He here quoted the verse: “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the fields, if you find my beloved, what will you tell him?” (S. S. 5, 8). Why, it may be asked, should the Community of Israel speak thus, seeing that she is near to the king, like no other? The “daughters of Jerusalem”, however, are the souls of the righteous, which are constantly near the King, and inform him every day of the requirements of the Matron.
For so we have learnt, that when the soul comes down into the world, the Community of Israel makes it swear that it will tell the King her love for him in order to appease him.
three on each side (wherefore it is called Hayah (living one)), and these are called “the daughters of Jerusalem”, and they testify to the King concerning the Community of Israel, as it is written: “The tribes of the Lord are a testimony unto Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord” (Ps. 122, 4).’ Said R. Judah: ‘Happy are Israel who know the ways of God and of whom it is written: “For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God, and thee did the Lord choose, etc.” (Deut. 14, 2).’
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (שיר השירים ג׳:ה׳) הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם אִם תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת דּוֹדִי מַה תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי. וְכִי מַאן קָרִיב לְמַלְכָּא כִּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהִי אָמְרַת אִם תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת דּוֹדִי מַה תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ. אֶלָּא בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, אִלֵּין אִינוּן נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא דְּאִינוּן קְרֵיבִין לְמַלְכָּא תָּדִיר, וּמוֹדְעִין לְמַלְכָּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא עִסְקוֹי דְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא.
He here quoted the verse: “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes and by the hinds of the fields, if you find my beloved, what will you tell him?” (S. S. 5, 8). Why, it may be asked, should the Community of Israel speak thus, seeing that she is near to the king, like no other? The “daughters of Jerusalem”, however, are the souls of the righteous, which are constantly near the King, and inform him every day of the requirements of the Matron.
דְּהָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְנִשְׁמָתָא נָחֲתַת לְעַלְמָא, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עָאלַת עֲלָהּ בְּקִיּוּמָא דְאוֹמָאָה, דִּיחֲוֵי לְמַלְכָּא, וְיוֹדַע לֵיהּ רְחִימוּתָא דִילָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, בְּגִין לְאִתְפַּיְיסָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ.
For so we have learnt, that when the soul comes down into the world, the Community of Israel makes it swear that it will tell the King her love for him in order to appease him.
וּבְמָּה, בְּגִין דְּחִיּוּבָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּפוּמָא, בְּלִבָּא בְּנַפְשָׁא, וּלְאַקְּשְּׁרָא כֹּלָּא, כְּשַׁלְּהוֹבָא דְּאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּטִיפְסָא, וּבְהַהוּא יִחוּדָא דְּעָבִיד, גָּרִים לְאִתְפַּיְיסָא מַלְכָּא בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא רְחִימוּתָא דִילָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ.
This appeasement is brought about when man unifies the Holy Name with his mouth, his heart and his soul, to link all together like flame with fire.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַם, אִלֵּין תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין. דְּתָנִינָן, יְרוּשָׁלַ ם עַל תְּרֵיסַר טוּרִין קָיְימָא. וּמַאן דְּאָמַר עַל שִׁבְעָה, לָא קָאֲמַר לְאַשְׁלָמָא שְׁלִימוּ, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא חַד, דְּאִית שִׁבְעָה, וְאִית ד', וְאִית תְּרֵיסַר, וְכֹלָּא חַד.
According to another explanation, the “daughters of Jerusalem” are the twelve tribes, as we have learnt that Jerusalem is established on twelve rocks,
וַדַּאי עַל תְּרֵיסַר טוּרִין קָיְימָא, תְּלַת טוּרִין לְסִטְרָא דָא, וּתְלַת טוּרִין לְסִטְרָא דָא, וְכֵן לְאַרְבַּע זִוְויָין, וּכְדֵין אִתְקְרֵי חַיָּה. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (יחזקאל י׳:כ׳) הִיא הַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי תַּחַת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, בְּגִין דְּקָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ. וְאִינוּן סָהֲדֵי סַהֲדוּתָא לְמַלְכָּא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים קכ״ב:ד׳) שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם יְיָ. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּיָדְעֵי אוֹרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, (דברים י״ד:ב׳) כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיְיָ אֱלהֶיךָ וּבְךָ בָּחַר יְיָ וְגו':
three on each side (wherefore it is called Hayah (living one)), and these are called “the daughters of Jerusalem”, and they testify to the King concerning the Community of Israel, as it is written: “The tribes of the Lord are a testimony unto Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord” (Ps. 122, 4).’ Said R. Judah: ‘Happy are Israel who know the ways of God and of whom it is written: “For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God, and thee did the Lord choose, etc.” (Deut. 14, 2).’