Song of Songs Rabbah 1:3

¹“By the fragrance of your good oils, your name is like poured oil; therefore, the young women love you” (Song of Songs 1:3). “By the fragrance of your good oils,” Rabbi Yanai son of Rabbi Shimon [said]: All the songs that the patriarchs recited before You were fragrances, but we, “your name is like poured oil,” like a person who empties from his vessel to the vessel of another. All the mitzvot that the patriarchs performed before You were fragrances, but we, “your name is like poured oil,” [we have] two hundred and forty-eight positive commandments and three hundred and sixty-five negative commandments. Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Eliezer says: If all the seas were ink, [all the reeds that grow in] the swamps were quills, the heavens and the earth were scrolls, and all people were scribes, they would not suffice to write the matters of Torah that I have learned [from my teachers], and I culled only the equivalent of one who dips the tip of his quill, like a brush, in the sea. Rabbi Yehoshua says: If all the seas were ink, the swamps were quills, the heavens and the earth were sheets of parchment, and all people were scribes, they would not suffice to write the matters of Torah that I have learned, and I culled only the equivalent of one who dips the tip of his quill, like a brush, in the sea. Rabbi Akiva says: I do not have the ability to say what my teachers said; rather, my teachers culled from it, but I did not cull from it, but rather, like one who smells a citron. The one who smells enjoys, but the citron is not lacking. And like one who fills from an aqueduct and like one who lights from a lamp to a lamp. One time, Rabbi Akiva tarried in his arrival at the study hall. He arrived and sat outside. A question was asked: Is this the halakha ? They said: ‘The halakha is outside.’ Again a question was asked. They said: ‘Torah is outside.’ Again a question was asked. They said: ‘Akiva is outside, make room for him.’ He came and sat before the feet of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Eliezer’s study hall was configured like an oblong arena, and there was one stone there that was designated for him [Rabbi Eliezer] to sit upon. One time Rabbi Yehoshua entered and began kissing that stone. He said: ‘This stone is like Mount Sinai and the one who sits on it is like the Ark of the Covenant.’ ²Another matter, “by the fragrance of your good oils,” Rabbi Aḥa [said] in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Ḥiyya: There are two oils, the oil of priesthood and the oil of kingship. The Rabbis say: There are two Torahs, the written Torah and the Oral Torah. Rabbi Yudan said: “Your name is like poured oil [ shemen ],” oil improves on anyone who engages in the greatness [ shamna ] of the Torah. This is [consistent with another] opinion of Rabbi Yudan, who said: “The yoke will be broken due to the oil” (Isaiah 10:27). The yoke of Sennacheribwas broken due to Hezekiah and his associates, who were engaged in the greatness of Torah. Another matter, “your name is like poured oil,” just as this oil is bitter at its outset and sweet at its culmination, so too, “your beginning may be small, but your end will soar very high” (Job 8:7). Just as this oil improves only by means of crushing, so too, Israel repents only by means of crushing. Just as this oil does not mix with other liquids, so too, Israel, does not intermingle with the nations of the world, as it is written: “You shall not marry them” (Deuteronomy 7:3). Just as this oil, a full cup does not cause a drip like other liquids, so too, matters of Torah do not dislodge matters of cynicism. ). Just as this oil, when you have a cupful of oil in your hand and a drop of water falls into it, a corresponding drop of oil is dislodged, so too, if a matter of Torah enters the heart a corresponding matter of cynicism is dislodged, and if a matter of cynicism enters the heart, a corresponding matter of Torah is dislodged. Just as this oil brings light to the world, so too, Israel is light for the world, as it is stated: “The nations will walk by your light” (Isaiah 60:3). Just as this oil is superior to all liquids, so too, Israel is superior to all nations, as it is stated: “The Lord your God will place you supreme” (Deuteronomy 28:1). Just as oil does not produce a sound, so too, Israel does not produce a sound in this world. But regarding the World to Come it is written: “You will be brought down and you will speak from the ground” (Isaiah 29:4). ³Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse regarding Abraham our patriarch. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Go you from your land, from your birthplace” (Genesis 12:1), to what was it analogous? To a flask of balsam oil that was placed in one corner and its fragrance did not diffuse. One came and moved it from its place and its fragrance diffused. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Abraham, you have many good deeds, you have many mitzvot, move yourself around in the world and your name will be exalted in the world.’ “Go, you,” what is written thereafter? “I will render you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). “Therefore, young women love you.” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Here are many young women,’ as it is written: “Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his nephew, all the property that they acquired, and the souls that they made in Ḥaran” (Genesis 12:5). But is it not so, that if the whole world were to gather to create a single mosquito, they would be unable to create it? Rather, these are the proselytes that Abraham and Sarah proselytized. That is why it is stated: “And the souls that they made in Ḥaran.” Rabbi Ḥonya said: Abraham would proselytize the men and Sarah, the women. Why does the verse state: “That they made in Ḥaran”? It teaches that Abraham our patriarch would bring them into his house, feed them, give them drink, befriend them, and draw them near under the wings of the Divine Presence. You learn that anyone who brings a single person into the midst of the wings of the Divine Presence, the verse ascribes to him as though he created him, formed him, and molded him. Rabbi Berekhya said: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, from the fact that You bring light to the world, Your name is exalted in the world. What is the light? It is salvation, as when You bring us light, many proselytes come and convert and join us, such as Yitro and Raḥav. Yitro heard and came; Raḥav heard and came.’ Rabbi Ḥanina said: When the Holy One blessed be He performed a miracle for Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, many proselytes converted, as it is written: “For upon his seeing his children, My handiwork, in his midst, they will sanctify My name” (Isaiah 29:23). What is written thereafter? “Those of misguided spirit will gain understanding” (Isaiah 29:24). Another matter, “therefore, the young women love you,”because You gave us the plunder of Egypt, the plunder of the sea, the plunder of Siḥon and Og, and the plunder of the thirty-one kings. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women [ alamot ] love you,” because You obscured [ shehe’elamta ] from them the day of death and the day of consolation, they love You. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” with youthfullness and alacrity. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” these are the penitents. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” this is the third group, as it is stated: “I will bring the third through the fire, and I will refine them like the refining of [silver]” (Zechariah 13:9). Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” these are the proselytes; that is what is written: “Lord, I heard Your renown; I was afraid, Lord; your deeds are in the midst of the years…” (Habakkuk 3:2). Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” this is the generation of persecution, as it is stated: “For we are killed all day long for You; we are considered as sheep for slaughter” (Psalms 44:23). ] is related to al mut , beyond death. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” this is Israel, as it is stated: “Rather, it is from the Lord’s love of you, and from His observance of the oath…” (Deuteronomy 7:8). ). Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” because you obscured from them the reward of the righteous. ). As Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo said: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to render Himself the head of the circle for the righteous in the future. What is the reason? “Direct your heart to its ramparts [ leḥeila ]” (Psalms 48:14); a circle [ leḥola ] is written, , and its spelling cannot be vocalized leḥola . It is possible that the point of the midrash is that the more common construct of this word would be leḥeilah , or even leḥomatah . The fact that it is written leḥeila is in order to hint to the similar word, leḥola (see Etz Yosef ; Midrash Hamevoar ). righteous on this side and righteous on that side, and the Holy One blessed be He in the middle of them, and they youthfully dance before Him in circles, and indicate to each other with a finger and say: “For this is God, our God, forever and ever. He will lead us beyond death” (Psalms 48:15). In two worlds He will lead us, in this world and in the World to Come. Another matter, “He will lead us beyond death [ al mut ],” with youth [ alemut ] and alacrity. Alternatively, “beyond death [ al mut ],” like those young women, as it is stated: “Amid the drumming young women [ alamot ]” (Psalms 68:26). Alternatively, “beyond death [ al mut ],” Akilas translated: Athanasia , a world in which there is no death, and [people] motion to each other with a finger and say: “For this is God, our God, forever and ever. He will lead us beyond death.” In two worlds He will lead us, in this world and in the World to Come. In this world, as it is written: “For the Lord your God has blessed you” (Deuteronomy 15:6), and in the World to Come, as it is written: “The Lord will lead you always” (Isaiah 58:11).