Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,1When God gave the Torah to Israel, He spoke to them פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים , face to face. That expression of Divine love is sweeter to them than any delight. Israel has been assured by Him that He will again appear to them to explain the secrets and hidden meanings of the Torah. They beseech Him to fulfill His promise and thus they exclaim, “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth.” for your love is dearer than wine.
Like the fragrance of good oils, your name is like flowing oil;2When fragrant oil is poured, its pleasing aroma is diffused for all to enjoy.—Rashi therefore young maidens love you.3“Young maidens” refers to the nations of the world.—Rashi
Draw me, we will run after you; the king has brought me into his chambers, we will be glad and rejoice in you, we recall your love more than wine, they love you sincerely.4Israel recalls their love of God in their youth; their following Him through the desert without preparing provisions for themselves. He brought them “into His chambers” is a reference to the Clouds of Glory that hovered over them in the wilderness.—Rashi
I am black, but comely,5Israel declares to the nations of the world, “I am black because of my sinful deeds but I am comely by virtue of the good deeds of my forefathers.—Rashi daughters of Jerusalem; like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Shlomo.
Do not look upon me [with contempt] that I am so black, for the sun has tanned me; my mother's sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards, [but] my own vineyard I did not watch.6They enticed me into idol-worship, thus I became blackened. They forced me to guard their vineyards, [their evil ways] and the vineyard which was my heritage from my ancestors, I did not guard.—Rashi
Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where do you graze your flock where do you rest your flock at noon; for why should I flit about around the flocks of your companions?7Israel says before Him, “Where will You pasture Your sheep [Israel] among these wolves [the nations] in whose midst they are?” “And where will You give them respite in this exile which is a time of distress. Noon is a time of distress for sheep because the sun is most intense and there is no relief from the heat.—Rashi
If you do not know [you who are the] fairest of women; go forth in the footsteps of the sheep and pasture your kids near the dwellings of the shepherds.8God speaks to Israel and tells them to reflect upon the ways of their forefathers and walk in their ways. In that manner they will be saved from the hand of their oppressors. “Shepherds” refers to the leaders of Israel, the Shepherds of God’s holy flock.
Circlets of gold we will make for you with spangles of silver.9 These verses recall the great wealth Israel salvaged from the בִּיזַת הַיָם , the booty of the Reed Sea, after the Egyptians were drowned.
A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, between my breasts he shall lie.10Even though Israel betrayed God by sinning with the “golden calf,” He commanded them to build the Tabernacle so that He would dwell among them. The most sacred place in the Tabernacle was the Ark and the Divine Presence rested בֵּין שְׁנֵי בַדֵי הָאָרוֹן , between the two staves of the Ark which protruded through the Curtain like the breasts of a woman.— Rashi
You are handsome, my beloved, most handsome;11Israel was told that she was beautiful and is praised for her work in building the Tabernacle; but she says that the beauty is not hers, but God’s for he overlooked their iniquities and caused His Presence to reside in their midst.—Rashi indeed our bed is fresh.12This sentence as well as the next refers to the מִשְׁכָּן , the Tabernacle.
שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה:
The song of songs which is Shlomo's.
יִשָּׁקֵ֨נִי֙ מִנְּשִׁיק֣וֹת פִּ֔יהוּ כִּֽי־טוֹבִ֥ים דֹּדֶ֖יךָ מִיָּֽיִן:
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,1When God gave the Torah to Israel, He spoke to them פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים , face to face. That expression of Divine love is sweeter to them than any delight. Israel has been assured by Him that He will again appear to them to explain the secrets and hidden meanings of the Torah. They beseech Him to fulfill His promise and thus they exclaim, “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth.” for your love is dearer than wine.
לְרֵ֨יחַ֙ שְׁמָנֶ֣יךָ טוֹבִ֔ים שֶׁ֖מֶן תּוּרַ֣ק שְׁמֶ֑ךָ עַל־כֵּ֖ן עֲלָמ֥וֹת אֲהֵבֽוּךָ:
Like the fragrance of good oils, your name is like flowing oil;2When fragrant oil is poured, its pleasing aroma is diffused for all to enjoy.—Rashi therefore young maidens love you.3“Young maidens” refers to the nations of the world.—Rashi
מָשְׁכֵ֖נִי אַֽחֲרֶ֣יךָ נָר֑וּצָה הֱבִיאַ֨נִי הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ חֲדָרָ֗יו נָגִ֤ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ נַזְכִּ֤ירָה דֹדֶ֙יךָ֙ מִיַּ֔יִן מֵֽישָׁרִ֖ים אֲהֵבֽוּךָ:
Draw me, we will run after you; the king has brought me into his chambers, we will be glad and rejoice in you, we recall your love more than wine, they love you sincerely.4Israel recalls their love of God in their youth; their following Him through the desert without preparing provisions for themselves. He brought them “into His chambers” is a reference to the Clouds of Glory that hovered over them in the wilderness.—Rashi
שְׁחוֹרָ֤ה אֲנִי֙ וְֽנָאוָ֔ה בְּנ֖וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כְּאָֽהֳלֵ֣י קֵדָ֔ר כִּֽירִיע֖וֹת שְׁלֹמֹֽה:
I am black, but comely,5Israel declares to the nations of the world, “I am black because of my sinful deeds but I am comely by virtue of the good deeds of my forefathers.—Rashi daughters of Jerusalem; like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Shlomo.
אַל־תִּרְאֻ֨נִי֙ שֶֽׁאֲנִ֣י שְׁחַרְחֹ֔רֶת שֶׁשְּׁזָפַ֖תְנִי הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ בְּנֵ֧י אִמִּ֣י נִֽחֲרוּ־בִ֗י שָׂמֻ֨נִי֙ נֹֽטֵרָ֣ה אֶת־הַכְּרָמִ֔ים כַּרְמִ֥י שֶׁלִּ֖י לֹ֥א נָטָֽרְתִּי:
Do not look upon me [with contempt] that I am so black, for the sun has tanned me; my mother's sons were incensed against me, they made me keeper of the vineyards, [but] my own vineyard I did not watch.6They enticed me into idol-worship, thus I became blackened. They forced me to guard their vineyards, [their evil ways] and the vineyard which was my heritage from my ancestors, I did not guard.—Rashi
הַגִּ֣ידָה לִּ֗י שֶׁ֤אָֽהֲבָה֙ נַפְשִׁ֔י אֵיכָ֣ה תִרְעֶ֔ה אֵיכָ֖ה תַּרְבִּ֣יץ בַּֽצָּֽהֳרָ֑יִם שַׁלָּמָ֤ה אֶֽהְיֶה֙ כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה עַ֖ל עֶדְרֵ֥י חֲבֵרֶֽיךָ:
Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where do you graze your flock where do you rest your flock at noon; for why should I flit about around the flocks of your companions?7Israel says before Him, “Where will You pasture Your sheep [Israel] among these wolves [the nations] in whose midst they are?” “And where will You give them respite in this exile which is a time of distress. Noon is a time of distress for sheep because the sun is most intense and there is no relief from the heat.—Rashi
אִם־לֹ֤א תֵֽדְעִי֙ לָ֔ךְ הַיָּפָ֖ה בַּנָּשִׁ֑ים צְֽאִי־לָ֞ךְ בְּעִקְבֵ֣י הַצֹּ֗אן וּרְעִי֙ אֶת־גְּדִיֹּתַ֔יִךְ עַ֖ל מִשְׁכְּנ֥וֹת הָֽרֹעִֽים:
If you do not know [you who are the] fairest of women; go forth in the footsteps of the sheep and pasture your kids near the dwellings of the shepherds.8God speaks to Israel and tells them to reflect upon the ways of their forefathers and walk in their ways. In that manner they will be saved from the hand of their oppressors. “Shepherds” refers to the leaders of Israel, the Shepherds of God’s holy flock.
לְסֻֽסָתִי֙ בְּרִכְבֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה דִּמִּיתִ֖יךְ רַעְיָתִֽי:
To steeds in the chariots of Pharaoh I have likened you, my beloved.
נָאו֤וּ לְחָיַ֨יִךְ֙ בַּתֹּרִ֔ים צַוָּארֵ֖ךְ בַּֽחֲרוּזִֽים:
Your cheeks are comely with rows of gems your neck with [pearl] necklaces.
תּוֹרֵ֤י זָהָב֙ נַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֔ךְ עִ֖ם נְקֻדּ֥וֹת הַכָּֽסֶף:
Circlets of gold we will make for you with spangles of silver.9 These verses recall the great wealth Israel salvaged from the בִּיזַת הַיָם , the booty of the Reed Sea, after the Egyptians were drowned.
עַד־שֶׁ֤הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ בִּמְסִבּ֔וֹ נִרְדִּ֖י נָתַ֥ן רֵיחֽוֹ:
While the king was at his table, my spikenard gave out its fragrance.
צְר֨וֹר הַמֹּ֤ר | דּוֹדִי֙ לִ֔י בֵּ֥ין שָׁדַ֖י יָלִֽין:
A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, between my breasts he shall lie.10Even though Israel betrayed God by sinning with the “golden calf,” He commanded them to build the Tabernacle so that He would dwell among them. The most sacred place in the Tabernacle was the Ark and the Divine Presence rested בֵּין שְׁנֵי בַדֵי הָאָרוֹן , between the two staves of the Ark which protruded through the Curtain like the breasts of a woman.— Rashi
אֶשְׁכֹּ֨ל הַכֹּ֤פֶר | דּוֹדִי֙ לִ֔י בְּכַרְמֵ֖י עֵ֥ין גֶּֽדִי:
A cluster of henna is my beloved to me in the vineyards of En-gedi.
הִנָּ֤ךְ יָפָה֙ רַעְיָתִ֔י הִנָּ֥ךְ יָפָ֖ה עֵינַ֥יִךְ יוֹנִֽים:
Behold you are beautiful, my beloved, behold you are beautiful; your eyes are like doves.
הִנְּךָ֨ יָפֶ֤ה דוֹדִי֙ אַ֣ף נָעִ֔ים אַף־עַרְשֵׂ֖נוּ רַֽעֲנָנָֽה:
You are handsome, my beloved, most handsome;11Israel was told that she was beautiful and is praised for her work in building the Tabernacle; but she says that the beauty is not hers, but God’s for he overlooked their iniquities and caused His Presence to reside in their midst.—Rashi indeed our bed is fresh.12This sentence as well as the next refers to the מִשְׁכָּן , the Tabernacle.
קֹר֤וֹת בָּתֵּ֨ינוּ֙ אֲרָזִ֔ים רָֽהִ֯יטֵ֖נוּ בְּרוֹתִֽים:
The beams of our houses are cedars, our panels are cypresses.