Another matter, “or a fawn,” Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Like the offspring of a hind. “Behold, he is standing behind our wall,” behind the Western Wall of the Temple. Why? Because the Holy One blessed be He took an oath that it will never be destroyed. The Priests’ Gate and Ḥulda Gate will never be destroyed until the Holy One blessed be He refurbishes them. “Gazing through the window,” this is the merit of the patriarchs. “Peering through the lattice,” this is the merit of the matriarchs.
“My beloved spoke up, and he said to me: Rise, my love, my fair one, and go” (Song of Songs 2:10). “My beloved spoke up [ana], and he said [ve’amar] to me,” what did He say to me? “This month is for you the beginning of the months” (Exodus 12:2). Alternatively, “my beloved spoke up, and he said to me,” Rabbi Azarya said: Is speaking not the same as saying? Rather, he answered [ana] me by means of Moses, and said [ve’amar] to me by means of Aaron.106God sent Moses in response to Israel’s pleas for help, and He spoke to them by means of Aaron, who served as Moses’ spokesman (Midrash HaMevoar). What did He say to me? “Rise, my love, my fair one, and go.” “Rise,” hurry yourself. Another matter, “rise [kumi lakh]” daughter of Abraham, in whose regard it is written: “Go [lekh lekha] from your land and from your birthplace” (Genesis 12:1). “My love [raayati], my fair one [yafati],” daughter of Isaac, who endeared [sheria] himself to Me and exalted [yipa] Me upon the altar. “And go,” daughter of Jacob, who obeyed his father and his mother, as it is stated: “Jacob obeyed his father and mother and went to Padan Aram” (Genesis 28:7).