We start with a verse: “Emerge, daughters of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11). But the Rabbis, in their insightful way, take this simple verse as a springboard for much, much more.
First, who are these "sons... conspicuous [metzuyanim] for me"? The text suggests they are conspicuous "in haircut, in circumcision, in ritual fringes." And King Solomon [Shlomo]? He's not just a historical figure, but a symbol. According to the text, he represents "the King who created perfect [shelemot] creations." Everything from the sun and moon to the stars and constellations were created in their completeness. Bar Kappara even says that Adam and Eve were created as if they were twenty years old!
But the ideas go deeper. King Solomon, whose name, Shlomo, is linked to peace (shalom), represents the King who brings peace. "At King Solomon [Shlomo]," the text says, "the King who made peace between His works and His creatures." How did He do that? By ensuring Abraham wasn’t harmed by fire, Isaac wasn’t harmed by the sword, and Jacob wasn’t harmed in his struggle with an angel. It’s a powerful image of divine protection and the maintenance of balance.
The commentary continues, exploring how God makes peace even between seemingly contradictory elements. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai teaches that the firmament is made of snow, while the celestial creatures are made of fire. We find verses in Ezekiel (1:22, 1:13, 1:14) that support this idea, describing a firmament "resembling the awesome ice" and creatures with "the appearance was like fiery coals." Yet, one doesn't extinguish the other! Fire and snow existing in harmony, not destroying each other.
The text goes on to personify this balance with the angels: Mikhael, the angel of snow, and Gabriel, the angel of fire. Again, they exist in harmony. Rabbi Avin even takes it a step further, suggesting that even within a single angel, who is half snow and half fire, God ensures peace. This angel is described in (Daniel 10:6) with five different elements: beryl, lightning, torches of fire, burnished brass, and the voice of a multitude. Each is unique, yet they coexist within a single being.
This theme continues, with verses from Psalms, Deuteronomy and Daniel being brought to bear: water above, consuming fire, and a throne of sparks. And yet, according to Rabbi Yoḥanan, “He makes peace in His high places” (Job 25:2). The firmament is water, the stars are fire, and they don't harm each other. The sun, it is said, has never seen the defect of the moon!
Even the plagues of Egypt, a time of immense disruption, are seen through the lens of harmony. Remember the hail and fire? "There was hail, and fire aflame within the hail” (Exodus 9:24). Rabbi Yuda describes bowls of hail filled with fire, while Rabbi Neḥemya sees fire and hail intermingled. The Rabbis see this as a miracle within a miracle. Rabbi Aḥa uses the analogy of two warring legions who, seeing their king's war intensifying, make peace to fight together. In the same way, fire and hail, enemies by nature, unite to wage war against the Egyptians, fulfilling God’s will.
So, what does all this mean? This passage from Shir HaShirim Rabbah isn't just about angels and celestial bodies. It's about the fundamental principle of balance in the universe. It's about how seemingly opposing forces can coexist, even collaborate, when guided by a higher purpose. It’s a reminder that even in times of chaos and conflict, harmony is possible, and that maybe, just maybe, the secret to peace lies in recognizing the delicate balance that sustains us all.
“Emerge, daughters of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11). “Emerge, daughters of Zion, and gaze,” sons who are conspicuous [metzuyanim] for me in haircut, in circumcision, in ritual fringes; “at King Solomon [Shlomo],” at the King who created perfect [shelemot] creations. He created the sun and the moon in their completeness, the stars and the constellations in their completeness. Bar Kappara said: Adam and Eve were created as at the age of twenty. “At King Solomon [Shlomo],” at the King [of Whom it may be said] that peace is His. Another matter, “at King Solomon [Shlomo],” the King who made peace between His works and His creatures. How so? He made the fire be at peace with our patriarch Abraham; He made the sword be at peace with Isaac; He made the angel be at peace with Jacob.106God saw to it that Abraham was not harmed when he was thrown into the fiery furnace; that Isaac was not harmed when Abraham was about to slaughter him; and that Jacob was not harmed when he struggled with the angel. Another matter, “at King Solomon [Shlomo],” the King who made peace between His creations. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The firmament is of snow and the [celestial] creatures are of fire. The firmament is of snow, as it is stated: “Over the heads of the creature there was the likeness of a firmament, resembling the awesome ice” (Ezekiel 1:22). The creatures are of fire, as it is stated: “The likeness of the creatures, their appearance was like fiery coals” (Ezekiel 1:13), and it is written: “The creatures were darting to and fro like the appearance of a flash” (Ezekiel 1:14). This one does not extinguish that one, and that one does not extinguish this one. Mikhael is the angel of snow and Gabriel of fire; this one does not extinguish that one, and that one does not harm this one. Rabbi Avin said: This is not merely between angel and angel, but even within one angel that is half snow and half fire, the Holy One blessed be He makes peace between them. It has five descriptions, and they are: “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning” (Daniel 10:6);107The full verse states: “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.” Thus it is described as like beryl, lightning, torches of fire, burnished brass, and the voice of a multitude—five descriptions. and one does not harm the other. One verse says: “He covers His upper chambers with water” (Psalms 104:3), and one verse says: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24), and it is written: “His throne was sparks of fire” (Daniel 7:9). This one does not harm that one, and that one does not harm this one. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “He makes peace in His high places” (Job 25:2), the firmament is of water and the stars of fire and they do not harm each other. The sun has never seen the defect of the moon.108The deficient side of the moon’s crescent never faces the sun. This is taken as an indication that God causes there to be peace between them. Rabbi Yaakov of the village of Ḥanin said: It is written: “Dominion and fear are with Him” (Job 25:2). “Dominion,” this is Mikhael, “and fear,” this is Gavriel, “with Him,” what is “with Him”? They are at peace for Him. Rabbi Levi said: No constellation ever passed another on their ascent. There is no star that sees what is above it, but rather what is below it, like a person who descends a ladder and does not look behind him. Even regarding the plagues of Pharaoh, the Holy One blessed be He brought about peace, as it is stated: “There was hail, and fire aflame within the hail” (Exodus 9:24). Rabbi Yuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yuda said: Bowls of hail filled with fire; this one did not extinguish that one, and that one did not extinguish this one. Rabbi Ḥanin said: That [description] of Rabbi Yuda is similar to a pomegranate aril, as [the seed] inside each aril can be seen.109Just as the seed is visible from outside the aril, the hail contained fire that was visible despite being surrounded by ice. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Fire and hail intermingled with each other. Rabbi Ḥanin said: That [description] of Rabbi Neḥemya is similar to the bowl of an oil lamp, where water and oil are intermingled and it continues to burn. This one does not extinguish that one, and that one does not extinguish this one. The Rabbis say:110Expounding the word “aflame” [mitlakaḥat]. Death [mita] and reassembly [mitkalha], death and reassembly in order to perform the will of their Creator.111The ice and fire would continually eliminate each other and be restored. Rabbi Aḥa said: [This is analogous] to a king who had two powerful legions and they were enemies with each other. Once they saw that the king’s war was intensifying, they made peace with one another in order to wage the king’s war. So too, fire and hail are enemies with each other. When they saw the war of the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, which was the war against the Egyptians, they made peace between them and waged the war of the Holy One blessed be He against Egypt. That is what is written: “There was hail and fire aflame within the hail”—a miracle within a miracle.
