Israel the Dove Beautiful in Deeds and Devotion

"And you shall command the children of Israel" (Exodus 27:20). "Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, behold you are beautiful, your eyes are doves" (Song of Songs 1:15). See how the Holy One, blessed be He, praises the assembly of Israel. "Behold you are beautiful" in your deeds; "behold you are beautiful" in the deeds of your forefathers; "behold you are beautiful" in the house, "upon the doorposts of your house"; "behold you are beautiful" in the field, in heave-offerings and tithes, in gleanings, the forgotten sheaf, and the corner of the field; "behold you are beautiful" on the roof, "and you shall make a parapet for your roof" (Deuteronomy 22:8); "behold you are beautiful" in this world; "behold you are beautiful" in the world to come. "Your eyes are doves" — these are the Sanhedrin. Just as the whole body follows after the eyes, so Israel would follow after the Sanhedrin in what they tell them: impure, impure; pure, pure. And what is the dove like? All other birds, when they are slaughtered, immediately convulse; but the dove does not do so. Rather, it stretches out its neck. So too, none give their life for the Holy One, blessed be He, except Israel, as it is said, "for your sake we are slain all the day" (Psalms 44:23).