Song of Songs Rabbah 1:15

¹“Behold, you are fair, my love; behold, you are fair; your eyes are like doves” (Song of Songs 1:15). “Behold, you are fair, my love; behold, you are fair.” Behold you are fair in mitzvot, behold you are fair in acts of kindness. Behold you are fair in positive commandments, behold you are fair in negative commandments. Behold you are fair in mitzvot of the house, in distributing teruma and tithes, behold you are fair in mitzvot of the field, in gleanings, forgotten sheaves, produce in the corner of the field, the tithe of the poor, and ownerless property. Behold you are fair regarding diverse kinds, behold you are fair regarding a cloak with ritual fringes. Behold you are fair regarding planting, behold you are fair regarding orla , behold you are fair regarding fruit of the fourth year. Behold you are fair regarding circumcision, behold you are fair regarding uncovering. Behold you are fair in prayer, behold you are fair in the reciting of Shema . Behold you are fair regarding mezuza , behold you are fair regarding phylacteries. Behold you are fair regarding sukka , behold you are fair regarding the palm branch and the citron. Behold you are fair regarding repentance, behold you are fair regarding good deeds. Behold you are fair in this world, behold you are fair in the World to Come. ²“Your eyes are like doves.” “Your eyes,” these are the Sanhedrin, who are the eyes of the congregation; that is what is written: “It shall be, if from the eyes of the congregation” (Numbers 15:24). There are two hundred and forty-eight limbs in a person, and all of them go and come only after the eyes. Similarly, Israel is unable to do anything without their Sanhedrin. “Doves,” just as this dove is flawless, so too, Israel is graceful in their walking when they ascend on the occasion of the pilgrim festivals. ). Just as the dove is distinguished [by its appearance], so too, Israel is distinguished regarding shaving, circumcision, and ritual fringes. Just as the dove is chaste, so too, Israel is chaste. Just as the dove extends its neck to be slaughtered, the same is true of Israel, as it is stated: “For we are killed for You all day” (Psalms 44:23). Just as the dove atones for iniquities, so too, Israel atones for the nations, as all those seventy bulls that they sacrifice on the festival of Sukkot correspond to the seventy nations, so the world will not be desolate of them. That is what is written: “In return for my love, they accuse me; I am prayer.” (Psalms 109:4). Just as the dove, from the moment it becomes familiar with its mate, it does not exchange it for another, so too Israel, from the moment that they became familiar with the Holy One blessed be He, they did not exchange Him for another. Just as the dove enters its nest and recognizes its nest and its cote and its fledglings, its chicks, and its openings, so are the three rows of Torah scholars when they sit before them, each and every one recognizes his designated place. Just as the dove, even if you take its fledglings from beneath it, it never forsakes its cote, so too Israel, even though the Temple was destroyed, they did not abolish the three annual pilgrim festivals. Just as each and every month, the dove renews the product of its cote, so too, each month, Israel renews its Torah and good deeds. Just as the dove dispatches many on foot and returns to its cote, the same is true of Israel. That is what is written: “They will stir like a bird from Egypt” (Hosea 11:11); this is the generation of the wilderness, “and like a dove from the land of Assyria” (Hosea 11:11); these are the Ten Tribes. Both these and those “I will settle them in their homes, the utterance of the Lord” (Hosea 11:11). Rabbi says: There is a species of dove that one feeds it, and its counterparts smell it and come to it in its cote. So too, when the elder is sitting and expounding, many proselytes convert at that moment, such as Yitro, he heard and came, Raḥav heard and came. Similarly in the case of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, many proselytes converted at that time. What is the reason? “When he sees his children… [who will sanctify My name]” (Isaiah 29:23). What is written thereafter? “Those of misguided spirit will attain understanding” (Isaiah 29:24). ³Rabbi was sitting and expounding and the audience was dozing. He sought to rouse them. He said: A certain woman in Egypt bore six hundred thousand in a single womb. There was one student there, Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei was his name. He said to him: ‘For whom was it so?’ [Rabbi] said to him: ‘This is Yokheved, who bore Moses, who is the equivalent of six hundred thousand of Israel.’ That is what is written: “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel” (Exodus 15:1). “The children of Israel did according to everything that the Lord commanded Moses, so they did” (Numbers 1:54). “There has not arisen another prophet in Israel like Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:10). ⁴“Your eyes are like doves.” Like doves; your quality is like that of the dove. Just as the dove brought light to the world, you, too, bring light to the world, as it is stated: “The nations will walk by your light” (Isaiah 60:3). When did the dove bring light to the world? During the days of Noah. That is what is written: “The dove came to him at evening time and behold, there was an olive leaf plucked [ taraf ] in its mouth” (Genesis 8:11). What is “ taraf in its mouth”? can refer to food or to killing. Killed, just as you say: “Joseph was mauled [ tarof taraf ]” (Genesis 37:33). Rabbi Berekhya said: Had it not killed it, it would have become a great tree. From where did it bring it? Rabbi Levi said: It brought it from the branches of the Land of Israel. That is what people say: The Land of Israel was not stricken with the flood waters. That is what was stated by Ezekiel: “Son of man, say to it: You are a land that has not been cleansed, that has not been rained upon on the day of fury” (Ezekiel 22:24). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even the lower millstones were dissolved in the water. ). Rabbi Taryi said: The gates of the Garden of Eden opened for it, and it brought it from there. Rabbi Aivu said to him: Had it brought it from the Garden of Eden, should it not have brought a high-quality item, e.g., cinnamon or balsam? Rather it was hinting to Noah, [as though] it said to him: My master, Noah: [It is preferable to have something] bitter from this [tree] from the hand of the Holy One blessed be He, and not [something] sweet from your hand.