Song of Songs Rabbah 3:4

¹“I had almost passed them when I found the one whom my soul loves; I held him and would not release him until I brought him to my mother's house, and to the chamber of the one who conceived me” (Song of Songs 3:4). “I had almost passed them when I found the one whom my soul loves,” this is Moses. “I held him and would not release him until I brought him to my mother's house,” this is Sinai. “And to the chamber of the one who conceived me,” this is the Tent of Meeting, as it is from there that Israel became liable for teachings. ²Another matter, “on my bed at nights,” this is the night of Babylon. “I sought the one whom my soul loves,” this is Daniel; “I sought him, but did not find him.” “I will rise now, and circulate in the city, in the streets and in the squares. I will seek the one whom my soul loves,” this is Daniel. “I sought him, but I did not find him.” “The watchmen…found me,” these are the Chaldeans; “the one whom my soul loves,” this is Daniel. Where did he go? One says to a fast; and one says to a feast. The one who says to a fast, as he was pleading for mercy regarding the destruction of the Temple: “Now, our God, heed the prayer of Your servant” (Daniel 9:17). The one who says to a feast; to read the writing of Belshatzar; that is what is written: “ Mene mene tekel ufarsin ” (Daniel 5:25). Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta, Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Mene : mem, mem, tav, vav, samekh ; nun, nun, kof, peh, yod ; alef, alef, lamed, resh, nun . Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Yod, tet, tav ; yod, tet, tav ; alef, dalet, kaf ; peh, vav, gimmel, ḥet, mem, tet . cipher, in which alef , the first letter of the alphabet, is replaced with tav [ at ], the last letter; beit is replaced with shin , etc. This is also an allusion to the divine source of the message. The Rabbis say: Alef, nun, mem; alef, nun, mem; lamed, kof, tav; nun, yod , samekh, resh, peh, vav. Rabbi Meir says: In accordance with its plain meaning. Mene mene tekel ufarsin . God has counted [ mana ] the years of your kingdom and it has been completed. is written twice to indicate that God counted at the outset and counted again at present, and the time for the Babylonian kingdom had elapsed. God weighed [ tekel ] in Aramaic replaces the Hebrew shin ; therefore tekel is the equivalent of shakal – weighed. on the scale... He has divided [ paras ] your kingdom and given it… At that moment all Israel assembled near Daniel and said to him: ‘Our master Daniel, all the dire and harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied befell us, and the one positive prophecy that he prophesied in our regard: “For at the completion of seventy years for Babylonia, [I will remember you]” (Jeremiah 29:10), has not yet transpired.’ He said to them: ‘Bring me the book of Isaiah.’ He began reading until he reached this verse: “A prophecy of the wilderness of the sea, like gale force winds in the south” (Isaiah 21:1). If sea, why wilderness, if wilderness, why sea? Rather, these are the four kingdoms that are likened to beasts, as it is written: “And four great beasts” (Daniel 7:3). Rabbi Ḥanina said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Each different from the other” (Daniel 7:3); the damage that each causes is different from the other. If you merit, from the sea; if not, from the forest; just as these beasts, that ascend from the sea, do not cause damage and those that emerge from the forest do cause damage, so too, if you merit, the nations will not rule over you. On a similar note, “the boar from the forest [ miyaar ] will gnaw at it” (Psalms 80:14). There is a suspended ayin . in the word miyaar is written such that it is small and suspended over the other letters. This is so that the word can be read without the ayin , as river [ yeor ], or with the ayin , as forest [ yaar ]. If you merit, it will be from the river [ yeor ] and if not, from the forest [ yaar ]. Just as the beast that ascends from the sea does not cause damage, [and that which] emerges from the forest causes damage, so it is. “Like sweeping gale force winds in the south” (Isaiah 21:1), Rabbi Levi said: You do not have any windstorm that is as severe as the windstorm that comes from the north and causes the people located in the south to turn white from terror. What is this? This is Nebuchadnezzar, who arose from the north and destroyed the Temple that was located in the south. “Coming from the wilderness [from a fearful land]” (Isaiah 21:1). From where did he come? Rabbi Ḥanina said: He came from a desolate path in the wilderness, [as it is stated]: “Coming from the wilderness from a fearful land.” “A harsh vision was told to me” (Isaiah 21:2). There are ten expressions for prophecy: Vision [ ḥazon ], prophecy [ nevua ], preaching [ hatafa ], speech [ dibur ], saying [ amira ], command [ tzivui ], burden [ masa ], parable [ mashal ], poetry [ melitza ], riddle [ ḥida ]. Which is the harshest of all? Rabbi Eliezer says: Vision [ ḥazon ] is the harshest, as it is stated: “A harsh vision [ ḥazut ] was told to me” (Isaiah 21:2). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Speech [ dibur ] is the harshest, as it is stated: “The man, lord of the land, spoke [ diber ] harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). The Rabbis say: Burden [ masa ] is the harshest, in its plain sense: “Like a heavy burden [ masa ]” (Psalms 38:5). “The traitor betrays and the plunderer plunders. Ascend [ ali ], Eilam! Besiege, Media!” (Isaiah 21:2). The trouble of Eilam has already disappeared [ nitalem ]. “Besiege [ tzuri ], Media,” the trouble [ tzara ] of Media has already been created [ notzera ]. “All its sighing I ended” (Isaiah 21:2); all the sighing caused by Babylon. “Therefore my loins are filled with trembling” (Isaiah 21:3), Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said: Because they sensed some of the trouble that the kingdoms would cause, our ancestors became restive. Initially, “…to circumvent the land of Edom, and the soul of the people grew restive” (Numbers 21:4). Jeremiah said: “We bring our bread at the peril of our lives” (Lamentations 5:9). Daniel said: “I, Daniel, my spirit was distressed” (Daniel 7:15). Isaiah said: “Therefore my loins are filled with trembling” (Isaiah 21:3). We, who are engulfed within their innards for many days, many years, many eras, and many epochs, all the more so. “Therefore, my loins are filled with trembling; pains have overcome me, like the pains of a woman in childbirth. I am confounded from hearing; I am frightened from seeing” (Isaiah 21:3). “I am confounded from hearing”—the sounds of blasphemies and curses of the wicked; that is what is written: “You have been haughty toward the Lord of heaven: and the vessels of His House…” (Daniel 5:23). “I am frightened from seeing,” from seeing the tranquility of that wicked one; that is what is written: “King Belshatzar made a great banquet” (Daniel 5:1). What is “great”? Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: Greater than that of his God. He said to them: ‘Your omer , how was it prepared for sacrifice?’ They said: ‘With thirteen sifters.’ He said to them: ‘But mine is with fourteen sifters.’ “My heart is bewildered” (Isaiah 21:4), this is the court, which erred in the calculation of one day. “Terror [ palatzut ] has frightened me” (Isaiah 21:4), Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua said: You enjoyed my cup [ peyali ]. Alternatively, palatzut , the mouth [ peh ] that spreads words of cynicism [ letzut ]; alternatively, “terror [ palatzut ] has frightened me,” because words of cynicism emerged. “My night of desire, he has transformed into horror” (Isaiah 21:4), the night regarding which my soul was yearning for, for redemption, has been transformed into horror. “Setting the table” (Isaiah 21:5), you set the table, “kindling the candelabrum” (Isaiah 21:5), you set up the candelabrum, you kindled the lamps. “Arise princes” (Isaiah 21:5), these are Cyrus and Darius; “anoint the shield” (Isaiah 21:5), receive the kingdom. Cyrus had said to Darius: ‘Reign before me.’ Darius said to Cyrus: ‘That is not what Daniel articulated: “Your kingdom is divided and given to Media and Persia” (Daniel 5:28), to Media first and to Persia thereafter. You should reign before me.’ When that wicked one heard, he dispatched and said to his armies: ‘Any nation and kingdom that rebelled against me, we will invade them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, you sent to everyone, did you perhaps send to me? By your life, the punishment of that man will not come from anywhere else, but rather from Me.’ That is what is written: “For it is not from the east or the west…but God is the Judge; He humbles this one and elevates that one” (Psalms 75:7–8), He will humble Belshatzar and elevate Cyrus and Darius. Cyrus and Darius were Belshatzar’s gatekeepers. When he heard these verses, he said to them: ‘Anyone whom you see here tonight, even if he says to you: I am the king, remove his head.’ It is not the way of kings to situate their lavatories within their halls, but rather outside their halls. His bowels were loose all that night and he went out and they did not notice him. When he entered, they noticed him. They said to him: ‘Who are you?’ He said to them: ‘I am the king.’ They said to him: ‘Is this not what the king commanded, that anyone whom we see here this night, even if he says to you: I am the king, remove his head?’ What did they do? They took a branch from the candelabrum and pierced his brain. That is what is written: “On that night, Belshatzar the Chaldean king was killed (Daniel 5:30). At what hour was he killed? Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, Rabbi Elazar said: At the time when sleep begins. Rabbi Shmuel said: When one can distinguish between a wolf and a dog. They do not disagree. The one who says: When sleep begins [says that Belshatzar] was convulsing that entire day, as it was attributed to him as part of his reign. ). Some suggest that the text should read that he was convulsing all night and died in the morning (Rabbi David Luria). The one who says: When one can distinguish between a wolf and a dog [says that] he was dying all that night, as it was attributed to him as part of his reign. ). Rabbi Binyamin ben Levi said: Like the time between one cup and another cup, one kingdom was replaced by another kingdom. That is what is written: “For a cup is in the hand of the Lord with foaming wine…He pours from it. [But the dregs are sucked, drunk by all the wicked of the earth]” (Psalms 75:9). This is why the prophet mocks and says: “Go down and sit on the dust” (Isaiah 47:1). The punishment fits the crime; just as there: “The elders of the daughter of Zion will sit silently on the ground” (Lamentations 2:10), so here: “Go down and sit on the dust.” Rabbi Ḥunya said: So said Jerusalem to the daughter of Babylon: Old, worn out, repulsive harlot, go down. You consider yourself a virgin; you are old. “Sit on the ground without a chair” (Isaiah 47:1), your meriting that throne is null and void. What merit did he have? “At that time Merodakh Baladan, [son of Baladan, king of Babylon], sent [scrolls and a gift to Hezekiah; he had heard that he had become ill and recovered]” (Isaiah 39:1). They said that Merodakh was a sun worshipper, and he was accustomed to eat at the sixth hour and would sleep until the ninth hour. When the orb of the sun receded in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, he slept and arose and found that it was morning. He sought to kill all of his guards. He said to them: ‘You let me sleep all day and all night?’ They said to him: ‘The day receded.’ He said to them: ‘Who was the God who caused it to recede?’ They said: ‘The God of Hezekiah caused it to recede.’ He said to them: ‘Is there a god greater than my god?’ They said to him: ‘The God of Hezekiah is greater than your god.’ He immediately sent scrolls and a gift to Hezekiah. That is what is written: “At that time Merodakh Baladan…sent.” What did he write in them? Greetings to Hezekiah, greetings to the great God, greetings to Jerusalem. When the letters had been dispatched he reconsidered and said: ‘I acted improperly. I had the greetings to Hezekiah precede those to his God.’ Immediately, he arose from his throne, took three steps, recalled the letters and wrote other letters in their place. He wrote in them: Greetings to the great God of Hezekiah, greetings to Hezekiah, and greetings to Jerusalem. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You arose from your throne and took three steps in My honor; by your life, I will establish three cosmopolitan kings from you who will rule from one end of the world to the other.’ These are they: Nebuchadnezzar, Evil Merodakh, and Belshatzar. When they arose and blasphemed, the Holy One blessed be He eliminated any vestige of them from the world, and established others in their stead. It is written: “Hezekiah rejoiced over them and he showed them his treasure house [ beit nekhoto ]” (Isaiah 39:2). What is beit nekhoto ? Rabbi Imi said: It is the bite [ nekhita ] that he took from Sennacherib, and the plunder that he plundered from Sennacherib. He showed them a sword swallowing a sword. ). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: He showed them houses adorned with ivory like wax. Rabbi Yehuda says: He showed them honey as hard as a rock. Rabbi Levi said: With this we go out to war and emerge victorious. ). It is written: “Take millstones and grind flour” (Isaiah 47:2). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: All the people grind wheat and you say: “Take millstones and grind flour”? Rather, so said Jerusalem to the daughter of Babylon: ‘Had it not been that they waged war against me from On High, could you have overcome me? Had He not “sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13), could you have overcome me? It is ground flour that you ground; it is a dead lion that you killed; it is a burnt abode that you burned.’ Another matter, “take millstones and grind flour,” in the past, others would grind for you, now, “take millstones and grind flour.” “Expose your braid” (Isaiah 47:2), be stripped of your dignity; this is the king, who is situated behind seven partitions. “Bare a leg [ shovel ], [expose a thigh to cross rivers]” (Isaiah 47:2), stand exposed to the current [ shibolet ] of the river. ). “Cross rivers,” in the past you would cross in wagons of silver and gold, and now, “expose a thigh to cross rivers.” “Your nakedness will be exposed” (Isaiah 47:3), the punishment fits the crime. Just as there, “all who honored her demeaned her because they saw her nakedness” (Lamentations 1:8), so, here, “your nakedness will be exposed.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I am destined to bring punishment upon the daughter of Babylon, and even though Daniel will seek mercy on its behalf, as it is written: “Redeem your sins with charity…” (Daniel 4:24), I will not listen to him.’ Why? “Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Isaiah 47:4).