Commentaire sur Le Cantique des Cantiques 1:1

Elohim said one, I heard two (Ps.62:12). One text can yield multiple meanings, but at the end of the day, a text cannot be disconnected from its literal meaning (pshat). Even though the prophets spoke through examples (symbol, metaphor...) the metaphor must fit with the style and order of the text, as the texts are ordered.

The Song of Songs: The most pleasant of canticles, the choicest of songs; words of might recited by the Throne of Glory,³⁵Usually understood by Kabbalists as referring to malkhut, the tenth sefirah, the feminine-receptive aspect of the Godhead. day to day expressing utterance, standing in prayer in good order arrayed, its speech lucid, in all things well ordered and sure.

I have seen multiple midrashei aggada (exegetical interpretations): Some organize this entire book in one complete compilation of midrash, while others have pieces scattered in multiple places.

Which is Solomon’s: This is a name designating the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is written: “Gideon built there an altar to the Lord and called it ‘the Lord of peace’” [Judges 6:24]. This is the meaning of the statement of our Sages of blessed memory: “The song which the Holy One blessed be He recites daily.”³⁶Canticles Rabbah 6:12. The Song is thus sung by tiferet and malkhut, bridegroom and bride within the Godhead.

I say, that King Shlomo saw, through prophecy, that the people of Israel will one day be exiled, again and again, destruction after destruction...and there they will remember how they were once loved and treasured, as it says "I will go and return to my first man, for that was the best, when God was kind and loving. Thus, this book was written, as a women yearning and searching for her lover.

The song of songs which is Shlomo’s. Our Rabbis taught, “Every Shlomo (because they were at a loss to explain why [Scripture] did not mention his father,¹I.e., King Dovid. as it did in Mishlei and Koheles) mentioned in Shir Hashirim is sacred [=refers to God], the King to Whom peace שָׁלוֹם belongs.²Maseches Shavuos 35b. It is a song which transcends above all other songs,³Rashi offers this explanation because he questions why does it not state, “The song which is Shlomo’s,” why is “of songs” necessary? (Sifsei Chachomim) ⁴Alternatively “of songs” refers to the one thousand and five songs attributed to King Shlomo as it is stated, “and his songs were one thousand and five,” in I Melachim 5:12. (Gra) which was recited to the Holy One, Blessed Is He, by His assembly and His people, the congregation of Yisroel. Rabbi Akiva said, “The world was never as worthy as on the day that Shir Hashirim was given to Yisroel, for all the Writings are holy, but Shir Hashirim is the holiest of the holies.” Rabbi Elazar son Azaryah said, “To what can this be compared? To a king who took a se’ah of wheat and gave it to a baker. He said to him, ‘Extract for me so much fine flour, so much bran, so much coarse bran, and produce enough fine flour from it for one loaf, sifted and superior.’ Similarly, all the Writings are holy, but Shir Hashirim is the holiest of the holies,⁵Mishnayos Yodayim 3:5. for it is all comprised of fear of Heaven and the acceptance of the yoke of His kingdom.”⁶Alternatively “the song of ‘songs’,” the plural corresponds to the dual “songs” that comprise Shir Hashirim, the song that the congregation of Yisroel praises the Holy One, Blessed is He, and the song that the Holy One, Blessed is He praises the congregation of Yisroel. (Sefer Duda’im)