But in Shir HaShirim Rabbah – that’s the collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Song of Songs – we find a beautiful exploration of just that. It's all about unpacking the verse "as your love is better than wine." The rabbis of old weren’t just being poetic; they were digging deep into the essence of Torah and its relationship to our lives.
The text starts with the idea that matters of Torah are like water, oil, honey, and milk. Let's take water first. "Ho, everyone who is thirsty, go to water!" (Isaiah 55:1). Just as water stretches across the entire earth, as Psalm 136:6 says, "To the One who spreads the earth over the water," so too does the Torah extend everywhere, "Its measure is longer than the earth" (Job 11:9). It's a universal teaching, a source of life, just like water. Remember, "A garden spring, a well of living water" (Song of Songs 4:15)? Well, Torah is the same: "They are life for those who find them" (Proverbs 4:22). It even comes from the heavens, like rain, just as Exodus 20:19 says, "That I spoke to you from the heavens."
And it doesn't stop there. Just as water restores the soul, like in Judges 15:19 when God split the hollow that was in Lehi, so too does Torah, "The Torah of the Lord is complete, restoring the soul" (Psalms 19:8). Think about that: Torah isn't just information; it's a life-giving force. It purifies us, like the water in Ezekiel 36:25: "I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you will be purified." Torah, too, purifies, "The words of the Lord are pure words" (Psalms 12:7). It even covers our shortcomings, just as water covers the seabed (Isaiah 11:9), and as Proverbs 10:12 says, "Love covers all transgressions." The Torah makes us beloved to God.
But here's where it gets really interesting. The text acknowledges that water has its downsides. It can become spoiled, right? So, the rabbis ask, is Torah the same? No! That’s where the comparison to wine comes in. The longer wine ages, the better it gets. And so it is with Torah: the longer it stays with a person, the greater they become.
And unlike water, which can be hard to identify once it's mixed in, the Torah is recognizable in a person. People can point and say, "This is a Torah scholar." And while water might not always bring joy, wine certainly does! "Wine will cause the heart of a person to rejoice" (Psalms 104:15). And so, too, do the precepts of the Lord, "causing the heart to rejoice" (Psalms 19:9).
But, uh oh, wine can be harmful too, can’t it? So, the text brings in oil! Oil is pleasant for the head and the body, and so is Torah, "Your word is a lamp to my feet" (Psalms 119:105). But what about the fact that oil can be bitter at first? That's where honey and milk come in! They're sweet, and so is Torah, "Sweeter than honey" (Psalms 19:11).
But honey has waste products, right? That's where milk steps in: pure and unadulterated. And together, honey and milk are a perfect mix, just like Torah: "It will be healing for your navel" (Proverbs 3:8), "they are life for those who find them" (Proverbs 4:22).
It's a layered, nuanced understanding of Torah, isn't it? But the text doesn’t stop there. It offers another layer of interpretation: "as your love is better" refers to the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – while "than wine" refers to the princes. Or, it says, "as your love is better" refers to the offerings, while "than wine" refers to the libations. Rabbi Ḥanina even suggests that if Moses knew how beloved the offerings would be, he would have sacrificed all the offerings in the Torah! Instead, he appealed to the merit of the patriarchs (Exodus 32:13).
Finally, we arrive at a powerful statement: "as your love is better" refers to the Jewish people, while "than wine" refers to the gentiles. The text even breaks down the numerical value of the Hebrew word for wine, yayin (yod-yod-nun), to equal seventy, corresponding to the seventy nations of the world. The message? Israel is more beloved to God than all the nations.
So, what does it all mean? It's more than just a simple comparison. It's about understanding the multifaceted nature of Torah – its universality, its life-giving properties, its sweetness, its purity. It’s about recognizing that Torah isn't just a set of rules or stories; it's a living, breathing entity that sustains us, guides us, and connects us to something greater than ourselves. And maybe, just maybe, it’s a little bit like a really good glass of wine.