Song of Songs Rabbah 1:7

¹“Tell me, he whom my soul loves, where do you herd, where do you rest your flock at noon? Why should I be as one bound to the flocks of your companions” (Song of Songs 1:7). “Tell me, he whom my soul loves,” Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon interpreted the verse regarding Moses. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Now go and I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10), he said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, through me, my Lord, can all these things be accomplished? ], Lord,” is a play on the phrase “Please [ bi ] my Lord” (Exodus 4:13). How can I stand before all these multitudes? How many new mothers are there among them? How many pregnant women are there among them? How many small children are there among them? How many kinds of hearty food have You prepared for the new mothers among them? How many kinds of soft foods have You prepared for the pregnant women among them? How much roasted grain and how many nuts have You prepared for the small children among them?’ Where is this matter articulated? Here: “Tell me, he whom my soul loves”—the nation that my soul loves, the nation for whom I put my soul on the line; “where do you herd”—during the summer; “where do you rest your flock at noon”—during the rainy season. “Why should I be as one bound [ keoteya ],” Rabbi Ḥelbo said in the name of Rabbi Huna: Let me not be like this mourner who covers [ oteh ] until his upper lip and weeps, just as you say: “And he shall cover until his upper lip” (Leviticus 13:45). Another matter, “Why should I be as one bound,” let me not be like this shepherd that wolves infiltrated his flock and mauled it, and he wrapped his garment and departed, just as it says: “He will wrap the land of Egypt” (Jeremiah 43:12). “To the flocks of your companions,” when I [Moses] go to Your companions and they ask me about their flocks, what will I respond to them? ²Rabbi Berekhya interpreted it regarding this verse: “May the Lord, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint [a man over the congregation]” (Numbers 27:16). “May the Lord…appoint”—[Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, since you are ousting me from the world, inform me who are the shepherds whom You are installing over Your children.’ Where is the matter articulated? “Tell me, he whom my soul loves,” the nation that my soul loves, the nation to whom I dedicated my life; “where do you herd,” during the period of the monarchy; “where do you rest your flock at noon,” when [Israel is] subjudgated to [foreign] kingdoms. “Why [ shalama ] should I be as one bound [ keoteya ]?” Rabbi Azarya said: Shalama , that I will not [ shelo ] become as nothing [ lema ] in the eyes of Your companions regarding their flocks. There will be a desecration of Heaven in the matter if your children are in distress and the flocks of Your companions ). Alternatively, the reference is to the nations that descend from Ishmael and Esau, sons of the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac ( Midrash HaMevoar ). are comfortable. Rabbi Yudan bar Simon said: So the nations of the world will not say that the attribute of justice has erred [ ta’at ]. [God] knew that He sought to slaughter them in the wilderness and He slaughtered them in the wilderness, just as it says: “He slaughtered them in the wilderness” (Numbers 14:16). The Rabbis say: So that your children will not see that their trouble is trouble and deviate [ yatu ] from following You and cleave to the flocks of Your companions, just as you say: “Can the seat of wickedness be Your companion?” (Psalms 94:20). At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Moses, you say to Me: “Where do you herd, where do you rest your flock,” by your life, if you do not know, ultimately, you will know,’ as it is stated: “If you do not know, fairest among women” (Song of Songs 1:8). Another matter, “if you do not know, fairest among women,” fairest among prophets, the most outstanding among the prophets. Rabbi Yosei bar Yirmeya said: Why were the prophets likened to women? To say to you: Just as a woman is not shy about demanding her household needs from her husband, so the prophets are not shy about demanding the needs of Israel from their Father in Heaven.