Commentaire sur Le Cantique des Cantiques 3:1
עַל־מִשְׁכָּבִי֙ בַּלֵּיל֔וֹת בִּקַּ֕שְׁתִּי אֵ֥ת שֶׁאָהֲבָ֖ה נַפְשִׁ֑י בִּקַּשְׁתִּ֖יו וְלֹ֥א מְצָאתִֽיו׃
Sur ma couche nocturne, je cherchai celui dont mon âme est éprise: je le cherchai mais ne le trouvai point.
Rashi on Song of Songs
On my bed at night. In my distress, when I lived in the darkness1The Bnei Yisroel were left in darkness after the Clouds of Glory had withdrawn from them and the holy crown that had been given to them at Mt. Sinai was taken away. (Targum) for the entire thirty-eight years2After the sin of the spies it was declared that the Bnei Yisroel would wander in the wilderness for forty years. Since two years had already past, they had to wander for another thirty-eight years and during this time the Divine Presence was hidden from them. that the [Bnei] Yisroel were under reproach.
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Ezra ben Solomon on Song of Songs
Upon my couch: “Couch” refers to Israel’s forty year sojourn in the wilderness, when they were denied permission to enter the land of Israel.
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Rashi on Song of Songs
I sought him but did not find him. “For I will not go up in your midst,”3Shemos 33:3. This was on account of the golden calf. [and] “for I am not in your midst.”4Devarim 1:42. This was on account of the spies.
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Ezra ben Solomon on Song of Songs
At night: When Israel was in trouble, distress, and darkness.
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Ezra ben Solomon on Song of Songs
I sought: Israel said: “I have repented in order that the Glory might return to me as at the beginning.”
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Ezra ben Solomon on Song of Songs
I sought him but found him not: Throughout those forty years, the shekhinah had departed and prophecy had ceased. As it is written: “When all the warriors among the people had died off, the Lord spoke to me, saying …” [Deut. 2:16–17]. To me was the Word. This reveals that Moses had not prophesied until this moment.
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