Song of Songs Rabbah 5:3

¹“I have removed my tunic; how can I don it? I have washed my feet; how can I soil them? My beloved extended his hand through the hole, and my core was stirred for him” (Song of Songs 5:3–4). “I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic”? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yoḥanan say: On the day that the wicked Nebuchadnezzar attacked Israel, he removed from them two great garments: the garment of priesthood and the garment of royalty. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Why is the image of a hole employed, as the hole is a place where creeping animals breed? Rather, this is what the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, all the miracles that You performed on my behalf by means of Cyrus, would it not have been preferable to have performed them by means of Daniel, or by means of a righteous person? Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him.” Rabbi Azarya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: I bestow kindness. You say: “My core was stirred for him.” I, too, said: “My innards, My innards, I am trembling” (Jeremiah 4:19). Another matter: “I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Reish Lakish: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic; how can I don it”? Rather, why is this? It is because sleep in the season of Shavuot is pleasant, and the night is short. . The midrash assumes that the Israelites did not awake early enough in the morning for the giving of the Torah (see also Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:12). Rabbi Yudan said: Not even a flea bit them. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole. Rabbi Ami said: Like a poor person who seeks charity. Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him,” and He said to me: “Therefore My innards yearn for him; I will have mercy on him, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:19).