Midrash su Cantico dei cantici 5:3
פָּשַׁ֙טְתִּי֙ אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתִּ֔י אֵיכָ֖כָה אֶלְבָּשֶׁ֑נָּה רָחַ֥צְתִּי אֶת־רַגְלַ֖י אֵיכָ֥כָה אֲטַנְּפֵֽם׃
Mi sono rimossa la giacca; Come devo indossarlo? Mi sono lavato i piedi; Come devo contaminarli?
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“I have removed my tunic; how can I don it? I have washed my feet; how can I soil them? My beloved extended his hand through the hole, and my core was stirred for him” (Song of Songs 5:3–4).
“I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic”?18Why does the verse continue, “how can I don it,” when putting on a tunic is a simple act? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yoḥanan say: On the day that the wicked Nebuchadnezzar attacked Israel, he removed from them two great garments: the garment of priesthood and the garment of royalty. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.19God extended Himself to Israel in exile by bring about the building of the Second Temple through Cyrus.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Why is the image of a hole employed, as the hole is a place where creeping animals breed? Rather, this is what the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, all the miracles that You performed on my behalf by means of Cyrus, would it not have been preferable to have performed them by means of Daniel, or by means of a righteous person? Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him.”20Even though the redemption was effected in this way, Israel was stirred and excited to have the Temple rebuilt and God’s presence in their midst, despite it being present in a more limited fashion than in the First Temple. Rabbi Azarya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: I bestow kindness. You say: “My core was stirred for him.” I, too, said: “My innards, My innards, I am trembling” (Jeremiah 4:19).21God seeks to be close to us just as we seek to be close to Him.
Another matter: “I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Reish Lakish: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic; how can I don it”? Rather, why is this? It is because sleep in the season of Shavuot is pleasant, and the night is short.22The midrash is interpreting this verse as a reference to the giving of the Torah, which occurred on the festival of Shavuot. The midrash assumes that the Israelites did not awake early enough in the morning for the giving of the Torah (see also Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:12). Rabbi Yudan said: Not even a flea bit them.23This is during the night before the giving of the Torah, and they slept until the Holy One blessed be He woke them. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.24Despite the fact that the Israelites were not ready to receive the Torah after having spent so much time in Egypt, God approached them to give them the Torah. Rabbi Ami said: Like a poor person who seeks charity. Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him,” and He said to me: “Therefore My innards yearn for him; I will have mercy on him, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:19).
“I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic”?18Why does the verse continue, “how can I don it,” when putting on a tunic is a simple act? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yoḥanan say: On the day that the wicked Nebuchadnezzar attacked Israel, he removed from them two great garments: the garment of priesthood and the garment of royalty. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.19God extended Himself to Israel in exile by bring about the building of the Second Temple through Cyrus.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Why is the image of a hole employed, as the hole is a place where creeping animals breed? Rather, this is what the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, all the miracles that You performed on my behalf by means of Cyrus, would it not have been preferable to have performed them by means of Daniel, or by means of a righteous person? Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him.”20Even though the redemption was effected in this way, Israel was stirred and excited to have the Temple rebuilt and God’s presence in their midst, despite it being present in a more limited fashion than in the First Temple. Rabbi Azarya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: I bestow kindness. You say: “My core was stirred for him.” I, too, said: “My innards, My innards, I am trembling” (Jeremiah 4:19).21God seeks to be close to us just as we seek to be close to Him.
Another matter: “I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Reish Lakish: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic; how can I don it”? Rather, why is this? It is because sleep in the season of Shavuot is pleasant, and the night is short.22The midrash is interpreting this verse as a reference to the giving of the Torah, which occurred on the festival of Shavuot. The midrash assumes that the Israelites did not awake early enough in the morning for the giving of the Torah (see also Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:12). Rabbi Yudan said: Not even a flea bit them.23This is during the night before the giving of the Torah, and they slept until the Holy One blessed be He woke them. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.24Despite the fact that the Israelites were not ready to receive the Torah after having spent so much time in Egypt, God approached them to give them the Torah. Rabbi Ami said: Like a poor person who seeks charity. Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him,” and He said to me: “Therefore My innards yearn for him; I will have mercy on him, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:19).
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