R. Eleazar and R. Abba once turned aside into a cave at Lydda to escape the heat of the sun. Said R. Abba: ‘Let us now encompass this cave with words of the Torah.’ R. Eleazar thereupon commenced with the verse: “Place me like a seal upon thy heart, like a seal upon thine arm… its coals are coals of fire, a very flame of the Lord” (S. S. 8, 6). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been much discussed. One night I was attending on my father, and I heard him say that the true devotion and yearning of the Community of Israel for God is only brought about by the souls of the righteous, who cause the flow of the lower waters towards the upper; and then there is perfect friendship and desire for mutual embrace to bring forth fruit.
When they cleave to one another, in the fullness of her affection she says: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart.” For, as the impress of a seal remains even after the seal is removed, so, says the Community of Israel, I shall cleave to thee, even though I am removed from thee and go into captivity. Hence, “Set me as a seal upon thy heart” in order that my likeness may remain upon thee like the impress of a seal.
“For love is strong as death”: it is strong like the parting of the spirit from the body, as we have learnt that when man is about to depart from the world and sees strange things, his spirit courses through all his limbs and goes up and down like a boatman without oars who is tossed up and down on the sea and makes no progress. It then asks leave of each limb; and its separation is only effected with great violence. Such is the violence of the Community of Israel’s love for God.
“Jealousy is cruel as the grave.” Love without jealousy is no true love. Hence we learn that a man should be jealous of his wife in order that his love for her may be perfect, for then he will not look at any other woman. Jealousy is compared to Sheol (the underworld), because just as the wicked are frightened of going down to Sheol, so is jealousy frightful in the eyes of one who loves and cannot bear to be parted from his beloved.
Or we may also explain that just as when sinners are taken down to Sheol they are told the sins for which they are punished, so he who is jealous in demanding restitution reckons up all his grievances, and so his love becomes more firmly knit.
“The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.” This is the flame which is kindled and issues from the Shofar. It is the left hand, as it is written: “His left hand should be under my head” (S. S. 8, 3). It is this which kindles the flame of love in the Community of Israel to the Holy One, blessed be He.
Therefore “many waters cannot quench love”, because when the right hand comes, although it is symbolized by water, it fans the fire of love and does not quench the flame of the left hand, as it is written: “And his right hand should embrace me.”
As they were sitting they heard R. Simeon coming up the road, with R. Judah and R. Isaac. When he approached the cave, R. Eleazar and R. Abba came out. R. Simeon said: ‘I can see from the walls of the cave that the Shekinah is here.’ So they all sat down. Said R. Simeon: ‘What have you been discussing?’ R. Abba replied: ‘The love of the Community of Israel for God, and R. Eleazar applied to it the verse: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, etc.” ‘Said R. Simeon: ‘Eleazar, you have been scrutinizing the supernal love and affection.’
He then fell into silence for a while. At last he said: ‘Silence is good everywhere except in connection with the Torah. I have a certain gem which I do not desire to withhold from you. It is a profound thought which I have found in the book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder.
It is this. Everywhere the male runs after the female and seeks to incite her love, but here we find the female courting the male and running after him, which it is not usually reckoned proper for the female to do, but there is here a deep mystery, much prized among the treasures of the king.
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא אִשְׁתְּמִיטוּ בִּמְעַרְתָּא דְלוּד, דְּעָאלוּ קַמֵּי תּוּקְפָא דְשִׁמְשָׁא, דְּהֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא נַסְחַר הַאי מְעַרְתָּא בְּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, (שמות קי"ד ע"א) (שיר השירים ח׳:ו׳) שִׂימֵנִי כַּחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ כַּחוֹתָם עַל זְרוֹעֶךָ וְגו', רְשָׁפֶיהָ רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ שַׁלְּהֶבֶת יָהּ, הַאי קְרָא אִתְעָרְנָא בֵּיהּ. אֲבָל לֵילְיָא חַד הֲוָה כַּד הֲוֵינָא קָאִים קַמֵּי אַבָּא, וְשָׁמַעְנָא מִנֵּיהּ מִלָּה, דְּלֵית שְׁלִימוּ וּרְעוּתָא וְכִסּוּפָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא (ס"ח ע"ב) בְּנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא. דְּאִינוּן מִתְעָרֵי נְבִיעוּ דְמַיָא תַּתָּאֵי, לְקִבְלֵי עִלָּאֵי. וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעְתָא שְׁלִימוּ דִּרְעוּתָא וְכִסּוּפָא בִּדְבִיקוּ חָדָא לְמֶעְבַּד פֵּירִין.
R. Eleazar and R. Abba once turned aside into a cave at Lydda to escape the heat of the sun. Said R. Abba: ‘Let us now encompass this cave with words of the Torah.’ R. Eleazar thereupon commenced with the verse: “Place me like a seal upon thy heart, like a seal upon thine arm… its coals are coals of fire, a very flame of the Lord” (S. S. 8, 6). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been much discussed. One night I was attending on my father, and I heard him say that the true devotion and yearning of the Community of Israel for God is only brought about by the souls of the righteous, who cause the flow of the lower waters towards the upper; and then there is perfect friendship and desire for mutual embrace to bring forth fruit.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בָּתַר דְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּ דָּא בְּדָא, וְהִיא קַבִּילַת רְעוּתָא, הִיא אֲמָרַת שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ, אַמַּאי כַחוֹתָם. אֶלָּא אָרְחֵיהּ דְּחוֹתָם, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְדָּבַּק בְּאֲתַר חַד, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְעֲדֵי מִינֵיהּ, הָא אִשְׁתָּאַר רְשִׁימוּ בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר, וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ. דְּכָל רְשִׁימוּ, וְכָל דִּיוּקְנָא דִילֵיהּ, בֵּיהּ אִשְׁתָּאַר. כָּךְ אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הָא אִתְדָּבַּקְנָא בָּךְ, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְעֲדֵי מִינָךְ וְאָזִיל בְּגָלוּתָא. שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתָּאַר כָּל דְּיוּקְנִי בָּךְ, כְּהַאי חוֹתָם דְּיִשְׁתָּאַר כָּל דִּיוּקְנֵיהּ, בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ.
When they cleave to one another, in the fullness of her affection she says: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart.” For, as the impress of a seal remains even after the seal is removed, so, says the Community of Israel, I shall cleave to thee, even though I am removed from thee and go into captivity. Hence, “Set me as a seal upon thy heart” in order that my likeness may remain upon thee like the impress of a seal.
כִּי עַזָּה כַמָּוְת אַהֲבָה, תַּקִּיפָא הִיא, כִּפְרִישׁוּ דְרוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא. דְּתָנִינָן, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּבַּר נָשׁ מָטֵי לְאִסְתַּלָּקָא מִן עַלְמָא וְחָמֵי מַה דְּחָמֵי, רוּחָא אָזְלָא בְּכָל (ויקרא קכ"ו ע"ב) שַׁיְיפֵי דְגוּפָא וְסָלִיק גַּלְגַּלּוֹי, כְּמַאן דְאָזִיל בְּיַמָּא בְּלָא שַׁיָּיטִין, סָלִיק וְנָחִית וְלָא מְהַנְיָיא לֵיהּ, אֲתָא וְאִישְׁתָּאִיל מִכָּל שַׁיְיפֵי גוּפָא, וְלֵית (לון) תַּקִּיפוּ כְּיוֹמָא דְּפָּרִישׁ רוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא. כָּךְ תַּקִּיפוּ דִּרְחִימוּ דְּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּתַקִּיפוּ דְמוֹתָא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְבָעֵי רוּחָא לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא מִן גּוּפָא.
“For love is strong as death”: it is strong like the parting of the spirit from the body, as we have learnt that when man is about to depart from the world and sees strange things, his spirit courses through all his limbs and goes up and down like a boatman without oars who is tossed up and down on the sea and makes no progress. It then asks leave of each limb; and its separation is only effected with great violence. Such is the violence of the Community of Israel’s love for God.
קָשָׁה כִּשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה, כָּל מַאן דְּרָחִים, וְלָא קָשִׁיר עִמֵּיהּ קִנְאָה, לָאו רְחִימוּתֵיהּ רְחִימוּתָא. כֵּיוָן דְּקַנֵּי, הָא רְחִימוּתָא אִשְׁתְּלִים. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְקַנָּאָה לְאִנְתְּתֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְקַשַּׁר עִמָּהּ רְחִימוּתָא שְׁלִים, דְּהָא מִגּוֹ כָּךְ לָא יָהִיב עֵינוֹי בְּאִינְתּוּ אָחֳרָא. מַהוּ קָשָׁה כִּשְׁאוֹל. אֶלָּא, מַה שְּׁאוֹל קַשְׁיָא בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ דְּחַיָּיבִין לְמֵיחַת בֵּיהּ, כָּךְ קִנְאָה קַשְׁיָא בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ דְּמַאן דְּרָחִים וְקַנֵּי, לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא מֵרְחִימוּתָא.
“Jealousy is cruel as the grave.” Love without jealousy is no true love. Hence we learn that a man should be jealous of his wife in order that his love for her may be perfect, for then he will not look at any other woman. Jealousy is compared to Sheol (the underworld), because just as the wicked are frightened of going down to Sheol, so is jealousy frightful in the eyes of one who loves and cannot bear to be parted from his beloved.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, קָשָׁה כִּשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה, מַה שְּׁאוֹל, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנָחֲתִין לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָא בֵּיהּ, מוֹדִיעִין לוֹן חוֹבַיְיהוּ עַל מָה נָחֲתִין לֵיהּ, וְקַשְׁיָא לְהוּ. כָּךְ, מַאן דְּקַנֵּי, הוּא תָּבַע עַל חוֹבֵיהּ, וְחָשִׁיב (נ"א וחשיד) כַּמָּה עוֹבָדִין, וּכְדֵין קִשּׁוּרָא דִּרְחִימוּתָא אִתְקַשַּׁר בֵּיהּ.
Or we may also explain that just as when sinners are taken down to Sheol they are told the sins for which they are punished, so he who is jealous in demanding restitution reckons up all his grievances, and so his love becomes more firmly knit.
רְשָׁפֶיהָ רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָהּ. מַאן שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָהּ, דָּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאִתּוֹקְדָא וְנַפְקָא מִגּוֹ שׁוֹפָר, דְּאִיהוּ אִתְעַר וְאוֹקִיד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, שְׂמָאלָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳) שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי. דָּא אוֹקִיד שַׁלְּהוֹבָא דִּרְחִימוּ דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
“The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord.” This is the flame which is kindled and issues from the Shofar. It is the left hand, as it is written: “His left hand should be under my head” (S. S. 8, 3). It is this which kindles the flame of love in the Community of Israel to the Holy One, blessed be He.
וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, (שיר השירים ח׳:ז׳) מַיִם רַבִּים לא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה. דְּהָא כַּד אָתֵי יְמִינָא דְּאִיהוּ מַיִם, אוֹסִיף יְקִידוּ דִּרְחִימוּתָא, וְלָא כָּבֵי שַׁלְהוֹבָא דִשְׂמָאלָא, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי, הַאי אִיהוּ מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה, וְכֵן כֹּלָּא כְּהַאי גַוְונָא.
Therefore “many waters cannot quench love”, because when the right hand comes, although it is symbolized by water, it fans the fire of love and does not quench the flame of the left hand, as it is written: “And his right hand should embrace me.”
עַד דְּהֲווּ יַתְבֵי, שָׁמְעוּ קָלֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, הוּא וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק. קָרִיב לִמְעַרְתָּא, נָפְקוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מִכּוֹתְלֵי דִמְעַרְתָּא חָמִינָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא הָכָא. יָתְבוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּמַאי עַסְקִיתוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּרִישׁ הַאי קְרָא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ וְגו'. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אֶלְעָזָר בִּרְחִימוּ עִלָּאָה וּקְשִׁירוּ דַּחֲבִיבוּתָא אִסְתַּכַּלְתְּ.
As they were sitting they heard R. Simeon coming up the road, with R. Judah and R. Isaac. When he approached the cave, R. Eleazar and R. Abba came out. R. Simeon said: ‘I can see from the walls of the cave that the Shekinah is here.’ So they all sat down. Said R. Simeon: ‘What have you been discussing?’ R. Abba replied: ‘The love of the Community of Israel for God, and R. Eleazar applied to it the verse: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, etc.” ‘Said R. Simeon: ‘Eleazar, you have been scrutinizing the supernal love and affection.’
אִשְׁתִּיק רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שַׁעְתָּא. אָמַר, בְּכָל אֲתַר בָּעְיָיא שְׁתִיקוּ, בַּר שְׁתִיקוּ דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. גִּינְזָא חָדָא אִית לִי גְנִיזָא, וְלָא בָּעֵינָא דְּיִתְאֲבִיד מִנַּיְיכוּ, וְהִיא מִלָּה עִלָּאָה, וְאַשְׁכַּחְנָא לָהּ בְּסִפְרָא דְרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא.
He then fell into silence for a while. At last he said: ‘Silence is good everywhere except in connection with the Torah. I have a certain gem which I do not desire to withhold from you. It is a profound thought which I have found in the book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּכוּרָא רָדִיף בָּתַר נוּקְבָא, וְאִתְעַר לְגַבָּהּ רְחִימוּתָא, וְהָכָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא, דְּהִיא אִתְעָרַת רְחִימוּתָא וְרָדְפָה אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְאוֹרְחֵיהּ דְּעַלְמָא, דְּלֵית שְׁבָחָא דְנוּקְבָא, לְמִרְדַּף בַּתְרֵיהּ דִּדְכוּרָא. אֶלָּא, מִלָּה סְתִימָא הִיא, וּמִלָּה עִלָּאָה דְבֵי גִנְזַיָיא דְמַלְכָּא.
It is this. Everywhere the male runs after the female and seeks to incite her love, but here we find the female courting the male and running after him, which it is not usually reckoned proper for the female to do, but there is here a deep mystery, much prized among the treasures of the king.