Introduction
In this part of the chapter, Knesset Yisrael answers the daughters of Jerusalem who asked her, "What is your beloved more than another beloved?" She begins praising the Holy One, blessed be He, limb by limb. Rashi explains all these descriptions as allusions to the revelations of the Shechinah: the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, the Splitting of the Red Sea, the Giving of the Torah and its study, the Tablets, the order of the parshiyot, and divine providence over those who toil in Torah. Let us follow the order of the verses.
My Beloved Is Pure and Ruddy - Chesed Toward Us, Din Toward Our Enemies
דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם דָּגוּל מֵרְבָבָה׃ - "My beloved is pure and ruddy, preeminent above ten thousand."
Rashi explains: "My beloved is pure" - radiant and white, to whiten my iniquities. "Tzach" is an appearance of whiteness, completely clean and pure, and white represents the dimension of chesed and rachamim (kindness and mercy). Through the power of chesed and mercy, the Holy One, blessed be He, has compassion on us and pardons our sins. Rashi adds: When He appeared at Sinai, He appeared as an elder issuing teachings, and likewise when sitting in judgment - "His garment was as white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool," His garment white like snow and the hair of His head like pure wool, pristine and clean.
It is known from the Kabbalists that when speaking of the supernal realms - as we read from the Idra in the Tikunim of Tashlich, the "thirteen attributes of the beard" (tilsar tikunei dikna) - the supreme dimension of Keter and Atik is described, and how there is, as it were, the aspect of a beard and hair, and the hair is white hair. The Ari z"l says that the realm of the hairs is exalted beyond reach, so we do not delve into it, but rather engage in what is below it. This is what Scripture alludes to with "the hair of His head like pure wool."
And what is the praise in "ruddy"? Rashi explains: To exact retribution from His enemies, as it says, "Why is Your apparel red?" Red represents strict judgments (dinim), which seemingly is not a praise; rather, she says: Toward me He is chesed and rachamim, and toward my enemies He is din. "Why is Your apparel red?" is said when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to exact retribution from the nations, and there it says, "I have stained all My garments," "their lifeblood is sprinkled upon My garments" - as if the blood of the slain of Israel is splattered upon His garments. The Midrash says: For anyone who is killed, a stain remains, as it were, on the royal purple robe (porphyra) of the Holy One, blessed be He, and this stain causes Hashem to remember that person and come to avenge from the nations what they did to us.
"Preeminent above ten thousand" (dagul merivavah) - many legions surround Him. "Dagul" is related to flags (degalim), for legions would always march with a banner before them; and "rivavah" denotes multiplicity - a vast multitude of legions surrounds Him, referring to the angels.
His Head Is the Finest Gold - The Opening Words of the King
רֹאשׁוֹ כֶּתֶם פָּז קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב׃ - "His head is finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven."
"His head" is meant here in the sense of His beginning: The beginning of His words shone like finest gold - like a golden ornament - as it is said, "The opening of Your words gives light." Already with the opening of His words, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave light, showing them first that He possessed the royal prerogative over them, and only afterward did He issue His decrees upon them.
The Midrash compares this to a king who entered a province and immediately began imposing decrees and commands upon its citizens. The people of the province immediately ask: What connection do we have with this king, that he suddenly comes and commands us? What do we owe him? But if that province had been at war, and the king came and fought their enemies, subdued them, and drove them out, bringing peace and prosperity - when he then comes and says, "Accept my decrees," they will accept them gladly, for he proved his kingship and did good for them. This is how the Ten Commandments begin: "I am Hashem your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" - first emphasizing the boundless debt we owe Him, for a slave never escaped from Egypt, yet He brought us out of the house of bondage; and only afterward, "You shall have no other gods before Me." Hashem does not impose arbitrarily: first, "I have done good for you," and by virtue of that, I am worthy to reign over you.
"His locks are curled" - for every single crownlet on the letters of the Torah, there are mounds upon mounds of halachot. "Black as a raven" - because the Torah was written before Him as black fire upon white fire. Another explanation: "His locks are curled" - when He appeared at the Sea, He appeared as a young warrior fighting valiantly. For the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself in each place according to the context: at Sinai, when He came to teach Torah, as an elder imparting instruction; at the Sea, when He came to wage war, as a young man of war; and when He sits in judgment, His garment is white as snow and the hair of His head like pure wool.
His Eyes Like Doves - Divine Providence over Batei Midrash and Talmidei Chachamim
עֵינָיו כְּיוֹנִים עַל אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם רֹחֲצוֹת בֶּחָלָב יֹשְׁבוֹת עַל מִלֵּאת׃ - His eyes are like doves beside water channels, washed in milk, sitting upon the fullness.
Rashi explains: Just as doves gaze toward their dovecotes, toward their nest, so His eyes are directed toward the synagogues and study halls, which are the sources of Torah, compared to water. The batei midrash are "water channels" (afikei mayim) - they produce (mefikim) Torah. From this we see that the greater a person's spiritual stature, the greater the individual Divine Providence over him, and the lower his stature, the less. The verse comes to teach that over the talmidei chachamim who toil in Torah in the synagogues and study halls rests the greatest Divine Providence.
"Washed in milk" - when they gaze upon judgment, clarifying the law to its absolute truth, to vindicate the righteous according to his righteousness and to condemn the wicked to bring his way upon his own head. Milk represents purity and clarity: that the judgment emerge pure and unblemished. "Sitting upon the fullness" - upon the entirety of the world, meaning the world as a whole, roaming throughout the earth and watching both the good and the evil. Constant and close supervision.
Another explanation: The talmidei chachamim are placed by the Holy One, blessed be He, as eyes to enlighten the world. The eyes of the world are the talmidei chachamim - when one does not know what to do, "and you shall be our eyes": the talmid chacham instructs him to do this or advises that, and thus he knows how to act; one consults a Torah scholar and the doubts dissipate. And just as doves wander from dovecote to dovecote in search of their food, so do they go from the academy of one sage to that of another to seek the deeper layers and reasons of the Torah. Note the distinction: a "talmid chacham" is in the stage of learning, and it is of him that the verse speaks here. This is also customary in yeshivot: a student learning in Yeshivat Hebron travels to the Brisk yeshiva to hear a shiur in Seder Kodashim according to the approach of the Gri"z; they travel from place to place to hear additional styles of learning and to study further topics.
And according to this approach: "Beside water channels" - referring to the batei midrash, which are the sources of the waters of Torah. "Washed in milk" - since he referred to them as eyes, and the Hebrew word for eye is grammatically feminine, the verse uses the feminine form; they refine and polish themselves in the choice milk of Torah, clarifying its hidden and obscure passages. "Milk" is used in the sense of the richest essence - the most select and vital aspect of it, drawing from the Torah its novel insights and secrets; and milk is white, signifying the clarification of its obscurities. "Sitting upon the fullness" - they resolve matters properly: there is a difficulty or a contradiction, and they toil until they resolve it, explaining "it is not difficult; here it applies to this case, and there to that case." "Milleit" is like the setting of a stone (milu'at even) - the sunken bezel into which the gem is set, meaning that the matter is settled and fits its context with precision.
Another explanation: "His eyes" (einav) - His matters (inyanav). The sections of the Torah, the halachot, and the mishnayot: "like doves," which are graceful in their movement; "beside water channels" - in the batei midrash; "washed in milk" - polished and clear as milk. Just as a dove walking beside water channels is graceful to the observer, so the mishnayot and halachot are structured and arranged gracefully, and the transmitted traditions are polished properly and fittingly.
His Cheeks and His Lips - The Commandments of Sinai and the Utterances of the Tent of Meeting
לְחָיָו כַּעֲרוּגַת הַבֹּשֶׂם מִגְדְּלוֹת מֶרְקָחִים שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים נֹטְפוֹת מוֹר עֹבֵר׃ - His cheeks are like a bed of spices, towers of perfumes; his lips are like roses, dripping flowing myrrh.
"His cheeks are like a bed of spices" - these are the commandments spoken at Mount Sinai, where He showed them a welcoming and smiling countenance. Laughter and smiles are seen in the cheeks: when a person smiles, his cheeks immediately stand out. The cheeks also hint at the place of speech, for at Sinai the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with us with a radiant, welcoming countenance.
"His lips are like roses" - the utterances spoken in the Tent of Meeting, which are for appeasement, atonement, and sweet aroma: the laws of the sin offering, guilt offering, meal offering, burnt offering, and peace offerings. Why are they compared to fragrant roses? Because the sacrifices were brought for appeasement and atonement, and are termed "a sweet savor to the Lord." All of these are of the nature of sweet fragrance like roses, atoning for the sins of Israel.
His Hands and His Belly - The Tablets and the Book of Vayikra
יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים׃ - His hands are rods of gold set with beryl; his belly is a tablet of ivory overlaid with sapphires.
"His hands are rods of gold" - these are the Tablets, which He gave from His right hand and which are the work of His hands, as it says, "From His right hand went a fiery law for them." And what is the meaning of "rods of gold"? These are the Commandments engraved upon them, which are more desirable than gold and much fine gold. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Nechemiah said: They were a miraculous creation; they were made of sapphire (*sanpirinon*) and yet could be rolled up. Sapphire is an exceptionally hard stone, yet they could be rolled like a scroll. Sapphire is a precious gem, and it is taught that Moshe Rabbeinu grew wealthy from the shavings of the Tablets; the fragments he carved away were precious stones. Although diamond and sapphire cannot ordinarily be carved in such a manner, the entire process was miraculous.
"Set with beryl" - He encapsulated all 613 mitzvos within the Ten Commandments. The expression "filled" (*memula'im*) refers to that which is not visible on the surface, but is packed within. One who looks at the Ten Commandments sees only ten utterances; however, the sacred books explain that all 613 mitzvos are alluded to therein, and some works demonstrate how every single mitzvah is encoded within them. For this reason, it is customary on Shavuos to study the 613 mitzvos, and this is why the day is called the Giving of the Torah (*Matan Torah*) even though only the Ten Commandments were spoken aloud - because the entire Torah is contained within them.
"His belly is a tablet of ivory" - this refers to Toras Kohanim, the Book of Vayikra, which is positioned in the middle of the Five Books of the Torah just as the internal organs are set in the center of the body. "A tablet of ivory" - it appears smooth like polished ivory, the tusk of an elephant, yet it is organized with countless precise details: *gezeirah shavah*, *binyan av*, and *kal vachomer*. There is an entire fabric of hermeneutical principles woven into the Torah itself: through a *gezeirah shavah* one draws analogies between different contexts, and through the other methods one derives what is liable and what is exempt. It is comparable to a telephone: on the outside one sees only a few buttons, but whoever opens it up finds an intricate, endless network of wiring.
His Legs Are Pillars of Marble - The Juxtaposition of Parshiyos
שׁוֹקָיו עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ מְיֻסָּדִים עַל אַדְנֵי פָז מַרְאֵהוּ כַּלְּבָנוֹן בָּחוּר כָּאֲרָזִים׃ - His legs are pillars of marble set upon bases of fine gold; his countenance is like Lebanon, select as the cedars.
Rabbi Elazar HaKappar said: A pillar has a capital at the top and a pedestal at the bottom. A marble column does not simply rise as a bare cylinder from the floor; rather, it has a broad, ornate base below and an expansive capital above, adorned with floral carvings and blossoms. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said: The sections (*parshiyos*) of the Torah likewise possess a capital above and a base below, connecting to what precedes them and what follows them. Just as a column is bound to the capital above it and the pedestal beneath it, so every *parshah* is intrinsically linked to the section that comes before it and the section that follows it.
For example, we find the passages of Shemittah and Yovel, followed by "And if you sell an item," "You shall not wrong one another," "And if you say: What shall we eat?", and "If your brother becomes impoverished." Why were they juxtaposed? To teach that one who trades in the forbidden produce of Shemittah will ultimately be forced to sell his possessions, and in the end, sell himself into servitude. No Torah passage is placed next to another without purpose; there is a profound connection between them. Concerning this it is said: "His legs are pillars of marble set upon bases of fine gold."
"His countenance is like Lebanon" - one who gazes and reflects upon His words finds in them blossoms and budding palm fronds, like a flourishing forest. So it is with words of Torah: one who immerses in them continually discovers new layers of meaning. It was well known that on Tuesdays, no one was permitted to disturb Rav Shach; politicians and those seeking guidance knew this, because the Rosh Yeshivah was preparing his weekly *shiur*. People asked him: "The Rosh Yeshivah has been delivering *shiurim* for seventy or eighty years, and does he still require all this time and deep immersion to prepare?" He replied: "Should I simply go and read aloud words I have already spoken? Rehash insights I developed long ago? Why are we alive - merely to repeat past thoughts and chew on what we already know?" This is "his countenance is like Lebanon": one who meditates on Torah continually uncovers fresh insights. He does not remain content with what he developed thirty years ago, endlessly repeating the same concepts, for that is stagnation. One must advance, discovering another insight, another conceptual approach, another layer of understanding; then a person blossoms continually like young fronds and a flourishing forest.
"Select as the cedars" - chosen like the finest cedars, prized for construction, strength, and height. When building, one does not select fragile timber, but the sturdiest of cedars; so too, words of Torah are chosen for their unyielding power and truth. Another interpretation regarding "rods of gold" (*gelilei zahav*): it is so named because they roll (*megalgelos*) goodness into the world. Goodness descends to this world through the power of Torah study, the fulfillment of mitzvos, and doing the will of Hashem. The Torah is not an automated teller machine from which one simply withdraws cash; rather, Torah study rolls divine bounty into the world. Through study, an abundance of blessing is generated in the supernal realms, and this spiritual arousal from below causes divine flow to descend here below. Thus, blessing arrives by way of rolling (*gilgulim*), which is why they are called *gelilei* - for through them, goodness rolls into the world.
His Palate Is Sweet - The Sweetness of the Reward
חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים וְכֻלּוֹ מַחֲמַדִּים זֶה דוֹדִי וְזֶה רֵעִי בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם׃ - His palate is full of sweetness, and he is entirely delightful; this is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Rashi explains: "His palate is full of sweetness" - His words are pleasant. "You shall not make a gashed wound for the dead in your flesh... I am Hashem" - Who is faithful to pay reward. Is there any palate sweeter than this? Consider how wonderful it is that the Holy One, blessed be He, gives us commandments and then rewards us for them.
And what is the wonder in this? Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya says: "The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to confer merit upon Israel; therefore He multiplied for them Torah and mitzvos." A great person was once asked: What is so good about this? After all, it is just like asking a child whether there are more uphills or downhills in the world - an absurd question, since every uphill from here is a downhill from there! The same applies here: each additional mitzvah is another opportunity for failure. Adam HaRishon had only one opportunity to fail, whereas we have 613! From where do we know that having so many mitzvos is a privilege and a merit?
One answer is found in the words of the Rambam: it is enough for a person to fulfill a single mitzvah lishmah (purely for its own sake) to merit life in the World to Come. How wondrous! Just one mitzvah done lishmah. This is the example brought from Rabbi Chanina ben Teradyon: "Did any deed ever come to your hand?" And after he recounted that act of tzedakah, he was told, "Would that my portion were from your portion!" - a single deed, purely lishmah, and through it he merited the World to Come.
There is another explanation, from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. He asked someone: You wake up in the morning, wash your hands (netilat yadayim), and wash your face - right? A civilized non-Jew also wakes up in the morning, washes his hands, and washes his face. Does he receive reward for it? No. And you? Yes. Afterward, you sit down to eat and wash your hands; the non-Jew also maintains hygiene and washes his hands before eating. Does he receive reward? No. And you? Certainly! You call your parents to ask how they are doing - a non-Jew also calls his parents from time to time, but he is not commanded and receives no reward, whereas you do. You put on your shoes in the morning - right foot and left foot, tie the left and then the right; a non-Jew also puts on shoes, he does not walk barefoot, yet he receives no reward for it. Here you have it: you do everything that a non-Jew does, but you receive a salary while he works for free! Is this not "The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to confer merit upon Israel"? If heroic tasks demanding immense efforts had been placed upon you, you might say: "For whatever I fail to do, I will be punished." But the Holy One, blessed be He, embedded so many mitzvos into your daily routine, into things you do anyway, and for all of them you receive reward!
This is what Rashi is saying: the Torah warns, "You shall not make a gashed wound for the dead in your flesh" - do not wound yourself, do not cut yourselves over the deceased - and concludes, "I am Hashem," Who is faithful to pay reward. A person naturally does not wound himself anyway, yet you receive reward for refraining! It is like telling a child: "Eat nicely" - eat what? The ice cream! One does not need to offer prizes for eating ice cream; the child will eat it anyway, and yet he is given a reward. Similarly, "And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does justice and righteousness, because of them he shall surely live" - "because of them," because of those very sins he committed; for one who repents out of love (teshuvah me'ahavah), his intentional sins are transformed into merits. You committed a sin, and the Holy One, blessed be He, counts it for you as a mitzvah! Is there any palate sweeter than this?
In summary:
In these verses, the Congregation of Israel praises her Beloved: white to show mercy and whiten our sins, red to exact retribution from our enemies, and surrounded by myriads of angels. The beginning of His words is radiant - for He displayed His kingdom and goodness before issuing His decrees; His locks are mounds upon mounds of halachos in black fire upon white fire; His eyes watch over the synagogues and study halls, and over the Torah scholars who journey from sage to sage to clarify the hidden secrets of the Torah; His cheeks and lips are the Ten Commandments of Sinai and the words of the Tent of Meeting that bring atonement; His hands are the Tablets, more desirable than gold, containing all 613 mitzvos; His abdomen is Toras Kohanim (Vayikra) placed in the center of the Chumashim; His legs are the Torah portions arranged side by side, like pillars set into their capitals and pedestals; His appearance flourishes with novellae for anyone who constantly meditates upon it; and His palate is full of sweetness - for the Holy One, blessed be He, rewards us even for what we do naturally anyway, and even transforms sins into merits for one who repents out of love.