If only you were a brother to me, who had nursed at my mother's bosom;115Israel pleads with God to rest His Presence upon them once again. Beseeching His Divine aid and comfort, she exclaims, “If only You would comfort me in my exile as Yoseif comforted his brothers though they sinned against him.—Rashi when I would find you outside I would kiss you, and no one would scorn me.116When I would find Your prophets speaking in Your Name, I would embrace them, and they would not scorn me.—Rashi
I would lead you, I would bring you to my mother's house that you should teach me;117I would ask You to return to the Temple and teach me as You taught Israel in the Ohel Moed, Tent of Assembly, during the years of the wilderness.—Rashi I would give you spiced wine to drink,118This refers to the wine libations on the Altar.— Rashi of the nectar of my pomegranate.
His left hand is under my head and his right hand embraces me.119Israel now addresses the nations, saying: “Even though I complain and lament, my Beloved (God), is my support and comfort in my exile.”—Rashi
I bind you under oath daughters of Jerusalem why should you cause hatred or disturb [this] love while it still pleases?120Your attempts to detract His love from me will be of no avail, for in time you will witness His love for me—when His Divine Presence will again rest upon me.—Alshich
Who is she that rises from the desert, clinging to her beloved?121This refers to Israel in the wilderness. She was elevated through the giving of the Torah and her clinging to the Divine Presence.—Rashi beneath the apple tree I aroused you,122This refers to Mount Sinai which was suspended over the Israelites like an apple. There she manifested her love for God.— Rashi there your mother had birth pains there she who bore you suffered.
Set me as a seal upon your heart as a seal upon your arm,123The nation of Israel asks that she never be forgotten by God.—Rashi for love is as strong as death,124Because of our great love for You that we are able to endure death for Your sake.—Rashi jealousy is as harsh as the grave;125This refers to the jealousies of the nations because of our special relationship to God.—Rashi its flashes are flashes of fire from the flame of God.
Many waters cannot quench the love, and rivers cannot drown it;126This refers to the attempts of the nations to force Israel to renounce her love of God.—Rashi if a man would give all the wealth of his house for love they would surely scorn him.127Hearing these words of loyalty, God testifies that nothing would cause Israel to forsake her love for Him.—Rashi
We have a little sister but she has no bosom;128Israel in her exile is portrayed as a little sister. According to Rashi, ‘she has no bosom’ indicates that she is not yet ripe for redemption. what shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for?129How can we sustain her when the nations threaten her with destruction?—Rashi
If she be a wall we will build upon her a fortress of silver,130According to Rashi, this verse contains the Almighty’s response. He answers, ‘If Israel will be firm in her faith and be steadfast against assimilation with the nations, we will become a fortified city for her.’ if she be a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.131But if she will be like a door which revolves on its hinges and opens whenever someone knocks indicating she is open to all their enticement, we will merely panel her doors which will be eaten away and leave her exposed.—Rashi
Shlomo had a vineyard in Baal Hamon,132 132 שְׁלוֹמוֹ is a reference to God, Who is described as מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהַשָׁלוֹם שֶׁלוֹ , King to Whom peace belongs. The verse is thus interpreted by Rashi : God had a vineyard (Israel) who dwelled in Jerusalem (a city of הַמוֹן , of multitudes). he gave over the vineyard to caretakers;133God gave over His people into the hands of harsh rulers:—Babylon, Greece, and Edom. each of them brought for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.134They imposed exhorbitant taxes and fines upon Israel.—Rashi
My vineyard is before me;135“Despite that Israel was given into your hands, she remains Mine,” says the Almighty.—Rashi the thousand are yours, Shlomo, and two hundred are for those who guard its fruit.136The nations declare that they will return whatever they extorted from Israel, plus a penalty of an additional fifth.—Rashi
You who sit in the gardens, companions listen to your voice,137God now addresses Israel: “You who are scattered in the exile, tending the gardens of others, and yet dwell in the synagogues and study-houses, the Heavenly Angels, (your companions) listen to your prayers and the sound of your Torah study.”—Rashi let me hear [your voice].
Flee my beloved and be like a gazelle or a young hart138Finally, Israel pleads with God to flee from this Exile and deliver her from it. (Our Sages relate that He has been with us in all our exiles.) She beseeches Him to hasten the redemption with the swiftness of a gazelle or a young hart.—Rashi upon the mountains of spices.139This is a reference to the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah. May it be rebuilt speedily in our days. Amen.—Rashi
מִ֤י יִתֶּנְךָ֙ כְּאָ֣ח לִ֔י יוֹנֵ֖ק שְׁדֵ֣י אִמִּ֑י אֶֽמְצָֽאֲךָ֤ בַחוּץ֙ אֶשָּׁ֣קְךָ֔ גַּ֖ם לֹֽא־יָבֻ֥זוּ לִֽי:
If only you were a brother to me, who had nursed at my mother's bosom;115Israel pleads with God to rest His Presence upon them once again. Beseeching His Divine aid and comfort, she exclaims, “If only You would comfort me in my exile as Yoseif comforted his brothers though they sinned against him.—Rashi when I would find you outside I would kiss you, and no one would scorn me.116When I would find Your prophets speaking in Your Name, I would embrace them, and they would not scorn me.—Rashi
אֶנְהָֽגְךָ֗ אֲבִֽיאֲךָ֛ אֶל־בֵּ֥ית אִמִּ֖י תְּלַמְּדֵ֑נִי אַשְׁקְךָ֙ מִיַּ֣יִן הָרֶ֔קַח מֵֽעֲסִ֖יס רִמֹּנִֽי:
I would lead you, I would bring you to my mother's house that you should teach me;117I would ask You to return to the Temple and teach me as You taught Israel in the Ohel Moed, Tent of Assembly, during the years of the wilderness.—Rashi I would give you spiced wine to drink,118This refers to the wine libations on the Altar.— Rashi of the nectar of my pomegranate.
שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּ֣חַת רֹאשִׁ֔י וִֽימִינ֖וֹ תְּחַבְּקֵֽנִי:
His left hand is under my head and his right hand embraces me.119Israel now addresses the nations, saying: “Even though I complain and lament, my Beloved (God), is my support and comfort in my exile.”—Rashi
הִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּנ֣וֹת יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם מַה־תָּעִ֧ירוּ | וּֽמַה־תְּעֹֽרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַֽהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד־שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ:
I bind you under oath daughters of Jerusalem why should you cause hatred or disturb [this] love while it still pleases?120Your attempts to detract His love from me will be of no avail, for in time you will witness His love for me—when His Divine Presence will again rest upon me.—Alshich
מִ֣י זֹ֗את עֹלָה֙ מִן־הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר מִתְרַפֶּ֖קֶת עַל־דּוֹדָ֑הּ תַּ֤חַת הַתַּפּ֨וּחַ֙ עֽוֹרַרְתִּ֔יךָ ֚שָׁמָּה חִבְּלָֽתְךָ֣ אִמֶּ֔ךָ שָׁ֖מָּה חִבְּלָ֥ה יְלָדַֽתְךָ:
Who is she that rises from the desert, clinging to her beloved?121This refers to Israel in the wilderness. She was elevated through the giving of the Torah and her clinging to the Divine Presence.—Rashi beneath the apple tree I aroused you,122This refers to Mount Sinai which was suspended over the Israelites like an apple. There she manifested her love for God.— Rashi there your mother had birth pains there she who bore you suffered.
שִׂימֵ֨נִי כַֽחוֹתָ֜ם עַל־לִבֶּ֗ךָ כַּֽחוֹתָם֙ עַל־זְרוֹעֶ֔ךָ כִּֽי־עַזָּ֤ה כַמָּ֨וֶת֙ אַֽהֲבָ֔ה קָשָׁ֥ה כִשְׁא֖וֹל קִנְאָ֑ה רְשָׁפֶ֕יהָ רִשְׁפֵּ֕י אֵ֖שׁ שַׁלְהֶֽבֶתְיָֽה:
Set me as a seal upon your heart as a seal upon your arm,123The nation of Israel asks that she never be forgotten by God.—Rashi for love is as strong as death,124Because of our great love for You that we are able to endure death for Your sake.—Rashi jealousy is as harsh as the grave;125This refers to the jealousies of the nations because of our special relationship to God.—Rashi its flashes are flashes of fire from the flame of God.
מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֗ים לֹ֤א יֽוּכְלוּ֙ לְכַבּ֣וֹת אֶת־הָאַֽהֲבָ֔ה וּנְהָ֖רוֹת לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּהָ אִם־יִתֵּ֨ן אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־כָּל־ה֤וֹן בֵּיתוֹ בָּאַֽהֲבָ֔ה בּ֖וֹז יָב֥וּזוּ לֽוֹ:
Many waters cannot quench the love, and rivers cannot drown it;126This refers to the attempts of the nations to force Israel to renounce her love of God.—Rashi if a man would give all the wealth of his house for love they would surely scorn him.127Hearing these words of loyalty, God testifies that nothing would cause Israel to forsake her love for Him.—Rashi
אָח֥וֹת לָ֨נוּ֙ קְטַנָּ֔ה וְשָׁדַ֖יִם אֵ֣ין לָ֑הּ מַֽה־נַּֽעֲשֶׂה֙ לַֽאֲחוֹתֵ֔נוּ בַּיּ֖וֹם שֶׁיְּדֻבַּר־בָּֽהּ:
We have a little sister but she has no bosom;128Israel in her exile is portrayed as a little sister. According to Rashi, ‘she has no bosom’ indicates that she is not yet ripe for redemption. what shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for?129How can we sustain her when the nations threaten her with destruction?—Rashi
אִם־חוֹמָ֣ה הִ֔יא נִבְנֶ֥ה עָלֶ֖יהָ טִ֣ירַת כָּ֑סֶף וְאִם־דֶּ֣לֶת הִ֔יא נָצ֥וּר עָלֶ֖יהָ ל֥וּחַ אָֽרֶז:
If she be a wall we will build upon her a fortress of silver,130According to Rashi, this verse contains the Almighty’s response. He answers, ‘If Israel will be firm in her faith and be steadfast against assimilation with the nations, we will become a fortified city for her.’ if she be a door, we will enclose her with panels of cedar.131But if she will be like a door which revolves on its hinges and opens whenever someone knocks indicating she is open to all their enticement, we will merely panel her doors which will be eaten away and leave her exposed.—Rashi
אֲנִ֣י חוֹמָ֔ה וְשָׁדַ֖י כַּמִּגְדָּל֑וֹת אָ֛ז הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינָ֖יו כְּמֽוֹצְאֵ֖ת שָׁלֽוֹם:
I am a wall and my bosom is like towers; therefore I am in his eyes as one who found peace.
כֶּ֣רֶם הָיָ֤ה לִשְׁלֹמֹה֙ בְּבַ֣עַל הָמ֔וֹן נָתַ֥ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֖רֶם לַנֹּֽטְרִ֑ים אִ֛ישׁ יָבִ֥א בְּפִרְי֖וֹ אֶ֥לֶף כָּֽסֶף:
Shlomo had a vineyard in Baal Hamon,132 132 שְׁלוֹמוֹ is a reference to God, Who is described as מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהַשָׁלוֹם שֶׁלוֹ , King to Whom peace belongs. The verse is thus interpreted by Rashi : God had a vineyard (Israel) who dwelled in Jerusalem (a city of הַמוֹן , of multitudes). he gave over the vineyard to caretakers;133God gave over His people into the hands of harsh rulers:—Babylon, Greece, and Edom. each of them brought for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.134They imposed exhorbitant taxes and fines upon Israel.—Rashi
כַּרְמִ֥י שֶׁלִּ֖י לְפָנָ֑י הָאֶ֤לֶף לְךָ֙ שְׁלֹֹמֹ֔ה וּמָאתַ֖יִם לְנֹֽטְרִ֥ים אֶת־פִּרְיֽוֹ:
My vineyard is before me;135“Despite that Israel was given into your hands, she remains Mine,” says the Almighty.—Rashi the thousand are yours, Shlomo, and two hundred are for those who guard its fruit.136The nations declare that they will return whatever they extorted from Israel, plus a penalty of an additional fifth.—Rashi
הַיּוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת בַּגַּנִּ֗ים חֲבֵרִ֛ים מַקְשִׁיבִ֥ים לְקוֹלֵ֖ךְ הַשְׁמִיעִֽנִי:
You who sit in the gardens, companions listen to your voice,137God now addresses Israel: “You who are scattered in the exile, tending the gardens of others, and yet dwell in the synagogues and study-houses, the Heavenly Angels, (your companions) listen to your prayers and the sound of your Torah study.”—Rashi let me hear [your voice].
בְּרַ֣ח | דּוֹדִ֗י וּֽדְמֵה־לְךָ֤ לִצְבִי֙ ֚אוֹ לְעֹ֣פֶר הָֽאַיָּלִ֔ים עַ֖ל הָרֵ֥י בְשָׂמִֽים:
Flee my beloved and be like a gazelle or a young hart138Finally, Israel pleads with God to flee from this Exile and deliver her from it. (Our Sages relate that He has been with us in all our exiles.) She beseeches Him to hasten the redemption with the swiftness of a gazelle or a young hart.—Rashi upon the mountains of spices.139This is a reference to the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah. May it be rebuilt speedily in our days. Amen.—Rashi