The book of Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim) explores the depths of human and divine love, and the Rabbis, in their interpretations, find layers upon layers of meaning within its verses. Today, we're diving into Shir HaShirim Rabbah 6, a midrashic exploration of the verse "For love is as intense as death, jealousy is as cruel as the grave" (Song of Songs 8:6).
This verse, seemingly simple, becomes a prism through which the Rabbis examine various relationships, both earthly and divine, highlighting the intensity and potential pitfalls of both love and jealousy.
The Midrash, in its characteristic style, offers multiple interpretations. First, it speaks of the love between God and Israel. "For love is as intense as death" – the love that the Holy One, blessed be He, has for you is as intense as death. We see this reflected in Malachi 1:2: "I have loved you, said the Lord…" But this intense love has a flip side. "Jealousy is as cruel as the grave" – when the Israelites infuriate God with their idol worship, as Deuteronomy 32:16 says, "They would infuriate Him with strange gods." This isn't a petty human jealousy, but a divine response to betrayal of the covenant.
But the Midrash doesn't stop there. It then turns to human relationships, exploring the complexities of love and jealousy within families.
Consider Isaac and Esau. "For love is as intense as death" – the love that Isaac had for Esau, as Genesis 25:28 tells us, "Isaac loved Esau." But this love was tragically intertwined with jealousy. "Jealousy is as cruel as the grave" – the jealousy Esau had for Jacob, because, as we read in Genesis 27:41, "Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him."
Then, the narrative shifts to Jacob and Joseph. "For love is as intense as death" – the love that Jacob had for Joseph, as stated in Genesis 37:3: "Israel loved Joseph more than his sons." And again, the shadow of jealousy appears. "Jealousy is as cruel as the grave" – the jealousy that his brothers had for him, as Genesis 37:11 recounts: "His brothers were jealous of him." These stories remind us that even within the bonds of family, love and jealousy can be potent and destructive forces.
The Midrash continues, touching on the love between Jonathan and David, contrasted with Saul's jealousy. "For love is as intense as death" – the love that Jonathan had for David, as we see in I Samuel 18:1: "Jonathan loved him as himself." Yet, "Jealousy is as cruel as the grave" – the jealousy that Saul had for David, as I Samuel 18:9 tells us: "Saul eyed David with suspicion."
Even the love between a husband and wife is examined. "For love is as intense as death" – the love that a man has for his wife, as Ecclesiastes 9:9 advises: "Enjoy life with a woman whom you love." But even here, jealousy can creep in. "Jealousy is as cruel as the grave" – the jealousy that he has regarding her when he says to her: Do not speak with so-and-so, and she goes and speaks with him, and immediately, "a spirit of jealousy passes over him and he is jealous of his wife" (Numbers 5:14).
Finally, the Midrash returns to the divine-human relationship, but this time focusing on suffering and redemption. "For love is as intense as death" – the love that the generation of persecution had for the Holy One, blessed be He, as expressed in Psalms 44:23: "For we are killed all day long for You." And "Jealousy is as cruel as the grave" – as the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to have great zealotry on behalf of Zion, as Zechariah 8:2 proclaims: "So said the Lord of hosts: I became zealous for Zion with great zealotry." This final interpretation offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that divine "jealousy" will ultimately lead to redemption.
The passage concludes with a powerful image: "Its sparks are the sparks of fire, a great conflagration." Rabbi Berekhya adds, "Like the supernal fire; the fire does not quench water and the water does not extinguish fire." This speaks to the enduring, unyielding nature of both love and jealousy – forces that can both build and destroy, consume and create. These forces, though dangerous, are an essential part of what makes us human.
So, what do we take away from this exploration? Perhaps it's a reminder to be mindful of the power of our emotions, to nurture love and compassion, and to be wary of the destructive potential of jealousy. Perhaps it's an understanding that these forces, both love and jealousy, are woven into the very fabric of existence, present in our relationships with each other and with the Divine. And perhaps, just perhaps, it's a call to strive for a love that is as enduring and unyielding as the "supernal fire," a love that transcends the limitations of human jealousy and leads us toward a more compassionate and understanding world.