[ויאמר אלהים אל יעקב וגו' ואהיה עמך]. כתיב חכו ממתקים (שה"ש ה טז), [אמר ר' תנחום ר' יוסי בוא וראה מה הקב"ה אומר לישראל, ושרט לנפש לא תתנו בבשרכם (ויקרא יט כח) למה אני ה' (שם), נאמן לפרוע לכם שכר, יש חיך מתוק מזה, יש אדם אומר לחבירו אם תנוול עצמך ואני נותן לך שכרך, אבל הקב"ה אמר אם לא תנבלו עצמכם, ושרט לנפש וגו' אני נותן לכם שכר, הוי חכו ממתקים].
[(Gen. 31:3:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO JACOB: < RETURN UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR ANCESTORS WHERE YOU WERE BORN >, AND I WILL BE WITH YOU.] It is written (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET. [R. Tanhuma b. R. Jose said: Come and see what the Holy One is saying to Israel (in Lev. 19:28): YOU SHALL NOT MAKE A GASH IN YOUR FLESH FOR THE DEAD < … >. Why? (Ibid., cont.:) I AM THE LORD. He is sure to pay you a reward. Is there a palate (i.e., a saying) sweeter than this! Someone may say to his friend: If you deform (rt.: NWL) yourself, I will give you a reward; but the Holy One has said: If you do not degrade yourselves, AND (ibid.) < NOT MAKE > A GASH < IN YOUR FLESH > FOR THE DEAD…. I will give you a reward. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.]
2
ד"א חכו ממתקים, אמר ר' אבהו ראה מה כתיב ואבדיל אתכם מן העמים (שם כ כו), ראה מדותיו של הקב"ה, אילו היה כתיב ואבדיל העמים מכם, לא היה תקוה לגוי עובד כוכבים, ולא היה גר מתגייר, כיצד אדם שיש לפניו תאנים, אם בורר הוא הרעות מן היפות, אין סופו לחזור על הרעות, אבל אם הוא בורר הטובות, אם הוא מבקש לברור מן הרעות בורר, לכך אמר הקב"ה ואבדיל אתכם מן העמים, נתן רמז לגוים למי שמבקש להתגייר, יש חיך האה מזה, הוי חכו ממתקים.
Another interpretation (of Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET. R. Abbahu said: See what is written (in Lev. 20:26): SO I HAVE SET YOU APART FROM THE < OTHER > PEOPLES < TO BE MINE >.70PRK 5:5. See the attributes of the Holy One. If it had been written, "So I have set the < other > peoples apart from you," there would have been no hope for a star-worshipping gentile, and no proselyte would have become a Jew. How so? < Consider the case of > someone who has figs. If he picks out the bad from the good, in the end he will not return to the bad ones; but, if he picks out the good ones, if he wants to pick out some of the bad, he picks them out. Therefore, the Holy One has said (in Lev. 20:26): SO I HAVE SET YOU APART FROM THE < OTHER > PEOPLES. He has given a hint to those gentiles who wish to become Jews. Is there a palate (i.e., a saying) more beautiful than this? Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
3
[ד"א חכו ממתקים, אמר ר' אחא מלך בשר ודם כשהוא נותן דואנטיבא (פי' מתנה טובה), אינו נותן איסטאטיבא (פי' מנוחה טובה), וכשהוא נותן איסטאטיבא, אינו נותן דואנטיבא, אבל הקב"ה נותן איסטאטיבא ונותן דואנטיבא, נתן שבת ונתן לחם משנה מה כתיב ראו כי ה' נתן לכם (את) השבת [על כן הוא נותן לכם ביום הששי לחם יומים] (שמות טז כט) הוי חכו ממתקים.
[Another interpretation (of Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.] R. Aha said:71Gen. R. 10:9. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, when he gives a donativa72In classical Latin the word is donativum in the singular and refers to a gift by the emperor to each soldier. {i.e., a valuable gift}, he does not give a stativa73The Latin word means “stationary camp.” {i.e., a good rest}; and, when he gives a stativa, he does not give a donativa.74The point here is that an emperor only bribes a soldier with a donativa before going into battle or at the start of a march. But the Holy One gives a stativa and gives a donativa. He has given the Sabbath rest, and he has given a double portion of bread. What is written (in Exod. 16:29)? OBSERVE THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE SABBATH; [HE THEREFORE GIVES YOU BREAD FOR TWO DAYS ON THE SIXTH DAY]. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
4
אמר ר' יוחנן אמר הקב"ה ואת שבתותי תשמרו אני ה' (ויקרא טיט ג), אני נאמן ליתן שכר, ובמה אתה משמרו, במאכל ובמשתה וכסות נקיה ואני נותן שכר, הוי חכו ממתקים.
R. Johanan said: The Holy One said (in Lev. 19:3): AND YOU SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS. I AM THE LORD < YOUR GOD >. I am sure to give a reward. And with what do you keep it? With food, drink, and clean clothing. Then I give you a reward. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
5
אמר ר' לוי ראה לשון שנתן הקב"ה לבני אדם מה כתיב והרשע כי ישוב וגו' (יחזקאל יח כא), אמר הקב"ה כל פשעיו אשר עשה לא יזכרו לו (כצדקותיו) [בצדקתו] אשר עשה (חיה) יחיה (ולא ימות) (שם שם כב), הוי חכו ממתקים.
R. Levi said: Look at the word which the Holy One gave to the children of Adam. What is written (in Ezek. 18:21): MOREOVER, WHEN THE WICKED ONE REPENTS < OF ALL THE SINS THAT HE HAS COMMITTED, KEEPS ALL MY STATUTES, AND DOES WHAT IS JUST AND RIGHT, HE SHALL LIVE >. The Holy One said (in vs. 22): ALL HIS TRANSGRESSIONS WHICH HE HAS COMMITTED SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED AGAINST HIM. {ACCORDING TO HIS RIGHTEOUS ACTS} [BY HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS] WHICH HE HAS PRACTICED, {HE HAS LIVED} HE SHALL LIVE {AND NOT DIE}. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
6
אמר ריש לקיש יש לך לשמוע גדולה מזו, מה כתיב ובשוב רשע מרשעתו [ועשה מ שפט וצדקה עליהם הוא יחיה] (שם לג יט), וחיה אין כתיב כאן, אלא עליהם הוא יחיה, שהקב"ה עושה אותם לו זכות והוא חי בהם, הוי חכו ממתקים.
Resh Laqish said: Could you hear of anything greater than this? What is written (in Ezek. 33:19)? AND WHEN A WICKED PERSON TURNS BACK FROM HIS WICKEDNESS [AND DOES WHAT IS JUST AND RIGHT, ON ACCOUNT OF THESE THINGS HE SHALL LIVE]. "And he shall live" is not written here, but ON ACCOUNT OF THESE THINGS HE SHALL LIVE. < It is > because the Holy One makes them < to be > merit for him < that > he shall live by means of them. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
7
ד"א חכו ממתקים, מלך בשר ודם אם יש לו אוהב הוא מחבבו, ואם חלה אותו האוהב משלח ומבקרו, ואם מחבבו ביותר הוא הול ומבקרו, שמא אם יצא לאכסניא יכול שיצא המלך עמו, אבל מלך מלכי המלכים הקב"ה היה אוהב ליעקב, שנאמר ואהב את יעקב (מלאכי א ג), ומתה דבורה ובא לבקרו, וכשיצא לאכסניא היה עמו, שנאמר והנה אנכי עמך (בראשית כח טו), וכשחזר היה עמו, שנאמר ויאמר אלהים אל יעקב וגו' ואהיה עמך (שם לא ג).
Another interpretation (of Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET: If a king of flesh and blood has a friend, he loves him. So, if that friend becomes ill,75Heb.: HLH, a word that can also be pointed to mean “sweeten.” he sends away to inquire after his health. Then, if he loves him even more, he goes to visit him. < But > if he went out into lodgings,76Gk.: xenia. is it thinkable that the king would go out with him? However, < it was > the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, < who > loved Jacob, as stated (in Mal. 1:2): YET I HAVE LOVED JACOB. When Deborah77Instead of DEBORAH (Rebekah’s nurse) Yalqut Shim‘oni, Cant., 991, reads, “Rebekah” here. died (in Gen. 35:8), < the Holy One > came to visit him; and, when he went out into lodgings, he was with him. It is so stated (in Gen. 28:15): AND SEE, I AM WITH YOU. When he returned, he was with him, as stated (in Gen. 31:3): THEN GOD SAID UNTO JACOB: < RETURN UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR ANCESTORS WHERE YOU WERE BORN >, AND I WILL BE WITH YOU.
[ויאמר אלהים אל יעקב וגו' ואהיה עמך]. כתיב חכו ממתקים (שה"ש ה טז), [אמר ר' תנחום ר' יוסי בוא וראה מה הקב"ה אומר לישראל, ושרט לנפש לא תתנו בבשרכם (ויקרא יט כח) למה אני ה' (שם), נאמן לפרוע לכם שכר, יש חיך מתוק מזה, יש אדם אומר לחבירו אם תנוול עצמך ואני נותן לך שכרך, אבל הקב"ה אמר אם לא תנבלו עצמכם, ושרט לנפש וגו' אני נותן לכם שכר, הוי חכו ממתקים].
[(Gen. 31:3:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO JACOB: < RETURN UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR ANCESTORS WHERE YOU WERE BORN >, AND I WILL BE WITH YOU.] It is written (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET. [R. Tanhuma b. R. Jose said: Come and see what the Holy One is saying to Israel (in Lev. 19:28): YOU SHALL NOT MAKE A GASH IN YOUR FLESH FOR THE DEAD < … >. Why? (Ibid., cont.:) I AM THE LORD. He is sure to pay you a reward. Is there a palate (i.e., a saying) sweeter than this! Someone may say to his friend: If you deform (rt.: NWL) yourself, I will give you a reward; but the Holy One has said: If you do not degrade yourselves, AND (ibid.) < NOT MAKE > A GASH < IN YOUR FLESH > FOR THE DEAD…. I will give you a reward. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.]
ד"א חכו ממתקים, אמר ר' אבהו ראה מה כתיב ואבדיל אתכם מן העמים (שם כ כו), ראה מדותיו של הקב"ה, אילו היה כתיב ואבדיל העמים מכם, לא היה תקוה לגוי עובד כוכבים, ולא היה גר מתגייר, כיצד אדם שיש לפניו תאנים, אם בורר הוא הרעות מן היפות, אין סופו לחזור על הרעות, אבל אם הוא בורר הטובות, אם הוא מבקש לברור מן הרעות בורר, לכך אמר הקב"ה ואבדיל אתכם מן העמים, נתן רמז לגוים למי שמבקש להתגייר, יש חיך האה מזה, הוי חכו ממתקים.
Another interpretation (of Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET. R. Abbahu said: See what is written (in Lev. 20:26): SO I HAVE SET YOU APART FROM THE < OTHER > PEOPLES < TO BE MINE >.70PRK 5:5. See the attributes of the Holy One. If it had been written, "So I have set the < other > peoples apart from you," there would have been no hope for a star-worshipping gentile, and no proselyte would have become a Jew. How so? < Consider the case of > someone who has figs. If he picks out the bad from the good, in the end he will not return to the bad ones; but, if he picks out the good ones, if he wants to pick out some of the bad, he picks them out. Therefore, the Holy One has said (in Lev. 20:26): SO I HAVE SET YOU APART FROM THE < OTHER > PEOPLES. He has given a hint to those gentiles who wish to become Jews. Is there a palate (i.e., a saying) more beautiful than this? Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
[ד"א חכו ממתקים, אמר ר' אחא מלך בשר ודם כשהוא נותן דואנטיבא (פי' מתנה טובה), אינו נותן איסטאטיבא (פי' מנוחה טובה), וכשהוא נותן איסטאטיבא, אינו נותן דואנטיבא, אבל הקב"ה נותן איסטאטיבא ונותן דואנטיבא, נתן שבת ונתן לחם משנה מה כתיב ראו כי ה' נתן לכם (את) השבת [על כן הוא נותן לכם ביום הששי לחם יומים] (שמות טז כט) הוי חכו ממתקים.
[Another interpretation (of Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.] R. Aha said:71Gen. R. 10:9. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, when he gives a donativa72In classical Latin the word is donativum in the singular and refers to a gift by the emperor to each soldier. {i.e., a valuable gift}, he does not give a stativa73The Latin word means “stationary camp.” {i.e., a good rest}; and, when he gives a stativa, he does not give a donativa.74The point here is that an emperor only bribes a soldier with a donativa before going into battle or at the start of a march. But the Holy One gives a stativa and gives a donativa. He has given the Sabbath rest, and he has given a double portion of bread. What is written (in Exod. 16:29)? OBSERVE THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE SABBATH; [HE THEREFORE GIVES YOU BREAD FOR TWO DAYS ON THE SIXTH DAY]. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
אמר ר' יוחנן אמר הקב"ה ואת שבתותי תשמרו אני ה' (ויקרא טיט ג), אני נאמן ליתן שכר, ובמה אתה משמרו, במאכל ובמשתה וכסות נקיה ואני נותן שכר, הוי חכו ממתקים.
R. Johanan said: The Holy One said (in Lev. 19:3): AND YOU SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS. I AM THE LORD < YOUR GOD >. I am sure to give a reward. And with what do you keep it? With food, drink, and clean clothing. Then I give you a reward. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
אמר ר' לוי ראה לשון שנתן הקב"ה לבני אדם מה כתיב והרשע כי ישוב וגו' (יחזקאל יח כא), אמר הקב"ה כל פשעיו אשר עשה לא יזכרו לו (כצדקותיו) [בצדקתו] אשר עשה (חיה) יחיה (ולא ימות) (שם שם כב), הוי חכו ממתקים.
R. Levi said: Look at the word which the Holy One gave to the children of Adam. What is written (in Ezek. 18:21): MOREOVER, WHEN THE WICKED ONE REPENTS < OF ALL THE SINS THAT HE HAS COMMITTED, KEEPS ALL MY STATUTES, AND DOES WHAT IS JUST AND RIGHT, HE SHALL LIVE >. The Holy One said (in vs. 22): ALL HIS TRANSGRESSIONS WHICH HE HAS COMMITTED SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED AGAINST HIM. {ACCORDING TO HIS RIGHTEOUS ACTS} [BY HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS] WHICH HE HAS PRACTICED, {HE HAS LIVED} HE SHALL LIVE {AND NOT DIE}. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
אמר ריש לקיש יש לך לשמוע גדולה מזו, מה כתיב ובשוב רשע מרשעתו [ועשה מ שפט וצדקה עליהם הוא יחיה] (שם לג יט), וחיה אין כתיב כאן, אלא עליהם הוא יחיה, שהקב"ה עושה אותם לו זכות והוא חי בהם, הוי חכו ממתקים.
Resh Laqish said: Could you hear of anything greater than this? What is written (in Ezek. 33:19)? AND WHEN A WICKED PERSON TURNS BACK FROM HIS WICKEDNESS [AND DOES WHAT IS JUST AND RIGHT, ON ACCOUNT OF THESE THINGS HE SHALL LIVE]. "And he shall live" is not written here, but ON ACCOUNT OF THESE THINGS HE SHALL LIVE. < It is > because the Holy One makes them < to be > merit for him < that > he shall live by means of them. Ergo (in Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET.
ד"א חכו ממתקים, מלך בשר ודם אם יש לו אוהב הוא מחבבו, ואם חלה אותו האוהב משלח ומבקרו, ואם מחבבו ביותר הוא הול ומבקרו, שמא אם יצא לאכסניא יכול שיצא המלך עמו, אבל מלך מלכי המלכים הקב"ה היה אוהב ליעקב, שנאמר ואהב את יעקב (מלאכי א ג), ומתה דבורה ובא לבקרו, וכשיצא לאכסניא היה עמו, שנאמר והנה אנכי עמך (בראשית כח טו), וכשחזר היה עמו, שנאמר ויאמר אלהים אל יעקב וגו' ואהיה עמך (שם לא ג).
Another interpretation (of Cant. 5:16): HIS PALATE (i.e., what he says) IS MOST SWEET: If a king of flesh and blood has a friend, he loves him. So, if that friend becomes ill,75Heb.: HLH, a word that can also be pointed to mean “sweeten.” he sends away to inquire after his health. Then, if he loves him even more, he goes to visit him. < But > if he went out into lodgings,76Gk.: xenia. is it thinkable that the king would go out with him? However, < it was > the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, < who > loved Jacob, as stated (in Mal. 1:2): YET I HAVE LOVED JACOB. When Deborah77Instead of DEBORAH (Rebekah’s nurse) Yalqut Shim‘oni, Cant., 991, reads, “Rebekah” here. died (in Gen. 35:8), < the Holy One > came to visit him; and, when he went out into lodgings, he was with him. It is so stated (in Gen. 28:15): AND SEE, I AM WITH YOU. When he returned, he was with him, as stated (in Gen. 31:3): THEN GOD SAID UNTO JACOB: < RETURN UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR ANCESTORS WHERE YOU WERE BORN >, AND I WILL BE WITH YOU.