아가 5:13의 미드라쉬

R. Juda the son of R. Samuel b. Shilath in the name of Rab said: "The sages wanted to suppress (declare uncanonical) the book of Ecclesiastes because its words are contradictory; but why did they not suppress it? Because it begins and ends with words concerning the Torah. It begins with the words concerning the Torah, for it is written (Ecc. 1, 3.) What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toileth under the sun? Whereupon the school of Janai said, for a thing which [was created] under the sun he hath no profit, but for a thing which is beyond the sun (before creation) he will have profit. It ends with words concerning the Torah, for it is written (Ib. 12, 13.) The end of the matter is, let us hear the whole; fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the whole (duty of) man. What is meant by, this is the whole man? R. Eliezer said: "It means the whole world was created for the sake of him (who fears God)." R. Abba b. Cahana said: "This [fear of God] is equal in importance to the whole world put together." Simon b. Azai and, according to others, Simon b. Zoma, said: "The whole world would not have been created if not for the purpose of providing him (who fears God) with company." And what are the words which contradict each other? It is written (Ecc. 7, 3.) Better is vexation than laughing; and again it is written (Ib. 2, 2.) Of laughter I said, it maketh one praiseworthy; and it is also written (Ib. 8, 15.) Therefore do I praise joy: and again (Ib. 2, 2.) And of joy what doth this do? There is no contradiction; Better is vexation than laughing, means that, the vexation which the Holy One, praised be He! causeth unto the righteous in this world is better than the smile which the Holy One, praised be He! causeth unto the wicked in this world; Of laughter I said, it maketh one praiseworthy, speaks of the smile with which the Holy One, praised be He! will gladden the righteous in the world to come. Therefore do I praise joyfulness, refers to a rejoicing which is caused by a meritorious deed; And of joy what doth this do? alludes to rejoicing which is not the cause of a meritorious deed. We infer from this that Shechinah rests not upon a mood of indolence, nor a mood of grief, nor a mood of laughter, nor a mood of levity, nor a mood of jesting, nor a mood of idle talk, but upon a mood of rejoicing caused by the performance of a meritorious deed; as it is said (II Kings 3, 15.) But now bring me a musician, etc, R. Juda said: "The same should be applied to the study of the Halacha (Laws)." Raba said: "The same is to be applied to a good dream." Is it so? [that Halacha should be preceded by a cheerful thing] . Behold, R. Gidel in the name of Rab said: "Any disciple who sits before his teacher without dropping bitterness from his lips [on account of respect] will be burnt, for it is said (Songs 5, 13.) His lips like lillies, dropping with fluid myrrh. Do not read Mor (fluid myrrh), but read it Mar (bitterness. Do not read Shoshanim (lilies) but read it Sheshonin (who study); [hence we see that a disciple must act with deep respect, and not in a frivolous mood]. This is not difficult to explain: the former refers to the teacher and the latter refers to the disciple; and if you wish you may say both refer to the teacher; and even then there is no contradiction; for the former refers to the time before beginning [the lecture] and the latter refers to the time after the lecture has begun. Just as Rabba did before he began [his lecture] before the Rabbis. He said something humorous which caused the Rabbis to be cheerful, and he then sat down with deep respect to expound the Halacha.

R. Elazar said: "What is meant by the passage (Songs 5, 13.) His checks are as a bed of spices, i.e., if a man makes himself as a garden bed upon which every one treads [extremely modest], and just as the spices give enjoyment to others [so he teaches others], then his learning will endure with him; but if otherwise his learning will not endure with him." R. Elazar said also: "What is meant by the passage (Ex. 31, 18.) Tables of stone, i.e., If a man makes his jaws as [untiring in repeating lessons as] a stone that cannot be defaced when trodden upon, his learning will then endure with him; otherwise, his learning will not endure with him." R. Elazar said further: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ib. 32, 16.) The writing of God, engraved upon the tables, i.e., if the first tables had not been broken, the Torah would not have been forgotten by Israel." R. Acha b. Jacob said: "No nation on the earth could have had power over him; for it is said 'engraved upon the tables.' Do not read Charuth (engraved) but read it Cheiruth (liberty.")

Our Rabbis were taught that R. Eliezer says: "All the songs and praises which were uttered by David in tht Book of Psalms had reference to himself." But R. Joshua says: "David uttered them in reference to the community at large," while the sages maintain that there are some which he uttered in reference to himself and others which he uttered in reference to the community at large; viz., those which he uttered "in the singular number are in reference to himself and those which were uttered in the plural number were in reference to the commuity at large. The Psalms containing the term Nitzuach or Nigun were intended for the future world. The term Maskil means to indicate that it was said through a Methurgeman (interpreter). Unto David a song, signifies that the Shechina preceded the song and it caused him to sing. A song unto David, signifies that the song preceded the Shechina and caused it to rest upon David. This is to teach you that the Shechina does not rest on a person in a mood of idleness, nor in a mood of grief, nor in a mood of laughter, nor in a mood of levity, nor in a mood of jesting, nor in a mood of idle talk, but in a mood of rejoicing caused by performing a meritorious deed, as it is said (II Kings 3, 15) But now bring me a musician, and it came to pass, when the musician played, that the inspiration of the Lord came upon him, R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "The same should be applied to a good dream." Is it so? Has not R. Gidel said in the name of Rab: "Any student who sits before his teacher without dropping bitterness from his lips on account of respect will be burnt, for it is said (Songs 5, 13) His lips like lilies, dropping with fluid of myrrh. Do not read Shoshanim (lilies), but read it Sheshonim (who study); and do not read Mor Ober (with fluid myrrh), but Mar Ober (bitterness). [Hence we see that for Halacha a man must possess bitterness]. This is not difficult to understand. The former refers to the teacher and the latter refers to the scholar. And if you please, you may say both refer to the teacher, and still there is no difficulty in explaining it; the former applies to the time before the lecture begins, and the latter applies to the time when the lecture has already begun. Just as Rabba, before he started his lecture, would preface his remarks with something humorous, causing the scholars to feel good, and then proceed with sacredness in his course OL Halacha.