נֵ֣רְדְּ ׀ וְכַרְכֹּ֗ם קָנֶה֙ וְקִנָּמ֔וֹן עִ֖ם כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י לְבוֹנָ֑ה מֹ֚ר וַאֲהָל֔וֹת עִ֖ם כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֥י בְשָׂמִֽים׃
nardo at azapran, kalamo at kanela, kasama ng lahat ng uri ng punong kamanyang; mira at aloe, kasama ng lahat ng pinakamainam na pabango.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“Nard [nerd] and saffron [karkom], fragrant cane [kaneh] and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh [mor] and aloe [vaahalot], with all the finest spices” (Song of Songs 4:14).
“Nerd and karkom” – nerd is nard oil, karkom in its plain meaning;156Saffron was commonly called karkom when the midrash was written. “kaneh” – this is fragrant cane, as it is stated: “And fragrant cane [keneh bosem]” (Exodus 30:23). “And cinnamon” – Rabbi Huna says in the name of Rabbi Yosei: Cinnamon would grow in the Land of Israel, and goats and gazelles would eat from it. “Mor” is myrrh oil. “Vaahalot” – Rabbi Yesa said: It is balsam oil. Why is it called ahalot? Rabbi Abba bar Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: It is because it grows under tents [ohalim].157Protected from sun and rain. The Rabbis say: It is because it spreads like a tent.
From where did the daughters of Israel ornament themselves and bring joy to their husbands all the forty years that Israel spent in the wilderness? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the well. That is what is written: “A garden spring, a well of fresh water” (Song of Songs 4:15). Rabbi Abbahu said: From the manna; that is what is written: “Myrrh, aloes, and cassia were on all your garments [as you went from ivory [shen] halls]” (Psalms 45:9) – from what is placed under the tooth [shen],158This is a reference to the manna. This is consistent with the statement of the Midrash (Shemot Rabba 21:10) that spices and gems were provided to the Israelites along with the manna. from that would the chaste and upright daughters of Israel ornament themselves and bring joy to their husbands all the forty years that Israel spent in the wilderness. It is written: “For, behold, the Lord commands, and He will strike the great house into splinters [and the small house into chips]” (Amos 6:11). Splintering is not the same as chipping; there are shards from splintering, but there are no shards from chipping.159Some suggest that this passage is out of place here (Matnot Kehuna).
“Nerd and karkom” – nerd is nard oil, karkom in its plain meaning;156Saffron was commonly called karkom when the midrash was written. “kaneh” – this is fragrant cane, as it is stated: “And fragrant cane [keneh bosem]” (Exodus 30:23). “And cinnamon” – Rabbi Huna says in the name of Rabbi Yosei: Cinnamon would grow in the Land of Israel, and goats and gazelles would eat from it. “Mor” is myrrh oil. “Vaahalot” – Rabbi Yesa said: It is balsam oil. Why is it called ahalot? Rabbi Abba bar Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: It is because it grows under tents [ohalim].157Protected from sun and rain. The Rabbis say: It is because it spreads like a tent.
From where did the daughters of Israel ornament themselves and bring joy to their husbands all the forty years that Israel spent in the wilderness? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the well. That is what is written: “A garden spring, a well of fresh water” (Song of Songs 4:15). Rabbi Abbahu said: From the manna; that is what is written: “Myrrh, aloes, and cassia were on all your garments [as you went from ivory [shen] halls]” (Psalms 45:9) – from what is placed under the tooth [shen],158This is a reference to the manna. This is consistent with the statement of the Midrash (Shemot Rabba 21:10) that spices and gems were provided to the Israelites along with the manna. from that would the chaste and upright daughters of Israel ornament themselves and bring joy to their husbands all the forty years that Israel spent in the wilderness. It is written: “For, behold, the Lord commands, and He will strike the great house into splinters [and the small house into chips]” (Amos 6:11). Splintering is not the same as chipping; there are shards from splintering, but there are no shards from chipping.159Some suggest that this passage is out of place here (Matnot Kehuna).
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter, “it was when Pharaoh let the people go” – that is what is written: “So said the Lord of hosts: The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed…their Redeemer is mighty, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 50:33–34). To what is this matter analogous? [It is analogous] to a person who had an orchard. Another said to him: ‘Sell me this orchard.’ He sold it to him for a maneh,4One hundred dinar. but the owner of the orchard had not known what was in it. They said to him: ‘For how much did you sell the orchard?’ He said to them: ‘For a maneh.’ They said to him: ‘It has one hundred maneh of olive trees, one hundred maneh of grapevines, one hundred maneh of pomegranate trees, varieties of spices worth one hundred maneh, and likewise, each and every species worth one hundred maneh.’ They said to him: ‘Did you not know what you were selling, and what was in the orchard?’ “Henna with spikenard plants, spikenard and saffron” (Song of Songs 4:13–14); had the buyer acquired only the springs that were in it, it would have sufficed, as it is stated: “A spring of gardens, a well of spring water, and flowing streams from Lebanon” (Song of Songs 4:15). The seller began regretting [his sale].
So it was with Pharaoh. When he let Israel go, they were of no value to him. His senior advisers said to him: ‘What have you done? If they had only the loot, that would suffice for them,5Even if only for the objects that they borrowed from the Egyptians (see Exodus 12:35–6), that would be enough for their return to be a national priority. as it is stated: “A mixed multitude, too, ascended with them, [and flocks and herds, even very much cattle]” (Exodus 12:38). Moreover, numerous wealthy people were among them, numerous wise men and numerous artisans, as it is stated: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates” (Song of Songs 4:13).6Just as pomegranates are full of seeds, Israel is full of valuable assets. There were numerous men, women, and children. It is stated: “And all their captors held them, [they refused to let them go]” (Jeremiah 50:33). What is written thereafter? “Their Redeemer is mighty, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 50:34). At that moment7When his advisors said: “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” (Exodus 14:5). [Pharaoh] began crying: “Woe, woe [vai vai].” “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh let [the people] go.”
So it was with Pharaoh. When he let Israel go, they were of no value to him. His senior advisers said to him: ‘What have you done? If they had only the loot, that would suffice for them,5Even if only for the objects that they borrowed from the Egyptians (see Exodus 12:35–6), that would be enough for their return to be a national priority. as it is stated: “A mixed multitude, too, ascended with them, [and flocks and herds, even very much cattle]” (Exodus 12:38). Moreover, numerous wealthy people were among them, numerous wise men and numerous artisans, as it is stated: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates” (Song of Songs 4:13).6Just as pomegranates are full of seeds, Israel is full of valuable assets. There were numerous men, women, and children. It is stated: “And all their captors held them, [they refused to let them go]” (Jeremiah 50:33). What is written thereafter? “Their Redeemer is mighty, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 50:34). At that moment7When his advisors said: “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” (Exodus 14:5). [Pharaoh] began crying: “Woe, woe [vai vai].” “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh let [the people] go.”
Shemot Rabbah
Another matter, “it was when Pharaoh let the people go” – that is what is written: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates” (Song of Songs 4:13). Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to one who had a field in which there was a pile of pebbles. He arose and sold it to another. The person who bought it arose and removed the pile from it and found spring water beneath it. He planted grapevines in rows, planted various spices, planted pomegranate trees, and suspended them on reeds. He constructed a tower and positioned a guard in it. Everyone who passed by it would praise it. The person who sold it passed by it and saw that it was filled with everything good; he said: ‘Woe is me that I sold it that way, woe is me that I divested it in this way.’
So, too, Israel in Egypt was like a pile [gal] of pebbles, as it is stated: “A locked garden is my sister, my bride; a locked fountain [gal], a sealed spring” (Song of Songs 4:12). Once they departed, they became a pomegranate orchard, as it is stated: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates.” They became like a grapevine, as it is stated: “He transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9). They formed rows [by tribe]: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, and the rest of them. He planted various types of spices, as it is stated: “Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon” (Song of Songs 4:14).” He planted apples in it, as it is stated: “Under the apple tree I awakened you” (Song of Songs 8:5). He suspended it on reeds, these are the branches of the Candelabrum. He found in it spring water, as it is stated: “A spring of gardens, a well of spring water” (Song of Songs 4:15). He built a tower in it, as it is stated: “And built a tower in its midst, and also hewed out a winepress” (Isaiah 5:2). He situated a guard in it, as it is stated: “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shadow on your right hand” (Psalms 121:5).
All the days that people would see Israel, they would praise them. Who was praising them? The wicked Bilam, as it is stated: “How goodly are your tents, Jacob…like valleys outstretched” (Numbers 24:5–6). Bilam saw them and was astounded. Pharaoh saw them in rows of priests, Levites, and Israelites, and divided into flags. He began screaming and said: ‘Woe is that man9A reference to Pharaoh himself. who let this [great nation] out from his auspices’ – therefore it is stated: “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh let the people go.”
So, too, Israel in Egypt was like a pile [gal] of pebbles, as it is stated: “A locked garden is my sister, my bride; a locked fountain [gal], a sealed spring” (Song of Songs 4:12). Once they departed, they became a pomegranate orchard, as it is stated: “Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates.” They became like a grapevine, as it is stated: “He transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9). They formed rows [by tribe]: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, and the rest of them. He planted various types of spices, as it is stated: “Spikenard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon” (Song of Songs 4:14).” He planted apples in it, as it is stated: “Under the apple tree I awakened you” (Song of Songs 8:5). He suspended it on reeds, these are the branches of the Candelabrum. He found in it spring water, as it is stated: “A spring of gardens, a well of spring water” (Song of Songs 4:15). He built a tower in it, as it is stated: “And built a tower in its midst, and also hewed out a winepress” (Isaiah 5:2). He situated a guard in it, as it is stated: “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shadow on your right hand” (Psalms 121:5).
All the days that people would see Israel, they would praise them. Who was praising them? The wicked Bilam, as it is stated: “How goodly are your tents, Jacob…like valleys outstretched” (Numbers 24:5–6). Bilam saw them and was astounded. Pharaoh saw them in rows of priests, Levites, and Israelites, and divided into flags. He began screaming and said: ‘Woe is that man9A reference to Pharaoh himself. who let this [great nation] out from his auspices’ – therefore it is stated: “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh let the people go.”