We often think of the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim, as just that: a beautiful, sensual poem about love between a man and a woman. But what if it’s also about something much, much bigger? What if it’s about the love affair between God and the people of Israel?
The ancient Rabbis certainly saw it that way. And in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, the rabbinic commentary on the Song of Songs, we find some truly breathtaking interpretations. to one particularly beautiful passage.
Rabbi Berekhya, as the text tells us, offered two interpretations, one in the name of Rabbi Kahana and the other in the name of Rabbi Levi. Think of them as two different lenses through which to view this divine romance.
Kahana's interpretation speaks of a mutual admiration, a reciprocal praising. The congregation of Israel, that’s us, lauds God, and God, in turn, lauds us. But it's not a simple back-and-forth. It's layered. We praise God "from top to bottom," because He is "On High" and has rested His Shekhinah – His Divine Presence – on earth. God lauds us "from bottom to top," because even though we are on the lowest level, He is destined to elevate us. This echoes the promise we find in Deuteronomy 28:1: “The Lord your God will set you on high.” It's a future of upliftment, a destiny of being raised closer to the Divine.
Rabbi Levi offers a different, but equally enchanting, image. He compares the relationship to a king betrothing a noblewoman. The king, eager to see his betrothed, finally does and is overcome with praise. This is reflected in the verse from Song of Songs 7:8: “This, your stature, is likened to a date palm.” Think of the date palm – tall, strong, life-giving. It’s a beautiful compliment.
But the love isn't one-sided. The noblewoman, now eager to see her king, finally does and begins to laud him in turn. She praises him, saying, “His palate is sweet and all of him is delightful.”
What’s so powerful here is the mutuality. It’s not just about God's love for us, or our love for God. It’s about a reciprocal relationship, a constant exchange of admiration and affection. It’s a dance, a conversation, an ongoing expression of love. The Rabbis are showing us that our relationship with God isn’t some distant, abstract concept. It's intimate, passionate, and deeply personal. That the Divine, the Creator of the universe, delights in us, in you. And that our praise, our yearning, our love, is something that God cherishes. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the nature of love itself, and the incredible potential for connection that exists between us and the Source of all things.