, “In those days, Mordekhai was sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 2:21), then, “Mordekhai emerged from before the king in royal garments” (Esther 8:15), and then: “For the Jews there was light and joy…” (Esther 8:16).

He said, "Let me go, for dawn has risen!" (Gen 32:27). Rabbi Yehudah opened, "Who is this looking forth like the dawn... (SOS 6:10)" This verse has been established and explained, but Who is this looking forth? Israel, when the blessed Holy One will raise them, bringing them out of exile. He will then open for them a tiny crack of light, then another opening, wider, until the blessed Holy One opens for them supernal gates facing the four directions of the world.

So with all the Blessed Holy One does for Israel and for the righteous among them- always so, never all at once. This can be co,pared to a person thrown into darkness, dwelling in darkness constantly. When they want to illumine him, they must open the light to him like the eye of a needle, then wider, always gradually, until s/he is illumined with all the light fittingly.

Similarly with Israel, as is said: "Little by little I will drive them out before you (Ex 23:30)" And so with one who is being cured: not all at once, but little by little, until s/he is fortified.