They found surprising insights in the most unexpected places – like the flowers of the field.
We're diving into Shir HaShirim Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Song of Songs, that most beautiful and enigmatic book. And right at the beginning, we stumble upon a question: What's the deal with the ḥavatzelet and the shoshana? The verse says, "I am a rose [ḥavatzelet] of Sharon, a lily [shoshana] of the valleys.” (Song of Songs 2:1). But Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Eliezer ask, aren't those just different words for the same flower?
The Midrash offers a beautiful answer: when it's small, it’s called ḥavatzelet; when it grows larger, it's called shoshana. Think of it as a metaphor for potential. A young flower, still hidden, is full of promise. Rabbi Yudan even connects the name ḥavatzelet to the idea of being "shrouded in its shade" [ḥavuya betzila] – its petals folded protectively around its fragile center. As it matures and blossoms, it becomes the magnificent shoshana.
Rabbi Eliezer adds another layer. He compares the righteous to the best of species and the best of that species: a lily, specifically, a lily of the valley. Why the valley? Because unlike mountain lilies that wither quickly, lilies of the valley remain moist and vibrant.
But what about when we're feeling down, stuck in those valleys? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana offers a powerful image. He says the congregation of Israel, even when sunk "in the depths of troubles" [imkei], can still blossom. They declare before God, “I am as I am, yet I am beloved.” Even in our brokenness, in our valleys, we can blossom with good deeds and sing songs of praise. This connects to (Isaiah 26:16), "Lord, in their trouble they turned to You."
And Rabbi Aḥa chimes in, suggesting that even when we feel God's gaze intensely – when we're confronted with our shortcomings – we can still blossom. It's like (Psalm 130:1), "A song of ascents. From the depths I call to You, Lord."
The Rabbis take this idea even further. They imagine the congregation of Israel declaring that even when situated in the depths of Gehenna (a concept often translated as hell), God can rescue us. As it says in (Psalms 40:3-4), "He raised me from the pit of destruction…He placed a new song in my mouth."
This reminds me of a powerful idea shared by Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i. He envisions a future where the nations of the world accuse Israel before God, pointing out shared sins. Why, they ask, are the gentiles punished while the Jews are not? God's response? "If that is so, all the peoples will descend with their gods to Gehenna." As (Micah 4:5) says, "For all the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever."
Rabbi Reuven adds a startling idea: "Had this matter not been written, it would have been impossible to say it." He suggests that God, in a sense, will be judged [nishpat, a reflexive form suggesting God is being judged]. This is based on (Isaiah 66:16), "For the Lord will judge [nishpat] in fire."
What does all this mean? Even in the deepest valleys, even in the face of judgment, there is hope. David, inspired, says in (Psalms 23:4), "Even if I were to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me."
But what brings comfort? "Your rod and your staff," David continues. The Rabbis interpret the "rod" as suffering and the "staff" as Torah. Is it possible to find comfort in suffering? The verse continues, "Only [Akh] goodness and kindness..." Akh is understood as a restrictive term, suggesting that only those who have experienced suffering will truly appreciate goodness and kindness.
And is this goodness experienced in this world? Not necessarily. The verse concludes, "May only [akh] goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever [le’orekh yamim]." Le’orekh yamim is expounded to mean a world where the day is infinitely long [yom shekulo arokh]. Thus, the ultimate goodness and kindness are experienced in the World to Come.
So, what's the takeaway from all this floral imagery and theological wrestling? It's this: Even when we feel small and hidden, like a ḥavatzelet shrouded in its shade, we have the potential to blossom into a magnificent shoshana. Even when we're stuck in the valleys of life, facing suffering and judgment, we are loved, and we can find comfort in Torah and the promise of a future filled with infinite goodness. And isn't that a comforting thought as we navigate our own valleys?
Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yudan said: “I am a rose [ḥavatzelet] [of Sharon, a lily [shoshana] of the valleys],” is it not a ḥavatzelet and is it not a shoshana?5Is ḥavatzelet not the same as shoshana? Although generally translated differently, as rose and lily, the midrash assumes that the ḥavatzelet and shoshana are the same flower. Rather, as long as it is small, [the verse] calls it ḥavatzelet, when it grows larger, it calls it shoshana. “Rose [ḥavatzelet],” why is it called ḥavatzelet? Because it is shrouded in its shade [ḥavuya betzila].6When it is small, its petals are folded around the top of the stalk. Rabbi Eliezer said: The righteous are likened to the most excellent of species and to the most excellent of that species; the most excellent of the species, like a lily, the most excellent of that species, a lily of the valley. Not like the mountain lily, which quickly withers, but like the lily of the valley that remains moist. The wicked are likened to the vilest of species and the vilest of that species; the vilest of the species, “like chaff before the wind” (Psalms 83:14). If you say like chaff of the valley, that has moisture in it; rather, “it will be pursued like the chaff of mountains before the wind” (Isaiah 17:13). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: 'I am as I am, yet I am beloved. I am sunk in the depths7In Hebrew, imkei, related to the word valleys [amakim] that appears in the verse. of troubles, but when the Holy One blessed be He will extricate me from the troubles, I will blossom good deeds like a lily and will sing songs before Him. That is what is written: “Lord, in their trouble they turned to You” (Isaiah 26:16). Rabbi Aḥa said: The congregation of Israel said: When You intensify Your gaze at me,8You discover my shortcomings and transgressions and punish me. I blossom good deeds like a lily and sing songs. That is what is written: “A song of ascents. From the depths I call to You, Lord” (Psalms 130:1). The Rabbis say: The congregation of Israel said it. The congregation of Israel said: I am as I am, yet I am beloved. I am situated in the depths of Gehenna, but when the Holy One blessed be He will rescue me from its depths—that is what is written: “He raised me from the pit of destruction” (Psalms 40:3)—I will blossom good deeds and sing songs before Him. That is what is written: “He placed a new song in my mouth” (Psalms 40:4). The opinion of the Rabbis corresponds with what Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i said: The princes of the nations are destined in the future to come to denounce Israel before the Holy One blessed be He, and say: ‘These engaged in idol worship and those engaged in idol worship, these engaged in forbidden sexual relations and those engaged in forbidden sexual relations, these shed blood and those shed blood; why are these descending to Gehenna and those are not descending?’9Why are the gentiles descending to Gehenna while the Jews are not? The Holy One blessed be He responds to them and says: ‘If that is so, all the peoples will descend with their gods to Gehenna.’ That is what is written: “For all the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god, [but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever]” (Micah 4:5). Rabbi Reuven said: Had this matter not been written, it would have been impossible to say it: As it were, “for the Lord will judge [nishpat]10This is the reflexive [nifal] conjugation, indicating, as it were, that God will be judged. in fire” (Isaiah 66:16). Shofet11This conjugation is the standard way of expressing that God will judge. is not written here, but rather nishpat. This is what David said, inspired by the Divine Spirit: “Even if I were to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me [your rod and your staff they will comfort me]” (Psalms 23:4). Another matter, “your rod,” this is the suffering, “and your staff,” this is Torah. “They will comfort me…” Is it perhaps without suffering? The verse states: “Only [Akh].”12The term akh is always understood to be a restrictive term. Here, it indicates that not everyone will merit Torah, and therefore goodness and kindness, as in the continuation of the verse; only those who have experienced suffering will experience these blessings. Is it perhaps in this world? The verse states: “May only [akh] goodness and kindness pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever [le’orekh yamim]” (Psalms 23:6).13Le’orekh yamim is expounded to mean a world where the day is infinitely long [yom shekulo arokh]. Thus, the goodness and kindness will be experienced in the World to Come.
