Midrasch zu Dewarim 7:3

Another matter, “The song of songs,” Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Aivu said: Song, one, of songs, two; that is three.²⁸The term song is singular while the term songs is plural. Adding the two terms together, they refer to three songs, indicating that Song of Songs is really comprised of three independent songs. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: Song of Songs is entirely one. The other two, what do you do with them? [One is] “A song of ascents for Solomon” (Psalms 127:1) and one is: “A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House, by David” (Psalms 30:1). They thought to say that David said it. But you say it was attributed to David,²⁹One might think that David composed Psalm 30 with divine inspiration, despite the fact that it is about the Temple, which was built after his death. The midrash clarifies that Solomon composed it and attributed it to David because David had made the preparations necessary for the construction of the Temple. Thus, the verse is to be understood as referring to the “House by David,”—the Temple, whose construction was prepared by David. as it is stated: “Your neck is like the tower of David” (Song of Songs 4:4).³⁰This is a reference to the Temple. Rather, it is just like Song of Songs; Solomon said it, and attributed it to David.
When you analyze you say that all the actions of that man [Solomon] were threefold. Solomon rose to three levels. Regarding the first level, it is written: “For he ruled over the entire region beyond the River” (I Kings 5:4). Regarding the second level, it is stated: “Solomon was the ruler [over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt]” (I Kings 5:1). Regarding the third level, it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king” (I Chronicles 29:23). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Is it possible for a person to sit on the throne of the Lord, in whose regard it is written: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24), and it is written: “A river of fire flowed and emerged [from before Him]” (Daniel 7:10), and it is written: “His throne was sparks of fire” (Daniel 7:9), and you say: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord”? Rather, just as the throne of the Holy One blessed be He rules from one end of the earth to the other, so, too, the throne of Solomon ruled from one end of the earth to the other. Just as the throne of the Lord judges without witnesses and forewarning, so, too, the throne of Solomon judged without witnesses and forewarning. Which [trial] was that? That was the trial of the harlots. That is what is written: “Then two women, [who were harlots,] came” (I Kings 3:16).³¹They each had a baby, and one of the babies died. Each claimed the living baby was hers, and they came before King Solomon for adjudication. See I Kings 3:16–28. Who were they? Rav said: They were spirits. The Rabbis say: They were childless women awaiting levirate marriage.³²If a man dies without children, his widow is subject to the law of levirate marriage, whereby the brother of her dead husband must marry her. The husbands of these women had died without living children, but while their wives were pregnant, and the women subsequently gave birth. However, a child who dies within the first thirty days of its life does not exempt the mother from undergoing levirate marriage, and therefore an outcome of the case would be the determination of which woman would be subject to levirate marriage (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: They were actual harlots, and Solomon issued his ruling without witnesses and forewarning.
Solomon descended three descents. The first descent: After he was a great king from one end of the earth to the other, his kingdom diminished and he was king only over Israel. That is what is written: “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel” (Proverbs 1:1). The second descent: After he was king over Israel, his kingdom diminished and he was king only over Jerusalem. That is what is written: “I am Kohelet, I was king over Israel in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:12). The third descent: After he was king over Jerusalem, his kingdom diminished and he was king only over his house,³³The reading in the Gemara (Sanhedrin 20b) is that he was king only over his own bed. as it is stated: “Behold Solomon’s bed; [sixty mighty men are around it, from the mighty of Israel,] all armed with a sword… [from fear in the nights]” (Song of Songs 3:7–8). He was not even king over his bed, as he feared the spirits.³⁴Even in his own bed he was not a powerful king, as indicated in the verses cited in the midrash. He feared the spirits who had deposed him from his throne; see Kohelet Rabba 1:12.
He saw three worlds. Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Ḥunya, Rabbi Yudan said: King, commoner, and king, wise man, fool, and wise man, wealthy, indigent, and wealthy.³⁵He was a king, wise, and wealthy, and then he became a commoner, a fool, and indigent, and then he once again became a king who was wise and wealthy. These were Solomon’s three worlds, meaning three stages of life. What is the reason? “I have seen everything in the days of my vanity” (Ecclesiastes 7:15). A person relates his troubles only during the days of his wellbeing.³⁶Thus, since this verse was written at the end of Solomon’s life, it is apparent that he was restored to his position of wellbeing, as a king who was wise and wealthy. Rabbi Hunya said: Commoner, king, and commoner, fool, wise man, and fool, indigent, wealthy, and indigent. What is the reason? “I am Kohelet, I was king over Israel in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:12). “I was,” I was when I was; however, now, I am no longer.³⁷Thus, since this verse was written at the end of Solomon’s life, it is apparent that he ended his life as a commoner who was a fool and indigent. Since Solomon did end his life as a wise king, this is to be understood to mean that he did not regain the levels of power, wisdom, and wealth that he once had (Etz Yosef).
He violated three prohibitions: He amassed horses, he amassed women, he amassed silver and gold,³⁸These were in violation of the Torah’s commandments regarding the behavior of kings; see Deuteronomy 17:16–17. as it is stated: “The king rendered the silver in Jerusalem like stones” (II Chronicles 9:27). Would they not have been stolen? Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: They were ten-cubit stones and eight-cubit stones.³⁹Thus, the silver and gold pieces on the streets of Jeusalem were too heavy to steal. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: Even the weights that were in use during Solomon’s era were of gold; that is what is written: “Silver was not considered anything in the days of Solomon” (II Chronicles 9:20). He amassed women, as it is stated: “King Solomon loved many foreign women, and Pharaoh’s daughter…from the nations of whom the Lord said to the children of Israel: Do not consort with them and they shall not consort with you… [to them Solomon cleaved for love]” (I Kings 11:1–2).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is due to: “You shall not marry them” (Deuteronomy 7:3).⁴⁰In addition to the fact that Solomon married too many women, the verse in Kings appears to critique him for marrying foreign women. This is due to the fact that he violated the verse cited here from Deuteronomy. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: “For love” (I Kings 11:2); for actual love, for licentiousness.⁴¹He consorted with them but did not marry them. Thus, he did not violate the prohibition stated in Deuteronomy 7:3, but his conduct was considered improper. Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: It is written: “He, too, the foreign women caused him to sin” (Nehemiah 13:26); it teaches that he would have relations with them when they were menstruants and they would not inform him. Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta says: “For love,” to render them beloved [to God], to love them, to draw them near, to convert them, and to cause them to enter beneath the wings of the Divine Presence. It turns out that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, and Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili all said the same thing. Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta disagrees with the three of them.⁴²According to Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta, the verse does not criticize Solomon for the fact that he married foreign women.
Three adversaries confronted him. That is what is written: “The Lord raised up an adversary for Solomon, Hadad the Edomite” (I Kings 11:14); and it is written: “God raised up an adversary for him: Retzon son of Elyada” (I Kings 11:23); and it is written: “He was an adversary for Israel all the days of Solomon,” (I Kings 11:25).⁴³Although this verse refers to Retzon, the midrash may be interpreting this as a reference to Jeroboam, whom the next verse (I Kings 11:26) states rebelled against Solomon. Thus, Jeroboam is the third adversary (see Etz Yosef). He amassed horses, as it is stated: “A chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred silver pieces and a horse for one hundred and fifty” (I Kings 10:29).⁴⁴The verse previously established (I Kings 10:26) that Solomon had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, which were considered very large numbers.
He stated three proverbs: “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel” (Proverbs 1:1); “the proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to a father” (Proverbs 10:1); “these, too, are the proverbs of Solomon, that the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied” (Proverbs 25:1).
He said three vanities: “Vanity [havel] of vanities [havalim] said Kohelet…” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), havel, one, havalim, two;⁴⁵Havel is a singular term, whereas havalim is a plural term. that is three.
He recited three songs: Song, one, of songs, two, that is three.
He was called three names: Yedidya, Solomon, Kohelet. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said these three, [and also] Agur, Yakeh, Lemuel, Itiel,⁴⁶These additional names are based on Proverbs 30:1 and 31:1. are seven. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The primary among them are Yedidya, Kohelet, Solomon. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman concedes that these [additional] four were added for him and that he was called by them, and they must be expounded: Agur, because he amassed [agur] matters of Torah; bin-Yakeh, a son [bin], who vomited [hekia] for a time, like this basin that is filled for a time and emptied for a time; so, too, Solomon studied Torah for a time and forgot it for a time. Lemuel,⁴⁷This is expounded as though it were written Nemuel. who spoke to God [nam laEl] with all his heart. He said: I can amass and not sin. “To Itiel, to Itiel and Ukhal” (Proverbs 30:1). Itiel, God [el] is with me [iti] and I will prevail [veukhal].
He wrote three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Which of them did he write first? Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Yonatan, Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said: He wrote Proverbs first, then Song of Songs, and then Ecclesiastes, and he derived it from this verse: “He spoke three thousand proverbs” (I Kings 5:12); proverbs, this is the book of Proverbs; “his songs were one thousand and five” (I Kings 5:12), this is Song of Songs, and he said Ecclesiastes last.
The baraita of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great disagrees with this statement.⁴⁸This baraita represents an alternate tradition regarding Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great’s opinion, different from the statement cited previously in his name. The baraita says: He wrote the three of them simultaneously, and the statement says that he wrote each and every one individually. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great taught: It was only in Solomon’s old age that the Divine Presence rested upon him and he composed three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Rabbi Yonatan said: He wrote Song of Songs first, then Proverbs, and then Ecclesiastes. Rabbi Yonatan derived it from the way of the world. When a person is young, he says words of song, when he matures, he says words of proverbs, when he grows old, he speaks of [how the pleasures of the world are] vanities. Rabbi Yannai, the father-in-law of Rabbi Ami said: Everyone concedes that he composed Ecclesiastes last.

“They heard that I sigh; there is no comforter for me; all my enemies heard of my misfortune, were glad because You acted. May You bring the day that You proclaimed, and they will be like me” (Lamentations 1:21).
“They heard that I sigh.” Rabbi Yehoshua interpreted the verse regarding Aaron. You find that when Aaron died, the clouds of glory were dispersed and all Israel gathered to eulogize him. They said: ‘Moses is mourning, Elazar is mourning; who will not mourn?’ Immediately, what is written there? “The Canaanite king of Arad…heard” (Numbers 21:1). And it is written: “He waged war with Israel and he took captive from them” (Numbers 21:1).
The Rabbis interpret the verse regarding the destruction of the Temple. You find that wherever Israel sought to flee, [the local population] would turn them in. They sought to flee northward, but they did not allow them to do so. That is what is written: “For three transgressions of Gaza, but for the fourth, I will not relent: For their exiling of an entire exile, to deliver to Edom” (Amos 1:6). They sought to flee eastward, but they did not allow them to do so. That is what is written: “For three transgressions of Tyre, but for the fourth, I will not relent: For their delivering of an entire exile to Edom, and they did not remember the covenant of brothers” (Amos 1:9). They sought to flee westward, but they did not allow them to do so, as it is written: “A prophecy of Arabia: In the forest in Arabia you will stay the night, caravans [of Dedanites]” (Isaiah 21:13).²¹²The implication is that the fleeing exiles were stuck in the forest. The following verses describe how the local population should have greeted them with bread and water, but failed to do so.
“Because You acted,” this is analogous to a king who married a noblewoman. He said to her: ‘Do not speak to your friends. Do not borrow from them and do not lend to them.’ Sometime later the king grew angry at her and expelled her from the palace. She circulated among all her neighbors, but they did not receive her, so she returned to the palace. The king said to her: ‘You have been impudent!’²¹³It was impudent of you to return to the palace. The noblewoman said to the king: ‘My lord, had I lent them or borrowed from them a vessel, and I would have grown friendly with them, would they not have received me?’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You have been impudent!’ They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, did you not write in Your Torah: “You shall not marry them; your daughter you shall not give to his son, and his daughter you shall not take for your son” (Deuteronomy 7:3)? Had we lent them and taken from them and them from us, and his daughter would be with me or my daughter with him, would they not have received me?’ That is: “Because You acted.”²¹⁴We are in this predicament because of what You did in issuing these commands. “May You bring the day that You proclaimed, and they will be like me,” in distress, and not like me in relief.²¹⁵Israel’s distress will ultimately end with redemption.

Another matter, “by the fragrance of your good oils,” Rabbi Aḥa [said] in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Ḥiyya: There are two oils, the oil of priesthood and the oil of kingship.¹⁴³The plural term oils in the verse refers to these two positions. Kings and High Priests were anointed with special oil during their inaugurations. The Rabbis say: There are two Torahs, the written Torah and the Oral Torah.
Rabbi Yudan said: “Your name is like poured oil [shemen],” oil improves on anyone who engages in the greatness [shamna] of the Torah. This is [consistent with another] opinion of Rabbi Yudan, who said: “The yoke will be broken due to the oil” (Isaiah 10:27). The yoke of Sennacheribwas broken due to Hezekiah and his associates, who were engaged in the greatness of Torah.
Another matter, “your name is like poured oil,” just as this oil is bitter at its outset and sweet at its culmination, so too, “your beginning may be small, but your end will soar very high” (Job 8:7). Just as this oil improves only by means of crushing, so too, Israel repents only by means of crushing. Just as this oil does not mix with other liquids, so too, Israel, does not intermingle with the nations of the world, as it is written: “You shall not marry them” (Deuteronomy 7:3). Just as this oil, a full cup does not cause a drip like other liquids, so too, matters of Torah do not dislodge matters of cynicism.¹⁴⁴If a drop of oil falls into a full cup of a different liquid, since the oil floats to the top, it is the oil that overflows rather than the other liquid. Similarly, if one’s heart is full of cynicism and one hears words of Torah, the Torah will not penetrate (Midrash HaMevoar). Just as this oil, when you have a cupful of oil in your hand and a drop of water falls into it, a corresponding drop of oil is dislodged, so too, if a matter of Torah enters the heart a corresponding matter of cynicism is dislodged, and if a matter of cynicism enters the heart,¹⁴⁵This is the case if one’s heart has some cynicism, but is not saturated with cynicism. a corresponding matter of Torah is dislodged. Just as this oil brings light to the world, so too, Israel is light for the world, as it is stated: “The nations will walk by your light” (Isaiah 60:3). Just as this oil is superior to all liquids, so too, Israel is superior to all nations, as it is stated: “The Lord your God will place you supreme” (Deuteronomy 28:1). Just as oil does not produce a sound,¹⁴⁶When poured from one vessel to another. so too, Israel does not produce a sound in this world.¹⁴⁷They do not respond to those who antagonize them, but rather, accept in silence. But regarding the World to Come it is written: “You will be brought down and you will speak from the ground” (Isaiah 29:4).¹⁴⁸This will culminate “with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, storm and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire” (Isaiah 29:6).