Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, captures this beautifully in its interpretation of the verse: "I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon" (Song of Songs 1:5).
The text isn't just talking about appearances, but about the complex relationship between Israel and God. "I am black but lovely," it says, "black in terms of my actions but lovely in terms of the actions of my ancestors." It's a stunningly honest assessment.
The commentary goes on to explore this duality, this tension between "black" and "lovely," throughout Israel's history. The congregation of Israel acknowledges its sins, striving for improvement in serving God. As the Maharzu points out, they demand this of themselves. Yet, they remain lovely in the eyes of their Creator. As it says in (Amos 9:7), "Are you not like Kushites to Me, children of Israel [– the utterance of the Lord]?" They are like Kushites in their own estimation, but to God, they are still the children of Israel. We're flawed. We know it. But that doesn't negate our inherent worth, our inherent loveliness in the eyes of the divine.
The Midrash (rabbinic commentary) then takes us on a journey through pivotal moments in Jewish history, showing us this duality in action.
"I was black in Egypt and I was lovely in Egypt," the text declares. Black because "they defied Me and were unwilling to heed Me" (Ezekiel 20:8). But lovely because of the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision – powerful symbols of covenant and redemption. "I passed you, and I saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you: In your blood, you shall live" (Ezekiel 16:6).
It continues: black at the sea (they rebelled, as (Psalm 106:7) tells us), but lovely at the sea ("This is my God and I will glorify Him," from Exodus 15:2). Black at Mara (complaining about the water, (Exodus 15:2)4), but lovely at Mara (God sweetening the water, (Exodus 15:2)5). Black at Refidim (the place of "trial" and "dispute," as (Exodus 17:7) describes it), but lovely at Refidim (building an altar and declaring, "The Lord is my banner," (Exodus 17:1)5).
The pattern continues: Ḥorev, the wilderness, the story of the scouts, Shittim, Akhan… a litany of failures and redemptions, of moments of darkness and sparks of light. Even at Ḥorev, despite crafting the Golden Calf (Psalm 106:19), they declared, "Everything that the Lord stated we will perform and we will heed" (Exodus 24:7).
And finally, the text contrasts the kings of Israel with the kings of Judah, implying a similar pattern of blackness and loveliness.
What's the takeaway? The Midrash concludes with a powerful statement: "If with the black that I had, I was lovely, among My prophets, all the more so." Or, as some suggest, "lovely ones." If even in our darkest moments, we are still capable of loveliness, how much more so when we are striving to be our best selves?
This interpretation offers a profound message of hope and resilience. It acknowledges our imperfections but refuses to let them define us. It reminds us that even when we stumble, we are still capable of beauty, of goodness, of connection with the divine.
So, the next time you feel like you're a walking contradiction, remember the words of Shir HaShirim Rabbah: "I am black but lovely." Embrace the complexity. Acknowledge the flaws. And never forget the inherent loveliness within you. Because maybe, just maybe, that's where true growth begins.
“I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon” (Song of Songs 1:5). “I am black but lovely,” black in terms of my actions but lovely in terms of the actions of my ancestors. “I am black but lovely,” the congregation of Israel said: I am black in terms of myself,188I acknowledge my sins and demand of myself that I improve in my service of God (Maharzu). and am, therefore, lovely before my Creator, as it is written: “Are you not like Kushites to Me, children of Israel [– the utterance of the Lord]” (Amos 9:7), you are like Kushites in terms of yourselves, but to Me you are the children of Israel – the utterance of the Lord. Another matter, I was black in Egypt and I was lovely in Egypt. I was black in Egypt; “they defied Me and were unwilling to heed Me” (Ezekiel 20:8). I was lovely in Egypt, with the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, as it is written: “I passed you, and I saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you: In your blood, you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6); this is the blood of the Paschal offering; “I said to you: In your blood, you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6); this is the blood of circumcision. Another matter, I was black at the sea, as it is stated: “They rebelled at the sea, at the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). And I was lovely at the sea, as it is stated: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). I was black at Mara, as it is stated: “The people complained against Moses, saying: What will we drink?” (Exodus 15:24). And I was lovely at Mara, as it is stated: “He cried to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree and he cast it into the water and the waters were sweetened” (Exodus 15:25). I was black in Refidim, as it is stated: “He called the name of the place Masa and Meriva” (Exodus 17:7).189Masa and Meriva literally translate to “trial” and “dispute.” And I was lovely in Refidim, as it is stated: “Moses built an altar, and he called its name: The Lord is my banner” (Exodus 17:15). I was black at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “They crafted a calf at Ḥorev” (Psalms 106:19). And I was lovely at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “Everything that the Lord stated we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). I was black in the wilderness, as it is stated: “How much they defied Him in the wilderness” (Psalms 78:40). And I was lovely in the wilderness with the establishment of the Tabernacle, as it is stated: “On the day the Tabernacle was established” (Numbers 9:15). I was black with the scouts, as it is stated: “They issued a slanderous report” (Numbers 13:32). And I was lovely with Joshua and Caleb, as it is stated: “Except Caleb ben Yefuneh the Kenizite [and Joshua son of Nun]” (Numbers 32:12). I was black in Shitim, as it is stated: “Israel settled in Shitim [and the people began engaging in harlotry]” (Numbers 25:1). And I was lovely in Shitim, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). I was black regarding Akhan, as it is stated: “The children of Israel trespassed regarding the proscribed spoils” (Joshua 7:1). And I was lovely regarding Joshua, as it is stated: “Joshua said to Akhan: My son, please give honor [to the Lord, God of Israel]” (Joshua 7:19). I was black regarding the kings of Israel and I was lovely regarding the kings of Judah. If with the black that I had, I was lovely, among My prophets, all the more so.190Many commentaries suggest that the text should read “lovely ones [na’im]” rather than “prophets [neviim]” (see, e.g., Maharzu; Etz Yosef). One interpretation of this statement is: If even at the places where I was black I was also lovely, how much more so in the places where I was not black.
