מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים מַה־דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ מִדּ֔וֹד שֶׁכָּ֖כָה הִשְׁבַּעְתָּֽנוּ׃
“Ano ang ikinahihigit ng iyong minamahal sa ibang minamahal, ikaw na pinakamaganda sa mga babae? Ano ang ikinahihigit ng iyong minamahal sa ibang minamahal, at ganito mo kami pinasusumpa?”
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
R. Akiva says: "I shall speak of His beauty" — of the praise of the Holy One Blessed be He, who spoke and brought the world into being. The peoples of the world ask Israel (Song of Songs 5:9) "How is your Beloved (different) from the beloved (of all the other nations) that you have thus besworn us? (see Ibid. 8) that you thus die for Him and are thus murdered for Him, viz. (Ibid. 1:3) "alamoth have loved You" — they have loved You "al maveth" ("above death"), and (Psalms 44:23) "for over You we are slain all the day"? You are comely, you are strong. Come and join us.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women? How is your beloved more than another beloved, that you administer an oath to us so? My beloved is clear and ruddy, more eminent than ten thousand” (Song of Songs 5:9–10).
“How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women?” – the nations of the world say to Israel: “How is your beloved more than another beloved?” In what way is He God more than other gods, in what way is He a protector more than other protectors? Israel says to them: “My beloved is clear and ruddy” – clear37This is a metaphor for the attribute of mercy. for me in the land of Egypt and red38This is a metaphor for the attribute of justice. for the Egyptians. Clear for me in the land of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass through the land of Egypt [on that night, and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.… and I will pass over you]” (Exodus 12:12–13).39This was during the plague of the firstborn. Red for the Egyptians, as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians [in the midst of the sea]” (Exodus 14:27). It was clear for me at the sea, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:29). It was red for me40The text should state: It was red for the Egyptians (Etz Yosef). at the sea – as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27). It is clear for me in the World to Come, and it is red for me in this world.41God brings hardship upon the righteous in this world in order to punish them for their sins or in order to motivate them to improve, and He rewards them in the World to Come.
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥaita said three [statements] about this: It is clear for me on Shabbat, and it is red for me all the days of the week. It is clear for me on Rosh HaShana, and it is red for me the rest of the year. It is clear for me in this world, and it is red for me in the World to Come.
“More eminent than ten thousand” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: A king of flesh and blood is identified by his trappings; however, here, He is fire and His servants are fire: “He came [ve’ata] from the holy tens of thousands, [from His right, a fiery law to them]” (Deuteronomy 33:2) – it is a sign [ot] from the midst of the holy tens of thousands.
“How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women?” – the nations of the world say to Israel: “How is your beloved more than another beloved?” In what way is He God more than other gods, in what way is He a protector more than other protectors? Israel says to them: “My beloved is clear and ruddy” – clear37This is a metaphor for the attribute of mercy. for me in the land of Egypt and red38This is a metaphor for the attribute of justice. for the Egyptians. Clear for me in the land of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass through the land of Egypt [on that night, and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.… and I will pass over you]” (Exodus 12:12–13).39This was during the plague of the firstborn. Red for the Egyptians, as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians [in the midst of the sea]” (Exodus 14:27). It was clear for me at the sea, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:29). It was red for me40The text should state: It was red for the Egyptians (Etz Yosef). at the sea – as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27). It is clear for me in the World to Come, and it is red for me in this world.41God brings hardship upon the righteous in this world in order to punish them for their sins or in order to motivate them to improve, and He rewards them in the World to Come.
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥaita said three [statements] about this: It is clear for me on Shabbat, and it is red for me all the days of the week. It is clear for me on Rosh HaShana, and it is red for me the rest of the year. It is clear for me in this world, and it is red for me in the World to Come.
“More eminent than ten thousand” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: A king of flesh and blood is identified by his trappings; however, here, He is fire and His servants are fire: “He came [ve’ata] from the holy tens of thousands, [from His right, a fiery law to them]” (Deuteronomy 33:2) – it is a sign [ot] from the midst of the holy tens of thousands.
Bereshit Rabbah
“It was upon Abram’s arrival in Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful” (Genesis 12:14).
“It was upon Abram’s arrival in Egypt, the Egyptians saw” – and where was Sarah?20“It was upon Abram’s arrival” implies that he was alone, without Sarai. He had placed her in a chest and locked her in it. When they arrived at customs, they said to him: ‘Pay the duty.’ He said: ‘I will pay the duty.’ They said to him: ‘[Perhaps] you are transporting garments?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for garments.’ They said to him: ‘[Perhaps] you are transporting gold?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for gold.’ They said to him:’ Perhaps you are transporting silk garments?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for silk garments.’ ‘[Perhaps] you are transporting gems?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for gems.’ [Nevertheless,] they said to him: ‘It is not possible [for you to pass] unless you open [the chest] and show us what is inside it.’ When he opened it, the entire land of Egypt shone with her radiance.
Rabbi Azarya and Rabbi Yonatan bar Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: An image of Eve was passed down to the leaders of [all] the generations.21As a standard of unsurpassed beauty. Elsewhere it is written: “The young woman [Avishag] was very [ad meod] beautiful” (I Kings 1:4) – she approximated the image of Eve.22Ad means: Up to but not including. Me’od refers to the image of Eve (see next note). Avishag approximated Eve’s beauty, but did not reach that level. However, here it says: “That she was very [meod] beautiful” – meod is the image of Eve.23The letters of meod are the same letters as Adam. Eve is called Adam in the verse: “He called their name Adam” (Genesis 5:2). Therefore, Eve’s beauty is represented by the word me’od.
“Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house” (Genesis 12:15).
“Pharaoh’s officials saw her […and the woman was taken [vatukaḥ] to Pharaoh’s house]” – she was continuously increasing in price. One said: ‘I will give one hundred dinars and I will enter with her.’24I will present her to the king. This is expounded from the word vatukaḥ – indicating raising up. Another said: ‘I will give two hundred and enter with her.’ I know that this is so [regarding the righteous]25That people vie for the right to attend to them. only when they are ascendant.26When the righteous are on the ascent in their lives, as was Sarai at this point. From where do I derive that it is so [even] when they are descendant? “They pulled Jeremiah with the ropes and raised [vayaalu] him from the pit” (Jeremiah 38:13).27They sought to outbid one another [vayaalu] for the right to extricate Jeremiah from the pit. I know this only regarding this world, regarding the World to Come,28The messianic future. from where is it derived? The verse states: “The peoples will take them [ulkaḥum] and bring them to their place” (Isaiah 14:2).29The nations will vie with each other in sending the Jewish exiles among them back to the land of Israel.
“It was upon Abram’s arrival in Egypt, the Egyptians saw” – and where was Sarah?20“It was upon Abram’s arrival” implies that he was alone, without Sarai. He had placed her in a chest and locked her in it. When they arrived at customs, they said to him: ‘Pay the duty.’ He said: ‘I will pay the duty.’ They said to him: ‘[Perhaps] you are transporting garments?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for garments.’ They said to him: ‘[Perhaps] you are transporting gold?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for gold.’ They said to him:’ Perhaps you are transporting silk garments?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for silk garments.’ ‘[Perhaps] you are transporting gems?’ He said: ‘I will pay [the duty] for gems.’ [Nevertheless,] they said to him: ‘It is not possible [for you to pass] unless you open [the chest] and show us what is inside it.’ When he opened it, the entire land of Egypt shone with her radiance.
Rabbi Azarya and Rabbi Yonatan bar Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: An image of Eve was passed down to the leaders of [all] the generations.21As a standard of unsurpassed beauty. Elsewhere it is written: “The young woman [Avishag] was very [ad meod] beautiful” (I Kings 1:4) – she approximated the image of Eve.22Ad means: Up to but not including. Me’od refers to the image of Eve (see next note). Avishag approximated Eve’s beauty, but did not reach that level. However, here it says: “That she was very [meod] beautiful” – meod is the image of Eve.23The letters of meod are the same letters as Adam. Eve is called Adam in the verse: “He called their name Adam” (Genesis 5:2). Therefore, Eve’s beauty is represented by the word me’od.
“Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house” (Genesis 12:15).
“Pharaoh’s officials saw her […and the woman was taken [vatukaḥ] to Pharaoh’s house]” – she was continuously increasing in price. One said: ‘I will give one hundred dinars and I will enter with her.’24I will present her to the king. This is expounded from the word vatukaḥ – indicating raising up. Another said: ‘I will give two hundred and enter with her.’ I know that this is so [regarding the righteous]25That people vie for the right to attend to them. only when they are ascendant.26When the righteous are on the ascent in their lives, as was Sarai at this point. From where do I derive that it is so [even] when they are descendant? “They pulled Jeremiah with the ropes and raised [vayaalu] him from the pit” (Jeremiah 38:13).27They sought to outbid one another [vayaalu] for the right to extricate Jeremiah from the pit. I know this only regarding this world, regarding the World to Come,28The messianic future. from where is it derived? The verse states: “The peoples will take them [ulkaḥum] and bring them to their place” (Isaiah 14:2).29The nations will vie with each other in sending the Jewish exiles among them back to the land of Israel.