The Tension Between Joy and Sorrow in Temple Song

[6] "I sleep, but my heart is awake; the voice of my beloved knocks: Open to me," etc. (Song of Songs 5:2). The Assembly of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the worlds, I sleep, away from the Temple, but my heart is awake in the synagogues and in the houses of study. I sleep, away from the sacrifices, but my heart is awake for commandments and acts of charity. I sleep, away from the commandments, but my heart is awake to perform them. I sleep, away from the End, but my heart is awake for the redemption. I sleep, away from the redemption, but the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, is awake to redeem us. Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said: From where do we find that the Holy One is called the heart of Israel? From that which is written: "The rock of my heart and my portion is God forever" (Psalms 73:26). "The voice of my beloved knocks" (Song of Songs there) -- this is Moses: "And Moses said: Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out," etc. (Exodus 11:4). "Open to me" (Song of Songs there) -- Rabbi Yassa said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Open for Me an opening like the eye of a needle, and I will open for you an opening through which tents and fortifications can enter. "My sister" (there) -- My sister in Egypt, for they joined themselves to Me through two commandments, with the blood of the Passover offering and with the blood of circumcision. "My beloved" (there) -- My beloved at the sea, for they showed Me affection at the sea and said: "The LORD will reign forever and ever" (Exodus 15:18). "My dove" (Song of Songs there) -- My dove at Marah, for they distinguished themselves before Me like a dove in the commandments. "My perfect one" (there) -- My perfect one at Sinai, for they made themselves wholehearted before Me at Sinai and said: "All that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will hear" (Exodus 24:7). Rabbi Yannai says: My twin -- I am not greater than her, and she is not greater than Me. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Just as with twins, if one of them has an ache in his head, his fellow feels it, so the Holy One, blessed be He, said: "I am with him in trouble" (Psalms 91:15). "For My head is filled with dew" (Song of Songs there) -- "The heavens also dropped" (Judges 5:4). "My locks with the drops of the night" (Song of Songs there) -- "the clouds also dropped water" (Judges there). When? "In this month" -- "This month shall be for you the beginning of months" (Exodus 12:2).