Comentário sobre Cantares 2:18

A rose. This is a rose שׁוֹשַׁנָּה=חֲבַצֶּלֶת.¹Alternatively, a young rose is called חבצלת and requires the abundant sunshine of the mountains. A mature rose is called שושנה, and the climate of the valley is best suited for it. (Sefer Duda’im)

I am a rose of Sharon: Our sages said: “Sharon designates song [shirah]. She sang to the One who created the world.”⁶⁸Midrash Shir ha-Shirim Zuta 2:1.

A rose of the valleys. This [rose] is prettier than the rose of the mountains because it is always moist,²Also, the mountain rose wilts sooner. since the sun’s intensity is not strong there.

As a rose among the thorns. Which prick it, but it constantly retains its beauty and its redness, “so is my beloved among the daughters.” They³The nations torment the Bnei Yisroel. entice her [i.e., Bnei Yisroel] to pursue them, to stray, as they do, after other gods, but she remains steadfast in her faith.⁴Alternatively, just as it is difficult to pick a rose from among the thorns, so too it is difficult to redeem the Bnei Yisroel from among the nations.

As a lily among the thorns: The lily is that plant known as the lida which possesses six leaves. Thus the shekhinah has six boundaries.

The Glory is likened to an apple which possesses multiple colors: green, red, and white. Among the trees of the forest: This passage is a figure referring to the Central Column, standing in the medial position. None of the trees can produce their own fruit by their own devices since all draw their nourishment [yenikatam] from there.

As an apple tree. When an apple tree is among trees that do not bear fruit, it is more precious than all of them, for its fruit is good both in taste and in fragrance.⁵Alternatively, Targum renders תפוח as an Esrog tree.

In his shade is my delight: My existence is through His power and causal agency and for His very sake.

So is my beloved among the sons. Among the young men. The allegory is: So is the Holy One, Blessed Is He, superior to all the gods. Therefore, “in His shade I delighted and sat.” The Midrash Aggadah [explains], this apple tree, all flee from it because it provides no shade; so did all the nations flee from the Holy One, Blessed Is He, at the giving of the Torah, but I,⁶Although the other nations fled, Bnei Yisroel perceived the eternal benefit of sitting in His shadow, by accepting the Torah. “in His shade I delighted and sat.”

And his fruit is sweet to my mouth: The fruit of the Holy One, blessed be He, are the souls, as it is written: “From me comes your fruit” [Hosea 4:9]. Also “Light is sown for the righteous” [Ps. 97:11] and “Sweet is the light” [Eccles. 11:7].

To the banqueting-house. The Tent of Meeting, where the details and the explanations of the Torah were given.⁷Alternatively, “the banqueting-house” refers to Mount Sinai. (Targum); or to Eretz Yisroel. (Sforno)

He brought me to the banquet room: A figure of the ascent of the Glory and the greatness of its joy and pleasure within the supernal light.

And his banner is raised over me in love. And his gathering, that he gathered me to him, that was love to me, I still remember his love. “וְדִגְלוֹ” is atreit in O.F.

And his banner of love was over me: He arrayed the four tribal banners and the shekhinah’s camp in the middle, just as He surrounded His throne with the four camps of angels. Michael stands to His right, for he is the angel of love and compassion, corresponding to Reuben, whose banner is situated in the south, who began his career with an act of compassion and rescue, as it says: “Reuben heard and saved him from their hands” [Gen. 37:21]. Uriel is positioned on the left, for he is appointed over justice and vengeance. He corresponds to the tribe of Dan, who produced Micah’s statue and received Jeroboam’s calf.⁷⁰The association of din, or the left side, with the demonic is strongly enunciated here. Gabriel stands before Him, corresponding to the kingdom of the house of Judah, whose banner was situated in the east. As it says: “For Judah triumphed over his brothers” [I Chron. 5:2]. Raphael is behind him, corresponding to Ephraim situated in the west, fulfilling the need for healing caused by the sin of Jeroboam.
This order corresponds to the world’s four directions: the east, whence light enters the world; the west, in which lie the treasuries of snow and hail and whence come coldness and warmth; the south, whence dews and rains of blessing come; and the north, from which darkness enters the world. Thus is the structure ordered: by day it faces to the east, ruling over command of the day. But at night it faces west to pray; that is opposed to what we have said.⁷¹Perhaps implying that darkness should come from the west (opposite to the east) rather than from the north. Just as the tribal banners are arrayed to symbolize the world to come and this world as we have explained, so too has the tabernacle been constructed according to the order of the upper world, the building of the holy of holies, where the shekhinah rests between the two cherubim. Corresponding to the intermediate angelic world, in which serve those angels whose authority is over the earth, is the tent of meeting, in which are situated the showbread table, the candelabrum and the golden altar, these being inner and spiritual vessels. The golden altar was not designated for wholly burnt offerings or sacrifices, but rather for the incense, which was a matter subtle and spiritual. Facing it was the candelabrum and the light from its six branches issuing as hammered work from its central branch, radiating light at the front of the lamp stand. Corresponding to the terrestrial world is the sacrificial altar, situated in the tabernacle court, upon which all of the sacrifices might be offered.
Similarly, three worlds exist within a human being: the world of speech corresponding to the head; that of the life-force from the navel and above; and the natural world from the navel and below, in which are situated multitudinous obstacles.

Thus Scripture states, His banner of love was over me, alluding to the camp of the shekhinah located in the midst of the four tribal ensigns, as it is written: “Then, midway between the divisions, the Tent of Meeting, the division of the Levites, shall move” [Num. 2:17].
And we have similarly found that the figures of the Tabernacle constitute a symbol of the Holy One, blessed be He, and of the world. So our sages have said: “R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: ‘When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses “Make Me a sanctuary that I might dwell among you,” he was to erect four poles and stretch out the tabernacle upon them. This teaches that the Holy One showed him red fire, green fire, black fire, and white fire. He said to him: “follow the patterns … that are being shown to you on the mountain” [Exod. 25:40].’
“R. Berechyah said: ‘This can be likened in a parable to a king who had a wonderful garment made of pearls. He said to his retainer: “Make me another like this one.” The retainer said to him: “My lord king, can I really make one like it?” The king said: “I in accord with my glory, you in accord with your own material.” Similarly, our teacher Moses said to God: “Can I construct something like these?” God said: “In accord with their patterns, using blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine linen.’”
“Thus is the entire world included within the construction of the sanctuary. Concerning the world it is written: ‘God created the heavens and the earth’ [Gen. 1:1] and ‘He stretches the heavens out like a curtain’ [Ps. 104:2]. The Tabernacle contained goat skins for its tent. On the second day it is written: ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, separating water from water’ [Gen. 1:6]. Concerning the tabernacle it states: ‘the curtain shall serve as a partition between the Holy and the Holy of Holies’ [Exod. 26:33]. On the third day of creation, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered into one area …’ [Gen. 1:9]. Concerning the sanctuary: ‘You shall make a brass basin’ [Exod. 30:18]. On the fourth day: ‘Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the sky’ [Gen. 1:14] while in the tabernacle there was the candelabrum of pure gold. On the fifth day of creation: ‘… and birds that fly above the earth’ [Gen. 1:20] while in the Sanctuary: ‘Let there be cherubim with outstretched wings’ [Exod. 25:20]. Humanity was created on the sixth day. Concerning the sanctuary it states: ‘Bring forward Aaron your brother’ [Exod. 28:1]. On the seventh day: ‘The heaven and the earth were completed’ [Gen. 2:1]. Concerning the tabernacle: ‘Thus was completed all of the work of the Tabernacle …’ [Exod. 39:32]. Concerning the work of Creation, it is written: ‘God blessed them’ [Gen. 1:33] and concerning the construction of the tabernacle: ‘Moses blessed them …’ [Exod. 39:43]. On the seventh day it states: ‘On the seventh day God finished the work that He had been doing’ [Gen. 2:2], concerning the tabernacle: ‘On the day which Moses completed …’ [Num. 7:1]. On the seventh day: ‘God sanctified it’ [Gen. 2:3]; concerning the tabernacle: ‘Moses consecrated it …’ [Num. 7:1].”⁷²Midrash Pesikta de-Rav Kahana 1.
All of the above alludes to the fact that this world draws its life and is connected and adheres to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. So too the ark and its utensils are symbolic allusions. Above “seraphim stand” [Isa. 6:2]; below “acacia wood stands” [Exod. 26:16]. Above “He sits upon the cherubim” [Ps. 80:2]; below “cherubim of outstretched wing” [Exod. 37:9]. Above are the holy wheels (of Ezekiel’s vision); below “the structure of the wheels was like the structure of the wheel of the heavenly chariot-throne” [I Kings 7:33].

Sustain me. Now, as is the manner of [treating] the sick, with flagons of grape wine or with cakes of pure flour.

Sustain me with raisin cakes: A figure of great pleasure. Raisin cakes [ashishot] are those entities which are the foundations [ashyot] of the worlds above and below.

Refresh my bed. Spread my bed around me with apples for a good fragrance, in the manner of [treating] the sick, for I am sick for His love, for I thirst for Him here in my exile. “רְפִידָה” is an expression of a couch, as in, “where he lies יִרְפַּד on jagged rocks as if upon mud.”⁸Iyov 41:22.

Refresh me with apples: With the two cherubim between whom I am situated, and from whom I receive blessing.

For I am faint with love: Faint with love from all of the joy of the heart and the weakness of the soul.

His left hand was under my head. In the wilderness.

And his right hand would embrace me. He traveled a three-days’ journey to search out a resting place for them,⁹See Bamidbar 10:33. and in that resting place, He brought down manna and quails for them. All this I remember now in my exile, and I am sick for His love.¹⁰Alternatively, this verse can be viewed as a prayer by the Bnei Yisroel, for God to once again demonstrate His love and “embrace me.” (Metzudas Dovid)

I bind you under oath. You, the nations.

I adjure you: She speaks to Israel: beware lest sin causes the shekhinah to depart.

By the gazelles and the does. That you will be abandoned and preyed upon like gazelles and does.

By the hosts: Hosts [tsevaot]: by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, for the Holy One’s name is His hosts.

That you do not cause hatred nor disturb this love. That is between my beloved and I, to change it or to exchange it and seek that I be lured after you.

By the hinds of the field: The Presence of His might, as it says: “the voice of God causes hinds to calve” [Ps. 29:9].

While it still pleases. As long as it is ingrained in my heart, and He desires me.

While it still pleases. As in, “While עַד the king was at his table,”¹¹Above 1:12. [i.e.,] while the king was still at his table.

That you do not cause hatred. If you cause hatred [=עֵר, as in, “and has become your adversary עָרֶךָ,”¹²I Shmuel 28:16. [and as in,] “And its interpretation upon Your enemies לְעָרָיךְ.”¹³Daniyeil 4:16.

Nor disturb. As in, “one who contests הָעוֹרֵר the ownership of a field,”¹⁴Mishnayos Kesubos 13:6. chaloner in O.F. There are many Aggadic Midrashim, but they do not match the sequence of the topics, for I see that Shlomo prophesied and spoke about the exodus from Egypt and about the giving of the Torah, and the Tabernacle, the entry into the land [i.e., Eretz Yisroel], and the Beis Hamikdosh, the exile in Bavel, and the coming of the second Beis Hamikdosh and its destruction.

The voice of my beloved. The poet returns to the earlier topics, like a person who was brief with his words and later says, “I did not tell you the beginning of these events.” He started by saying, “The king has brought me into his chambers,”¹⁵Above 1:4. but did not tell how He had remembered them in Egypt with an expression of affection. And now he returns and says, “this attraction that I told you about, that my Beloved drew me and I ran after Him, happened as follows: I had despaired any redemption until the completion of the four hundred years that were [fore]told [in the Covenant] Between the Parts,”¹⁶See Bereishis 15:13. and—

Hark! My beloved!: The words of the shekhinah. This was on the twentieth of Iyyar when the cloud arose from the tabernacle of the covenant.⁷³See Numbers 10:11: “In the second year, on the twentieth day of the second month, the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant and the Israelites set out on their journeys from the wilderness of Sinai.”

The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes. Before the end of the appointed time, as one skipping over the mountains and jumping over the hills.¹⁷God, as it were, skipped and jumped over the barriers of time and redeemed the Bnei Yisroel one hundred and ninety years before completion of the prophecy of the four hundred years of bondage.

Leaping over the mountains: That is to say that the Glory lept from mountain to hill, God’s ark being in the midst of the tent cloth.

My beloved resembles a gazelle. In the swiftness of His running, for He hastened to come like a gazelle and like a young hart. “עֹפֶר” is a young male hart.

Thus it says: My beloved is like a gazelle … : I found no rest from all of the places to which he journeyed: the burning bush, Sinai, the tent of meeting, until he dwelt in the Temple in Jerusalem, by the western wall. As our sages say: “The Shechinah has never departed the western wall. As it says: ‘There he stands behind our wall, gazing …’ [Cant. 2:9] from there watching over and observing humanity.”⁷⁴Exodus Rabbah 2:2.

Behold, he stands, etc. I had expected to remain detained for many more days, and behold, he informed [me] that He was standing and peering through the windows of heaven at what was being done to me, as it is stated, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people, etc.”¹⁸Shemos 3:7.

Spoke. עָנָה is] an expression of answering and an expression of a loud cry, The following is the precedent for them all, “And the Levi’im are to respond [...in a loud voice].”¹⁹Devarim 27:14.

Arise, my darling: To move from her place and go before the congregation of Israel. And such is the meaning of “Let me see your face” [Cant. 2:14]. These verses are a parable concerning this, as our sages said: “‘The Lord God has returned with you from captivity and taken you back in love’ [Deut. 30:3]. The verse does not state ‘God will restore you from captivity’ but rather ‘God has returned.’“⁷⁵b. Megillah 29a. This teaches that the shekhinah returned with Israel from exile. And so too: “I set my heart by the highway, the road by which you traveled” [Jer. 31:21]. The received text⁷⁶The Masoretic text as written, without the note for proper reading preserved in the margin. is “the road by which I traveled.” So too where Micah [4:10] is read as “So now you must leave the city and dwell in the country,” the received text is “I will dwell in the country.”⁷⁷All these readings hint at shekhinah’s participation in Israel’s exile.

And said to me. Through Moshe.

Rise up. “I will bring you up from the affliction of Egypt.”²⁰Shemos 3:17.

For behold, the winter is past. There is no difficulty in traveling now. “סְתָיו” is winter. The Targum of חֹרֶף [=winter] is סִתְוָא.²¹Bereishis 8:22.

For now the winter is past: A parable referring to the final fulfillment and the end of exile.

The blossoms have appeared on the land. The days of summer are near, when the trees blossom and the travelers enjoy seeing them.

The blossoms have appeared in the land: This refers to the nearness of the days of ease and the coming of the time of inheritance and rest.

The time of singing has come. When the birds emit song, and pleasant sounds for travelers.

And the voice of the turtledove. According to its apparent meaning, turtledoves and young pigeons. It is the nature for birds to sing and chirp in the days of Nissan.

The fig tree has produced its green figs. [To be understood] according to its apparent meaning.

And the grapevines with tender grapes. When the blossom falls, and the grapes become separated from one another, and each grape is discernible by itself, it is called “סְמָדַר.” This entire section, according to its simple meaning, is an expression of a loving seduction, by which a young man appeals to his betrothed to follow him; so did my beloved do to me.

My beloved spoke. Through Moshe.

And said to me. Through Aharon.

Rise up. Hurry yourself, “and let each man borrow from his neighbor.”²²Shemos 11:2.

For behold, the winter is past. These are the four hundred years of [exile]. I skipped them by counting them from Yitzchok’s birth.²³See Rashi in Bereishis 15:13.

The rain. Which is the hardship of winter, is over and gone, i.e., eighty-six years of harsh slavery were decreed upon you, and they have passed. From the time that Miryam was born, the Egyptians intensified the bondage upon Yisroel; and therefore, she was called Miryam [= מִרְיָם, because they made it bitter [=מַר for them.²⁴See Shemos 1:14.

The blossoms have appeared on the land. Behold Moshe and Aharon are available for you to fulfill all your needs.

The time of singing has come. For you are destined to recite a song by the [Reed] Sea.²⁵See Shemos 15:1-19.

The fig tree has produced its green figs. The time to bring the first fruits has arrived, for you will enter the land [of Yisroel].

And the voice of the turtledove. The voice of the great guide [=תַּיָּר.²⁶Moshe Rabbeinu. Another explanation: “קוֹל הַתּוֹר” means the tiding [=קול that the time [=תּוֹר²⁷See Esther 2:12, where Rashi explains that תור means time [= זמן]. has arrived for your exodus from Egypt.

And the grapevines with tender grapes. The time of the wine libations has drawn near. Another explanation: The worthy among you ripened and produced good deeds before Me and emitted a pleasant fragrance.

Arise [my beloved] go forth. A superfluous yud לָכְי is written, meaning, “rise up to receive the Ten²⁸The numerical value of yud is ten. Commandments.”

Another explanation—The fig tree has produced its green figs. These are the sinners of Yisroel, who perished during the three days of darkness.²⁹See Rashi in Shemos 10:22. “פגים” are unripened figs, and refer to the wicked among the Bnei Yisroel who spurned redemption, i.e., those who perished during the three days of darkness. And the grapevines with tender grapes

have emitted fragrance. These are the ones who remained of them;³⁰Shemos 14:10. they repented and were accepted. So it is interpreted in Pesikta.

My dove, in the clefts of the rock. This is said regarding the time when Pharaoh pursued them and overtook them camping by the sea. With no place to escape in front of them because of the sea, and they could not turn to the side because of wild beasts. What did they resemble at that time? A dove that was fleeing from a hawk and entered the clefts of the rocks, where a snake was hissing at her. Should she enter inside, there was the snake; should she go outside, there was the hawk. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, said to her [Yisroel], “Show Me your countenance,” [i.e.,] the quality of your deeds, to whom you turn in time of distress.

O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks: Until now the shekhinah has dwelt with Israel in exile, as our sages said: “‘He sets the childless woman among her household as a happy mother of children’ [Ps. 113:9]. The community of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘My children have made me to dwell, like a weasel, in ruined houses.’”⁷⁸b. Pesahim 118b.

Let me hear your voice. “And the Bnei Yisroel cried out to Adonoy.”³¹Tehillim 107:27.

In the clefts of. In the crannies; this is a term referring to a breach, and similar to this is, “They were frightened יָחוֹגּוּ and they staggered,”³²Yeshayahu 19:17. [and,] “And the land of Yehudah will be for Egypt a dread לְחָגָּא,”³³II Shmuel 10:4. and in the plural form [Scripture] calls them חַגְוֵי [=cracks]. Similarly, [the plural form of] קָצָה [=end] is קַצְוֵי[=ends], and similarly, “and he cut their garments מַדְוֵיהֶם.”³⁴These are the terraces that are dug into hills around fortifications.

Cliff. Eschelons, in O.F. When they make a ditch around the towers and pour the earth above it to raise the mound around it, they make it in many levels, one above the other.

In the concealment of the cliff. There are sometimes holes in them, and reptiles and birds enter therein.

Seize for us the foxes. The Holy One, Blessed Is He, heard their voice; He commanded the sea, and it washed them away. That is [the meaning of], “Seize for us the foxes,” [i.e.,] the little one with the big ones, for even the [Egyptian] little ones were destroying the vineyards,³⁵I.e., the Bnei Yisroel. when our vineyards were still “with tender grapes,” when the grapes were tiny.³⁶I.e., the children were young. When a Jewish woman would give birth to a male and hide him, the Egyptians would enter their homes and search for the males, but the baby was hidden, and he was a year or two old. They would bring a baby from an Egyptian home; the Egyptian baby would speak, and the Jewish baby would answer him from the place where he was hidden, and they would seize him and cast him into the river. Now why does [Scripture] call them foxes? Just as the fox looks to turn back and flee, so too did the Egyptians look behind them, as it is stated, “I shall flee from before Yisroel.”³⁷Shemos 14:25.

Catch us the little foxes: The parable refers to the spies, who were weak like foxes. They said: “However, the people who dwell in the land are powerful … the Amalekites dwell in the south country” [Num. 13:28].

Little foxes. It is written without a vav שֻׁעָלִים, because He punished them through water, which was measured with the stride [=שַׁעַל of the Omnipresent.³⁸See Yeshayahu 40:12.

That ruin the vineyards: The parable refers to the nations that profited through Israel’s arrival in the land and the construction of the Temple, as our Sages said: ‘“All of the earth’s families shall be blessed through you’ [Gen. 12:3]—even the foreign families in the land are blessed only on account of Israel.”⁷⁹b. Yebamot 63a.
When Israel dwelled in their land, the Temple altar atoned for them [the nations]. Thus our sages said: “Abbaye said: ‘The seventy bullocks offered during the holiday corresponded to the world’s seventy nations.’ What was the purpose of the single bullock? It corresponded to that singular nation. A parable concerning a king who said: ‘Prepare a banquet for me.’ At the end, he said to his favorite: ‘Make me a small meal so that I might take pleasure with you.’ R. Yohanan said: ‘Woe to the world’s nations! For they have suffered a loss yet do not realize what they have lost! For throughout the existence of the Temple, the altar atoned for them. Now, who can atone for them?!’”⁸⁰b. Sukkah 55b.
All of the above is readily explainable. When the central column is nourished, so are all of its branches.⁸¹The energy flows through the central column of the sefirot and thence to the right and left branches. This is comparable to the [manifestation] of vitality from the brain to the spine, whence it passes throughout all of the sinews.

For our vineyard is in blossom: The parable refers to Israel, who at the time of their origins, their entrance into the land, were in blossom. When their redemption was revealed, it was like the appearance of fruit upon a blossoming vine.
Judgment was decreed and an oath sworn that Israel would not enter the land. The Glory and prophecy removed themselves and the shekhinah said in the Glory’s departure:

My beloved is mine, and I am his. He demanded all His needs from me. He commanded only me, to make the Pesach sacrifice, sanctify the firstborn, make a Tabernacle, sacrifice burnt offerings; and He did not demand [these things] of any other nation.

My beloved is mine … : who directs His world through six manifestations which are the ultimate source of all things generated below.

And I am his. All my needs I requested of Him, and not of other gods.

Who pastures. His sheep.

Among the roses. In a good, pleasant, and beautiful pasture.

Until the sun spreads. This refers to the preceding verse, “My beloved is mine, and I am his,”³⁹Above Verse 16. until the time that the iniquity caused the sun to darken me in the heat of the day, and the heat intensified.⁴⁰See Above 1:5-7.

Until the day blows gently: When the sin of the Amorites will attain its consummation and their power and might be removed.

And the shadows flee. We sinned with the [golden] calf; we sinned with the spies, “and the shadows flee,” [i.e.,] the merits that protected us [disappeared because] we broke off His yoke.

And the shadows flee: Our Sages said in the Midrash to the Song of Songs: “These are the celestial princes of the nations and their angels.”⁸²The source of this quotation is unknown. Compare Nahmanides’ commentary to Numbers 14:9. This is the true interpretation of the verse: “their protection has departed from them” [Num. 14:9] as I have interpreted the verse “I delight to sit in his shade” [Cant. 2:3].

You turned away my beloved. I caused him to leave me on mountains which were far away from me.

As a young gazelle: That is to say, “stand” as you stood when you went from mount to hill and tent to tabernacle.

Distant. An expression of separation and distance.⁴¹Alternatively, הרי בתר means split mountain and is referring to the Mount of Olives which will be split as per the prophecy of Zecharyah [14:4]. Thus, the meaning of בתר is similar to “he split [ויבתר] them up in the center,” in Bereishis 15:10.

For the hills of spices: An allusion to the departure of the Glory.