Midras Yesaya 66:12: Shir HaShirim Rabbah, Devarim Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma & Kohelet Rabbah

“Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, and we will gaze upon you. Why will you gaze at the Shulamite like at a dance of two companies?” (Song of Songs 7:1)
“Return, return, O Shulamite,” Rabbi Shmuel bar Ḥiyya bar Yudan [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Four times “return,” is written here, corresponding to the four kingdoms that rule over Israel. Israel comes under their control unscathed and emerges unscathed. “The Shulamite,” a nation in whose midst the eternal One who lives in peace [shalom] moves about; that is what is written: “I have moved about in a tent and a Tabernacle” (II Samuel 7:6).¹God rested His presence in the Tabernacle in the midst of Israel. The Tabernacle resided in four places in the Land of Israel: Gilgal, Shilo, Nov, and Givon, corresponding to the four times “return” is written here, as though the word Shulamite is written with each one (Maharzu, Bereshit Rabba 66:2).
Another matter, “the Shulamite,” a nation to whom [a blessing] concluding with peace is [recited] each day, just as it says: “And grant you peace [shalom]” (Numbers 6:26). Alternatively, “the Shulamite,” the nation that I am destined to settle in an abode of peace; that is what is written: “My people will live in a peaceful abode…” (Isaiah 32:18). Another matter, “the Shulamite,” the nation to whom I extend peace; that is what is written: “Behold, I will extend peace toward it” (Isaiah 66:12).
Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Maron said: A nation that completes [mashlemet] the stability of the world, both in this world and in the World to Come. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: A nation that all the good of the word comes only due to its merit. That is what is written: “God will give you from the dew of the heavens, and from the fat of the earth” (Genesis 27:28); “you,” the matter is dependent upon you and your merit, as it is written: “The Lord will open for you His good storehouse” (Deuteronomy 28:12), the matter is dependent upon you and your merit.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Tanḥum and Rabbi Ḥanan, the son of Rabbi Berekhya from Botzra, [said] in the name of Rabbi Yirmeya: The nation that made peace between Me and My world, as had they not accepted My Torah, I would have returned My world to emptiness and disorder, as Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: It is written: “The earth and all its inhabitants melt away” (Psalms 75:4). Had Israel not stood before Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that the Lord has said, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), the world would have begun to disintegrate. Who buttressed the world? It is I [anokhi], as it is stated: “I [anokhi] set its pillars firm, Selah” (Psalms 75:4); by the merit of: “I [anokhi] am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), I set its pillars firm.²God caused the pillars of the world to be firm in the merit of the people of Israel accepting the Ten Commandments, the first of which was “I am the Lord your God” (Etz Yosef).

Another interpretation, “you shall call to it for peace” – see how great the power of peace is. Come and see, a flesh-and-blood human, if he has an enemy, he looks for and seeks out what [harm] to do to him. What does he do to him? He goes and seeks a man greater than he is, to cause harm to that enemy. But the Holy One blessed be He is not like that. Instead, all the idolaters anger Him and yet they go to sleep and all their souls ascend to Him [during their sleep]. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “In whose hand is the life of every living being” (Job 12:10), and in the morning, He restores the souls to each and every one of them. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “He gives souls to the people upon it” (Isaiah 42:5).
Another interpretation, a flesh-and-blood human, if he causes harm to another person, it never leaves his heart.²⁴He forever holds a grudge against the person who wronged him. But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. Rather, Israel was in Egypt, and the Egyptians enslaved them with mortar and bricks. After all the evils that they committed against Israel, the Scripture had pity upon them and said: “You shall not despise an Egyptian, as you were a stranger in his land” (Deuteronomy 23:8). Instead, pursue peace, as it is stated: “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalms 34:15).
Another interpretation, “seek peace and pursue it” – there was once an incident involving Rabbi Meir, who was sitting and lecturing….²⁵And a certain woman came to hear his lecture. That woman went home. It was Shabbat eve, and she found that her candle had already become extinguished. Her husband asked her: ‘Where have you been until now?’ She said to him: ‘I was listening to Rabbi Meir lecture.’ That man was a scoffer, and he said to her: ‘I swear, you will not enter my house until you go and spit in Rabbi Meir’s face.’ She left his house. Elijah, of blessed memory, appeared to Rabbi Meir, and said to him: ‘Because of you, that woman has left her house.’ Elijah, of blessed memory, informed him how the incident transpired. What did Rabbi Meir do? He went and sat in the great study hall. That woman came there to pray and he saw her. He pretended to have a sore [in his eye] and said: ‘Does anyone know how to cure an eye with a charm?’ That woman said to him: ‘I have come to cure by using charms.’ She spat in his face.²⁶That was the cure for an eye sore. He said to her: ‘Say to your husband: I have spat in Rabbi Meir’s face.’ He said to her [further]: ‘Go and reconcile with your husband.’ See how great the power of peace is.
Another interpretation, Rabbi Akiva said: You may know how great the power of peace is, as the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘When a man issues a warning to his wife,²⁷Warning her not to be alone with a certain man. the holy Name that is written in sanctity is erased with water²⁸If the woman did not heed the warning, and secluded herself with the man, the procedure described in Numbers chapter 5 is followed. Part of the procedure is to write down a passage which includes God’s name, and then erase the passage with water. in order to make peace between the woman suspected of adultery and her husband.’
Reish Lakish said: Great is peace, as the verse stated fabricated words in order to make peace between Joseph and his brothers. When their father died, they were fearful lest he exact vengeance against them. What did they say to him? “Your father commanded before his death, saying: So say to Joseph: [Please, forgive the transgression of your brothers]” (Genesis 50:16–17). But we do not find anywhere that Jacob our patriarch [actually] issued such a command. Rather, the verses stated fabricated words in order to adhere to the ways of peace.
Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He granted it to Zion, as it is stated: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:6).
Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He installed it in the heavens, as it is stated: “He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25:2).
Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He provided it to both those who are near and far, as it is stated: “Peace, peace for the far and for the near” (Isaiah 57:19).
Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He did not provide it to the wicked, as it is stated: “There is no peace, said the Lord, for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22).
Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He provided it to Pinḥas as his reward, as it is stated: “Behold, I am giving him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:12).
Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He heralds to Jerusalem that they [its inhabitants] will be saved only by means of peace, as it is stated: “Announcing peace…[heralding salvation]” (Isaiah 52:7).
Another interpretation, Rabbi Levi said: Beloved is peace, as the endings of all the blessings are always about peace. The recitation of the Shema ends with peace – ‘He who spreads a canopy of peace.’ The [Amida] Prayer ends with peace. The Priestly Benediction ends with peace – “and grant you peace” (Numbers 6:26).
Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He comforts Jerusalem only with peace. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “Behold, I will direct peace to it like a river” (Isaiah 66:12).
David said: ‘I was seeking to hear what is the discourse of the Holy One blessed be He regarding Israel, and I heard that He was speaking about peace for them,’ as it is stated: “I will hear what the Almighty Lord will speak, as He will speak peace for His people and to His pious ones” (Psalms 85:9).
Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: See how beloved peace is, as when the Holy One blessed be He sought to bless Israel, he did not find a receptacle that holds all the blessings with which He would bless them other than peace, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace”²⁹Literally, “inside peace,” as if peace is the receptacle that contains all the blessings. (Psalms 29:11).

(Lev. 7:11:) “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.” You find that all of the [other] sacrifices that they would bring, they would bring for sins. In the case of the guilt offerings, they would sacrifice them for sins, as stated (in Ezra 10:19), “And they gave their word (literally, their hand) that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, [they gave] a ram of the flock for their guilt.” Now the sin offering [took place] for the unintentional sin, as stated (in Numb. 15:25), “and their sin offering before the Lord for their unintentional sin.” A burnt offering took place for a thought of the heart. Thus it is stated (in Job 1:5), “and rising early in the morning, he would offer burnt offerings, one for each of them, for Job said, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts.’” But when the thank offering took place, it took place on account of their gratitude. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “This is the dearest to Me of all the offerings.” David said (in Ps. 50:23), “Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me (ykbdnni).” It does not say ykbdni but ykbdnni, [spelled with n] two times, [once] for this world and [once] for the world to come.²⁰Lev. R. 9:2; Rashi on Sanh. 43b. R. Judah said, “Whoever answers amen in this world merits answering amen in the world to come. Where is it shown? (In Ps. 41:14), ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting (literally: from the world and unto the world); amen and amen.’ What is the meaning of ‘amen and amen?’ Amen in this world and amen in the world to come.” Ergo (in Ps. 50:23), “Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me.” R. Aqiva said, “Whoever speaks songs [of praise] in this world merits speaking songs [of praise] in the world to come, as stated (Exodus 15:1), ‘Then Moshe sang (literally, will sing).’ It does not say, ‘Then he sang,’ but rather, ‘Then he will sing.’ Ergo, whoever speaks songs [of praise] in this world merits speaking songs [of praise] in the world to come.” Therefore, it is stated, (in Ps. 50:23), “Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me.” (Lev. 7:11:) “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.” Peace offerings are great because they make peace between Israel and their Father in heaven. Eleazar Haqappar says, “Peace is great, because even though Israel worships idols but [still] forms one fellowship (havurah), strict justice does not harm them.²¹Numb. R. 11:17; cf. Gen. R. 38:6 It is so stated (in Hos. 4:17), ‘Ephraim is associated (havur) with idols. Let him be.’” R. Levi says, “Peace is great, because there is no conclusion to the priestly blessing other than peace, as stated (in Numb. 6:26), ‘and grant you peace.’” R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “Peace is great, because the Holy One, blessed be He, has written things in the Torah that did not happen, which are there only because of peace.²²yPe’ah 1:1 (16a); see Gen. R. 48:18; 100:8; Lev. R. 9:9; Deut. R. 5:5; Yev. 65b. They are the following: When Jacob had died (Gen. 50:15), ‘And Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, and they said, “Perhaps Joseph begrudges us.”’ What did they do?²³Above, Exod. 1:2. They went to Bilhah and said to her, ‘Go in unto Joseph and say to him (in Gen. 50:16), “Before he died, your father gave a command saying, ‘So shall you say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers.”’”’ Now Jacob never commanded any of these things at all; yet they said this thing on their own.” Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “See how much ink was spilled, how many pens²⁴Gk.: kalamoi. were broken, how many skins were prepared, and how many children were whipped in order to learn something which did not happen which is in the Torah. See how great is the power of peace!” And so you find in the case of Sarah, when the ministering angels came to Abraham and said to him (in Gen. 18:14), ‘At the set time I will return unto you, at the time that life is due.’ At that time (according to Gen. 18:12), ‘Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “… and my husband is an old man.”’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham (in vs. 13), ‘[But] why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Is it true that I also shall bear [a child] when I am old?”’²⁵Thus for the sake of peace the Holy One hid from Abraham the fact that Sarah had called him an old man. Now why all this? For the sake of peace.” Also in the world to come, when the Holy One, blessed be He, returns the diaspora to Jerusalem, He shall return them in peace. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 122:6), “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, may those who love you have serenity.” And so it says (in Is. 66:12), “Behold, I will extend peace unto her like a river.”