Ever read Song of Songs and wondered, "Where on earth did this passionate love poem even come from?" It's a question that's occupied Jewish thought for centuries, and the Rabbis of the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) didn't shy away from tackling it head-on.
Our verse for today, from (ong of Songs 1:2), is: "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine." Simple. Beautiful, even. But where does it fit? Where was it uttered?
Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the Midrash on Song of Songs, dives right into this. It's not content with just accepting the verse at face value. It wants context, a story behind the story. And what it unearths is fascinating.
Rabbi Ḥinena bar Pappa suggests a dramatic setting: the splitting of the Red Sea! Remember that iconic moment? According to him, that's where this verse originated, connecting it to (Song of Songs 1:9), "To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots [I have likened you my love]." At that moment of ultimate salvation, Israel yearned for deeper connection, to "rest the Divine Spirit upon us and we will recite many songs."
But Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Simon points us in a different direction: Sinai. He ties it to the very name of the book: "The song of songs [hashirim]; the song that was recited by the singers [hashorerim]." He cleverly links this to (Psalm 68:26), "First the singers [hasharim] and then the musicians," seeing that Psalm as a description of the giving of the Torah. Therefore, the love song is the giving of the Torah!
And it gets even more interesting. We even hear that Rabbi Natan believed that God Himself recited it! This intimate, yearning verse coming from the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is stated: “The song of songs that is Solomon’s [lishlomo]”—the King [of Whom it may be stated that] peace [shalom] is His.”
Rabban Gamliel offers yet another perspective: the ministering angels sang it at the giving of the Torah, and they were saying, “Let Him give us of the kisses that He kissed his children."
Rabbi Yoḥanan doubles down on Sinai, emphasizing the direct communication: "Let him kiss me from the kisses of his mouth." This is where the Holy One blessed be He spoke to the Israelites with His mouth.
Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis then shift the scene to the Mishkan, the Tent of Meeting, and later the Beit Hamikdash, the Temple in Jerusalem. They interpret (Song of Songs 4:16) – “Awake, north, and come, south, [blow upon my garden, that its spices will spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his delicious fruits]” – as a symbolic description of the sacrificial offerings and the Divine Presence dwelling in the Temple. In this view, the verse is a plea: "Let Him send down fire and receive His offerings."
Each Rabbi, each interpretation, offers a different facet of this multifaceted verse. They aren't necessarily disagreeing; rather, they're enriching our understanding. Is it about physical love? Spiritual connection? Divine revelation? National redemption?
Maybe… it's all of the above.
Ultimately, Rabbi Yoḥanan brings us back to Sinai, suggesting that the kiss represents the giving of the Torah itself. The request, then, is "Let Him give us kisses from inside His mouth," which means: Let Him give us more mitzvot (commandments), commandments, and share deep insights into the Torah.
So, what do we take away from all this? Perhaps it's that Song of Songs isn't just a love poem. It's a conversation. A dialogue between humanity and the Divine. A constant yearning for closeness, for understanding, for that ultimate "kiss" of connection. And like any good conversation, it can take place anywhere, at any time, in any place where we seek to connect with something greater than ourselves.
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine” (Song of Songs 1:2). “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,” where was it stated? Rabbi Ḥinena bar Pappa said: It was stated at the sea, as it is stated: “To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots [I have likened you my love]” (Song of Songs 1:9). Rabbi Yuda ben Rabbi Simon said: It was stated at Sinai, as it is stated: “The song of songs” [hashirim]; the song that was recited by the singers [hashorerim], as it is stated: “First the singers [hasharim] and then the musicians” (Psalms 68:26).63This psalm is understood as referring to the giving of the Torah, and therefore the fact that the verse “let him kiss me” is introduced as a song indicates that it was stated at the giving of the Torah. It was taught in the name of Rabbi Natan: The Holy One blessed be He in the glory of His greatness recited it, as it is stated: “The song of songs that is Solomon’s [lishlomo]”—the King [of Whom it may be stated that] peace [shalom] is His.” Rabban Gamliel says: The ministering angels recited it;64At the giving of the Torah. “the song of songs,” the song that was recited by the supernal singers [sharim]. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It was stated in Sinai, as it is stated: “Let him kiss me from the kisses of his mouth.”65This is where the Holy One blessed be He spoke to the Israelites with His mouth. Rabbi Meir says: It was stated in the Tent of Meeting, and he derives it from this verse: “Awake, north, and come, south, [blow upon my garden, that its spices will spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his delicious fruits]” (Song of Songs 4:16). “Awake, north,” this is the burnt offering that is slaughtered in the north [side of the Temple Courtyard]; “and come, south,” this is the peace offering that is slaughtered in the south. “Blow upon my garden,” this is the Tent of Meeting; “its spices will spread,” this is the incense of the spices. “Let my beloved come to his garden,” this is the Divine Presence; “and eat his delicious fruits,” these are the offerings. The Rabbis say: [It was stated] in the Permanent House [the Temple]. The Rabbis, too, derive it from this verse. “Awake, north,” this is the burnt offering that is slaughtered in the north; “and come, south,” this is the peace offering that is slaughtered in the south. “Blow upon my garden,” this is the Permanent House; “its spices will spread,” this is the incense of the spices. “Let my beloved come to his garden,” this is the Divine Presence; “and eat his delicious fruits,” these are the offerings. The Rabbis say that all the others, too, all of it was stated regarding the Eternal House.66The verses preceding Song of Songs 4:16 also refer to the Temple. Rabbi Aḥa said: The verse of “a canopy bed” (Song of Songs 3:9) and those that follow it. The Rabbis67Those who interpret Song of Songs 3:9–4:16 as referring to the Tabernacle rather than the Temple. render it an introduction to: “It was on the day that Moses concluded [setting up the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1).68See Bemidbar Rabba 12:4 and Shir HaShirim Rabba 3:9. In the opinion of Rabbi Ḥinena bar Pappa, who said that it was stated at the sea, [Israel said:] Let Him rest the Divine Spirit upon us and we will recite many songs.69This is the meaning of the verse “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” In the opinion of Rabban Gamliel, who said the ministering angels stated it, [they were saying:] Let Him give us of the kisses that He kissed his children.70May God show us the affection He has shown Israel through the giving of the Torah. In the opinion of Rabbi Meir, who said it was stated at the Tent of Meeting, [the meaning is:] Let Him send down fire and receive His offerings. In the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, who said it was stated at Sinai, [the meaning is:] Let Him give us kisses from inside His mouth.71Let Him give us more mitzvot and share deep insights into the Torah. That is what is written: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.”
