פּירוש אויף שיר השירים 1:15

“Your dove-like eyes” [1:15]. Israel is likened to a dove. Just like a dove does not encroach on the dovecote of its fellows, so too are the sages and rabbis. One of them does not come to the city of his colleague. That is, each one recognizes his place where it is appropriate for him to dwell and where it is appropriate for him to be. Another explanation, when one wants to slaughter a dove, it offers its throat and does not tremble. Other birds do not offer their throats. Israel in exile are like the doves who give their throats and bodies to accept suffering.¹²Yalkut Shimoni, Song of Songs, Remez, 985.

Behold, you are comely, my beloved. I⁵³I.e., Yisroel. was ashamed of my going astray, but He encouraged me with appeasing words, saying, “I have forgiven because of your words.”⁵⁴Bamidbar 14:20. And you are most fair, for your eyes are like doves; i.e., a bride whose eyes are ugly, her entire body requires examination, but she whose eyes are beautiful, her body requires no examination.⁵⁵See Maseches Ta’anis 24a. The allegorical meaning is: I forgave you for your iniquity, and behold you are fair with “Let us do,”⁵⁶Shemos 24:7. and you are fair with “Let us hear;”⁵⁷Ibid. fair with the deeds of your forefathers and fair with your own deeds, because —

Ah, you are fair: This bespeaks the construction of the tabernacle and the entrance into the bridal chamber, as it is written: “It was the day on which Moses completed [k ‘lot] the tabernacle” [Num. 7:1]. Concerning this our sages said: “The text spells ‘completed’ [k ‘lot] as though comparable to the day upon which the bride [kalah] enters the bridal chamber.”⁶⁶Midrash Be-Midbar Rabbah 12:10. The parable’s meaning points to the holy of holies, that is the shekhinah.

Your eyes are like doves. There are righteous among you who clung to Me like a dove, that once it recognizes its mate, does not allow him to mate with another.⁵⁸Even when its mate is not there. Similarly, Bnei Yisroel do not abandon God even during the period when the Divine Presence is “hiding” from making its presence felt. (Sefer Duda’im) Similarly, “and all the sons of Leivi gathered around him,”⁵⁹Shemos 32:26. and they did not err with the [golden] calf. Another explanation [of הִנָּךְ יָפָה, behold, you are beautiful through the construction of the Tabernacle, as it is stated, “and behold, they had done it, etc. And Moshe blessed them;”⁶⁰Ibid. 39:43. he praised them for that.