Commentary for Song of Songs 1:16

You are handsome, my beloved, most handsome. The beauty is not mine, but Yours; You are the handsome one.

Most handsome. For You overlooked my transgressions and caused Your Shechinah to rest in our midst. This is the praise⁶¹By Yisroel to God. of the descent of the fire, “and all the people saw and shouted for joy.”⁶²Vayikra 9:24.

Indeed our bed is fresh. Through your pleasantness, behold our couch is fresh with our sons and daughters, all of whom gather unto You here, as it is said, “and the assembly was gathered, etc.”⁶³Vayikra 8:4. The Tabernacle is called a bed, as it is stated, “Behold the bed of Shlomo,”⁶⁴Below 3:7. and similarly, the [Beis] Hamikdosh is called a bed, as it is said concerning Yo’ash, “in the bed chamber” which was in the “House of God,”⁶⁵II Divrei Hayomim 22:11, 12. because they are the source of Yisroel’s fruitfulness and procreation.