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3:1

עַל־מִשְׁכָּבִי בַּלֵּילוֹת בִּקַּשְׁתִּי אֵת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי בִּקַּשְׁתִּיו וְלֹא מְצָאתִֽיו׃

On my bed at night, I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him.

On my bed at night, I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him.

Rashi

על משכבי בלילות. בצר לי שישבתי אפילה כל שלשים ושמנה שנה שהיו ישראל נזופים:

On my bed at night. In my distress, when I lived in the darkness1The Bnei Yisroel were left in darkness after the Clouds of Glory had withdrawn from them and the holy crown that had been given to them at Mt. Sinai was taken away. (Targum) for the entire thirty-eight years2After the sin of the spies it was declared that the Bnei Yisroel would wander in the wilderness for forty years. Since two years had already past, they had to wander for another thirty-eight years and during this time the Divine Presence was hidden from them. that the [Bnei] Yisroel were under reproach.

בקשתיו ולא מצאתיו. (שמות) כי אינני בקרבכם (שם) כי לא אעלה בקרבך:

I sought him but did not find him. “For I will not go up in your midst,”3Shemos 33:3. This was on account of the golden calf. [and] “for I am not in your midst.”4Devarim 1:42. This was on account of the spies.

3:2

אָקוּמָה נָּא וַאֲסוֹבְבָה בָעִיר בַּשְּׁוָקִים וּבָרְחֹבוֹת אֲבַקְשָׁה אֵת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי בִּקַּשְׁתִּיו וְלֹא מְצָאתִֽיו׃

I will rise now and roam through the city, in the market places and in the streets, I will seek him whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him.

I will rise now and roam through the city, in the market places and in the streets, I will seek him whom my soul loves; I sought him but did not find him.

Rashi

אקומה נא. ואבקשה (שמות לג) ויחל משה (שם לב) אעלה אל ה':

I will rise now ... I will seek. “And Moshe prayed,”5Shemos 32:11. [and] “I will go up to the Adonoy.”6Ibid. 32:30.

3:3

מְצָאוּנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר אֵת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי רְאִיתֶֽם׃

The watchmen found me those who circle about the city; him whom my soul loves, have you seen him?

The watchmen found me those who circle about the city; him whom my soul loves, have you seen him?

Rashi

מצאוני השומרים. משה ואהרן:

The watchmen found me. Moshe and Aharon.7They guarded the Bnei Yisroel from sin during the Egyptian exile. Also in reference to Ezra and Nechemyah who watched over the Bnei Yisroel during the exile of Bavel. (Alshich)

את שאהבה נפשי ראיתם. מה מצאתם בפיו:

Him whom my soul loves, have you seen him. What [message] did you find in His mouth?

3:4

כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי מֵהֶם עַד שֶׁמָּצָאתִי אֵת שֶֽׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי אֲחַזְתִּיו וְלֹא אַרְפֶּנּוּ עַד־שֶׁהֲבֵיאתִיו אֶל־בֵּית אִמִּי וְאֶל־חֶדֶר הוֹרָתִֽי׃

Scarcely had I departed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves; I grasped him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house and to the chamber of her who conceived me.

Scarcely had I departed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves; I grasped him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house and to the chamber of her who conceived me.

Rashi

כמעט שעברתי מהם. קרוב לפרישתם ממני לסוף ארבעים שנה:

Scarcely had I departed from them. Shortly after their parting from me,8I.e., shortly after the deaths of Moshe and Aharon. at the end of the forty years.

עד שמצאתי. שהיה עמי בימי יהושע לכבוש שלשים ואחד מלכים:

When I found. That He was with me in the days of Yehoshua to conquer the thirty-one kings.

אחזתיו ולא ארפנו. לא נתתי לו רפיון עד שהביאותיו אל משכן שילה בשביל כל זאת שעשה לי

I grasped him and would not let him go. I did not loosen my grasp on Him until I brought Him to the Tabernacle at Shiloh because of all this that He had done for me.

3:5

הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם בִּצְבָאוֹת אוֹ בְּאַיְלוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה אִם־תָּעִירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּעוֹרְרוּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָה עַד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃ {ס}        

I bind you under oath, daughters of Yerusholayim by the gazelles and the does of the field; that you do not cause hatred nor disturb this love while it still pleases.

I bind you under oath, daughters of Yerusholayim by the gazelles and the does of the field; that you do not cause hatred nor disturb this love while it still pleases.

Rashi

השבעתי אתכם. האומות בהיותי גולה ביניכם:

I bind you under oath. The nations, while I was exiled among you.

אם תעירו ואם תעוררו. אהבת דודי ממני על ידי פתוי והסתה לעוזבו לשוב מאחריו:

That you do not cause hatred nor disturb the love of my beloved from me through seduction or enticement, to forsake him and to turn away from following him.

עד שתחפץ. בעוד שאהבתו חפץ עלי

While it still pleases. As long as I still desire his love.

Texts

  • Hebrew: Miqra according to the Masorah · License: CC-BY-SA
  • English: The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001 · License: CC-BY
  • Hebrew: On Your Way · License: PD

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