Midrasch zu Schir haSchirim 4:16

“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).⁶³This psalm is understood as referring to the giving of the Torah, and therefore the fact that the verse “let him kiss me” is introduced as a song indicates that it was stated at the giving of the Torah. 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;⁶⁴At the giving of the Torah. “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.”⁶⁵This is where the Holy One blessed be He spoke to the Israelites with 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.⁶⁶The verses preceding Song of Songs 4:16 also refer to the Temple. Rabbi Aḥa said: The verse of “a canopy bed” (Song of Songs 3:9) and those that follow it. The Rabbis⁶⁷Those who interpret Song of Songs 3:9–4:16 as referring to the Tabernacle rather than the Temple. render it an introduction to: “It was on the day that Moses concluded [setting up the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1).⁶⁸See Bemidbar Rabba 12:4 and Shir HaShirim Rabba 3:9.
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.⁶⁹This is the meaning of the verse “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” 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.⁷⁰May God show us the affection He has shown Israel through the giving of the Torah. 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.⁷¹Let Him give us more mitzvot and share deep insights into the Torah. That is what is written: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.”

Variantly: Just as a bound flask stands, neither emitting nor admitting, so, the spirits of the Egyptians were bound up within them, neither emitting nor admitting, faint from the smell of the sea, viz. (Job 41:23) "He bubbles up the sea like a pot, etc." And to Israel, the sea was like a bed of spices, viz. (Ibid.) "He makes the sea like a spice-bed." (Song of Songs 4:16) "Awake, O north wind, and come, O south, blow over my garden that its spices may flow." (Exodus, Ibid.) "The depths were congealed ("kafu") in the heart of the sea, etc." He made them like a kippah (a dome) in the midst of the sea. How so? A man's heart consists of two chambers and its arch. Thus did He arch the sea over them. The sea has no heart, and He gave it a heart. A terebinth has no heart, and He gave it a heart, viz. (II Samuel 18:4) "He (Avshalom) was yet alive in the heart of the terebinth." The heavens have no heart, and He gave them a heart, viz. (Devarim 4:11) "And the mountain (Sinai) burned with fire until the heart of heaven." Let the sea come, which had no heart and was given a heart, and exact payment of the Egyptians, who had a heart and subjugated Israel with all kinds of ("heartless") torments, viz. (Exodus 1:13) "And Egypt subjected the children of Israel to grueling toil." Let the terebinth come, which had no heart and was given a heart and exact punishment of Avshalom, who had a heart and "stole" three hearts — the heart of his father, the heart of beth-din, and the heart of Israel, viz. (II Samuel 15:6) ("And Avshalom did this) … and Avshalom stole the heart of the men of Israel." Let the heavens come, which have no heart and were given a heart, and drop manna like dew upon Israel, who had a heart and accepted the Torah and served the L rd with all their hearts and all their souls, viz. (Devarim 6:3) "And you shall love the L rd your G d with all of your heart and all of your soul, etc." And not the heavens alone rejoiced in the redemption of Israel, but also the mountains and all of the hills, the fruit trees and all of the cedars, viz. (Isaiah 44:23) "Sing, O heavens, for the L rd has wrought! Shout, O depths of the earth. Mountains, break out in song, forest and all that is in it. For the L rd has redeemed Yaakov", and (Ibid. 49:13) "Sing, O heavens and rejoice, O earth — Break out in song! For the L rd has consoled His people, etc."

R. Abahu said in the name of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: When Aaron saw that the angel was about to overpower him, he placed the censer before his countenance, as it is said: They shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt-offering upon Thine altar (Deut. 33:10). This reveals how beloved incense is. R. Isaac the son of Eliezer declared: You know that after he constructed the Tabernacle and all its implements, he slaughtered the sacrifices, and arranged them on the altar, he set the table, made the menorah, and did everything that had to be done, but the Shekhinah still had not descended. Only when the incense was offered did it descend. You know this for it is written: Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south; blow upon my garden that the spice thereof may flow out (Song 4:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You shall be forgiven in this world because of the incense, but in the world-to-come, I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah (Ps. 66:15).

“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind; blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his delicious fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16).
“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind” – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: Rabbi Elazar said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Yosei said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed burnt offerings.¹⁶¹All agree that Noah and his descendants sacrificed burnt offerings, as this is explicit in the text (see, e.g., Genesis 8:20). The dispute is whether they also sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “Abel, too, brought from the firstborn of his flock and from the choicest of them [umeḥelvehen]” (Genesis 4:4).¹⁶²The understanding is that Abel sacrificed offerings from which only the fats [ḥelev] are burned, i.e., peace offerings. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He says: From the fattest among them. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered up burnt offerings and they slaughtered peace offerings [shelamim] of oxen to the Lord]” (Exodus 24:5).¹⁶³This verse explicitly states that they offered peace offerings, despite the fact that this took place before the giving of the Torah, when even the Israelites were considered no more than descendants of Noah (Etz Yosef). What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? Their bodies were whole [shelemim], without flaying and cutting.¹⁶⁴This is in contrast to standard burnt offerings, which require flaying and cutting. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection: It is written: “Yitro took…a burnt offering and a peace offering” (Exodus 18:12), a burnt offering for the sake of a burnt offering and a peace offering for the sake of a peace offering.¹⁶⁵The offerings were sacrificed properly. If an offering is sacrificed with the understanding that it is a different offering, e.g., if an animal designated as a burnt offering is sacrificed as a peace offering, one has not fulfilled one’s vow to bring the burnt offering. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He would say to you: Two amora’im disagree. One says: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah;¹⁶⁶When there were both burnt offerings and peace offerings. the other says: Yitro came before the giving of the Torah. The one who said Yitro came before the giving of the Torah [must hold that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. The one who said: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah [holds that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed [only] burnt offerings.
This supports Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind.” “Awake north wind” – this is the burnt offering, which is slaughtered in the north.¹⁶⁷The north side of the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “awake” addressed to it? [Because] it is something that was asleep and awakened.¹⁶⁸The patriarchs sacrificed burnt offerings, but the Israelites did not sacrifice burnt offerings while they were in Egypt. “Come, south wind” – this is the peace offering, which is slaughtered in the south.¹⁶⁹Unlike the burnt offering, the peace offering could be slaughtered anywhere in the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “come” addressed to it? Because it was something new.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa, and Rabbi Yehoshua say in the name of Rabbi Levi: This verse, too, supports Rabbi Yosei. “This is the law of the burnt offering; it is the burnt offering” (Leviticus 6:2) that the descendants of Noah sacrificed initially. When it arrives at the peace offering, it says: “This is the law of the peace offering [that one shall offer to the Lord]” (Leviticus 7:11). It is not written here, “that they offered,” but rather, that they shall offer, from here forward.
How does Rabbi Elazar interpret this verse: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind”? When the exiles situated in the north will awaken and they will come and encamp in the south, just as it says: “Behold, I am bringing them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the ends of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:7). When Gog and Magog, which are situated in the north, will awaken and come and fall in the south, just as it says: “I will lead you astray and I will entice you, and I will take you up” (Ezekiel 39:2). When the messianic king, who is situated in the north, will awaken and come build the Temple, which is located in the south, just as it says: “I have roused one from the north and he came” (Isaiah 41:25).
“Blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi: Because in this world when the southern wind blows the northern wind does not blow, and when the northern wind blows the southern wind does not blow. However, in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will bring an unusual wind to the world, and it will lead two winds simultaneously and both will serve. That is what is written: “I will say to the north: Give, and to the south: Do not withhold” (Isaiah 43:6).
“Let my beloved come to his garden” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper etiquette, that a bridegroom should not enter the wedding canopy until the bride gives him permission. What is the reason? “Let my beloved come to his garden.”¹⁷⁰The next verse begins “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,” which is an indication that he came only after receiving permission from his bride.

"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Song of Songs 4:16), "Awake, O north wind" - these are the burnt-offerings that are slaughtered in the north [end of the altar], as our rabbis taught (Mishnah Zevachim 5:4), "The burnt-offerings are sacrifices of higher sanctity, their slaughter is in the north." "Come, O south wind" - these are the peace-offerings that are slaughtered in the south. "Blow upon my garden, that its perfume may spread" - this is the incense. "Let my beloved come to his garden" - Rabbi Abahu said, "The Torah teaches proper conduct (derekh erets), that a groom should not enter the room until the bride gives him permission." "And enjoy its luscious fruits" - these are the sacrifices. Another interpretation: "I have come to my garden, my sister bride" - [there is a relevant] parable about a king who said to his people to build him a palace and they built it. The people of the province were standing at the entrance of the palace and yelling and saying, "When will the king enter the palace?" What did the king do? He entered secretly. He [then] sent a proclamation in front of him, saying, "Do not yell, as I have already come to my palace. So [too,] did Israel say, "Let my beloved come to his garden." What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He sent and said to them,"Why are you afraid? I have already "Come to my garden" (Song of Songs 5:1) Rabbi Shimon ben Asini said, "It is not written, 'I have come to a garden,' here, but rather, 'I have come to my garden' - to that garden that I left, as stated (Genesis 3:8), 'They heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the garden, etc.'" "I have plucked my myrrh and spice" - this is the incense. "Eaten my honey and honeycomb" - these are sacrifices of higher sanctity and sacrifices of lower sanctity. "Drunk my wine and my milk" - these are the libations. Another interpretation: "I have plucked my myrrh and spice, eaten my honey and honeycomb, drunk my wine and my milk" - these are the three things that the chieftains did improperly and the Holy One, blessed be He, accepted [nonetheless], and these are them: An individual is not to offer incense, and each one of them brought incense, as stated, "a ladle of ten gold [shekel-weights] full of incense. And that an individual is not to bring a sin-offering unless [the sin] is known to him, and each chieftain brought [for] that which was known to him, as stated, "one goat for a sin-offering." And a sacrifice of an individual does not override [the prohibitions of] Shabbat. And the sacrifice of the chieftain of the tribe of Ephraim overrode the Shabbat, as it is stated (Numbers 7:48), "On the seventh day, the chieftain of the Children of Ephraim. "Eat, friends; drink and get drunk, beloved ones" - this is Israel who are called friends, as stated (Psalms 122:8), "For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will speak peacefully of you." Another interpretation: "Let my beloved come to his garden (gano)" - do not read [it] as gano, but rather as geenuno (bridal chamber). When? "And it was on the day that Moses had finished (kallot)." Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "[It is] on the day that the bride enters the wedding canopy with the groom. Hence it is written, "It was on the day [that Moshe] finished (kallat, which means bride)," lacking (the letter, vav).