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The Seder and the Song of Songs: a Love Story in Four Scenes Rabbi Aviva Richman

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The Seder and the Song of Songs: a Love Story in Four Scenes Rabbi Aviva Richman The Seder and the Song of Songs: A Love Story in Four Scenes Rabbi Aviva Richman SESSION 1 In Egypt: Love in Hard Times Song of Songs people love to tell and In Hebrew, Shir Ha-Shirim. Strictly speaking, the retell the story of how they Song of Songs is not one fell in love, relishing in poem but several stitched together. Traditionally the highlights, the pivotal these poems were written moments, and even the by King Solomon, the son challenges and obstacles that stood of King David. While David was renowned for his in the way. In some respects, the Exodus is a love story, musical ability and therefore too—the tale of the burgeoning relationship between associated with the Psalms, Solomon was renowned for God and Israel. For this reason, it is fitting that the Song his wisdom and connected of Songs —the great biblical love poem traditionally to the biblical books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and understood allegorically as a story about the love Song of Songs. between God and Israel—is customarily read publicly on the Shabbat of Passover. We will explore in this course a midrash that further links the text of Song of Songs to the Exodus story and highlights four pivotal moments representing when God “fell in love” with us, and when we “fell in love” with God. The Seder and the Song of Songs Session 1 | Rabbi Aviva Richman Song of Songs First, ask your havruta this question: 2:1-3 Translation Do you relate to the metaphor of “love” as a way of describing the divine-human from the Jewish relationship? Why or why not? Publication Society. THE VERSES The first thing to do when learning a midrash is to examine the verses upon which it is based. Take a look at them in their own right here before moving to the first part of the midrash below. SOURCE #1 Song of Songs 2:1-3 שיר השירים ב:א-ג ,I am a rose of Sharon אֲ נִי֙ חֲ בַ ּצֶ ֣ ֶל ת הַ ּׁשָ ר֔ ֹו ן .A lily of the valleys ׁשֽ ֹוׁשַ ּנַ ֖ ת הָעֲמָקִ ֽ ים׃ ,Like a lily among thorns ּכְׁשֽ ֹוׁשַ ּנָה֙ ּבֵ ֣ י ן הַחֹוחִ֔ ים .So is my darling among the maidens ּכֵ ֥ ן רַ ְ ע י ָ תִ ֖ י ּבֵ ֥ י ן הַּבָנֹֽות׃ ,Like an apple tree among trees of the forest ּכְ תַ ּפ֙ ּוחַ֙ ַ ּב עֲ צֵ ֣ י הַּיַ֔ עַר .So is my beloved among the youths ּכֵ ֥ ן ּדֹודִ֖ י ּבֵ ֣ י ן הַ ּבָ נִ֑ים ,I delight to sit in his shade ּבְצִּלֹו֙ חִ ּמַ ֣ דְ ּתִ י וְי ָ ב ׁשְַ֔ ּתִ י .And his fruit is sweet to my mouth ּו ִ פ רְ ֖י ֹו מָ ֥תֹוק לְחִּכִ ֽי׃ Questions from Rabbi Aviva Richman In the allegorical reading of this book, the male speaker (who describes his “darling” as “a lily among thorns”) is God and the female speaker (who describes her “beloved” as “an apple tree among trees of the forest”) is Israel. 1. Try to extrapolate from the description of the earthly relationship to a heavenly one between us and God. What do these images tell us about the kind of relationship God has with us? What do they tell us about the kind of relationship we have with God? 2. Can you identify the images in the verses with aspects of the divine-human relationship? E.g., who are the “maidens” in the allegorical reading? What is the “tree”? What are the “fruits”? Project Zug | Powered by Hadar 2 of 6 The Seder and the Song of Songs Session 1 | Rabbi Aviva Richman Shir Ha-Shirim Rabbah THE LOVE OF SEDER NIGHT An early (probably Our midrash from Shir Ha-Shirim Rabbah atomizes the phrase “I am a rose of th th around 6 -7 Sharon” (havatzelet ha-Sharon) in four different ways, each evoking different linguistic centuries CE) collection of resonances. We will explore one in each of our sessions, each one opening up a new midrashim anchored way to think about Passover and our relationship with God. All explore themes of around the Song hiding and shelter, and ultimately finding our way to greater expression of our voice as of Songs. It is part we grow into our relationship with the divine. of what we call “Midrash Rabbah”, the “Great Midrash”, We will start with the earliest scene chronologically (even though it is actually the a loose anthology of second scene brought in the text; stay tuned for session 4 when we’ll get back to the different midrashim first scene!). This section of the midrash links these verses with the original Passover from as early as the 4th-5th centuries night in Egypt. and as late as the Middle Ages that covers the five books SOURCE #2 of the Torah and the five “Megillot” Shir Ha-Shirim Rabbah 2:1 שיר השירים רבה ב:א Ecclesiastes, Song) Another interpretation: “I am a rose ּדָבָרַאחֵר, אֲנִי חֲבַּצֶלֶת ,of Songs, Esther Ruth, Lamentations). havatzelet( of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.” I( הַּשָׁרֹון, אֲנִי הִיא וַחֲבִיבָה shadow (tzilan) am she, and beloved )havivah( am I; I am she ָאנִי, אֲנִי הִיא ׁשֶהָיִיתִי חֲבּויָה .I.e. protection who was beloved in the shadow )tzilan( of ּבְצִלָן ׁשֶלמִצְרַ יִם, ּולְׁשָעָה Ramses Joseph brought Egypt, and in a short time the Holy Blessed קַּלָה ּכִּנְסַנִי הַּקָדֹוׁשּבָרּוְך הּוא his family to Egypt One gathered me to Ramses and I bloomed לְרַ עְמְסֵס, וְהִרְ טַבְּתִי מַעֲׂשִים during a terrible famine. According with good deeds like “a lily” and I said before טֹובִים ּכְׁשֹוׁשַּנָה, וְָאמַרְ ּתִי ,to Genesis 47:11 God] a song )shirah(, as it is said: “You will] לְפָנָיו אֶת הַּשִׁירָ ה, ׁשֶּנֶאֱמַר they settled in an area called have song on the night of the sanctified feast” )ישעיה ל, כט(: הַּשִׁיר יִהְיֶה Ramses (elsewhere .) Isaiah 30:29( לָכֶם ּכְלֵיל הִתְקַּדֵׁש חָג. .(called Goshen Additionally, Exodus 1:11 names Ramses as one of the places built by the Israelite slaves. Questions from Rabbi Aviva Richman shadow (tzilan) As understood 1. While the word “shadow” could have scary connotations, here it may refer more midrashically, this to shelter, reminding us that Egypt was originally kind to our ancestors, giving verse is about the them “shade” during a famine, and describing the Israelites’ time there as being first Passover in somewhat sheltered. Do you think it is virtuous or inappropriate to remember this Egypt (“the night aspect of our history in Egypt on Seder night? Why or why not? of the sanctified feast”). Therefore, 2. Read through this midrashic lens, celebrating the paschal offering on Seder night it proves that the itself (even prior to actually leaving Egypt) becomes a climax of our love for God Israelites sang a song that night. and God’s love for us. What do you think about this aspect of the Seder? Have you Today we replicate ever experienced the night in this way? this with our recitation of Hallel. Project Zug | Powered by Hadar 3 of 6 The Seder and the Song of Songs Session 1 | Rabbi Aviva Richman Psalms 113-114 3. The love here is described as blossoming over a long period of time, from Jacob’s This is an ancient descent to Egypt to the slaves’ liberation. What kind of love have you experienced grouping of psalms sung in the Temple— that builds up over time like this? What does this characterization say about the love and in traditional between God and us? services today!—on new moons and other 4. The “song” in the verse is understood to be Hallel, the psalms we sing at Seder holidays. The Seder night (Psalm 113-118). In what ways is singing an expression of love? is the only time of the year when Hallel is sung at night, instead HALLEL AND REDEMPTION of during the day. The structure of the Seder has us begin Hallel on the second cup of wine, said on the Beit Shammai The houses of Hillel blessing of redemption before the meal, and complete the psalms after the meal—but and Shammai. While there is a disagreement as to how much of Hallel should be sung in the first part. This it is not totally clear is the subject of an early debate between Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai , and their what bodies these argument underscores the significance of this initial song that we recited while still in refer to, it is likely that the 1st century Egypt. While we are still in the midst of uncertainty, with nothing other than the hope CE rabbinic scholars, of redemption, how can we sing a song of thanksgiving? Hillel and Shammai, had disciples and students whose SOURCE #3 opinions are quoted in our sources under the Tosefta Pesahim 10:9 תוספתא פסחים י:ט ”names of “Beit Hillel How much of Hallel do you say [on the עד היכן הוא אומר? ”and “Beit Shammai respectively. Their second cup of wine]? debates are frequent Beit Shammai says: Until the end of Psalm בית שמיי או’ עד אם הבנים throughout Rabbinic שמחה literature. In terms of actual practice, we 113 )“a joyful mother of children”(. today almost always follow Beit Hillel—as But Beit Hillel says: Until the end of Psalm ובית הלל אומ’ עד חלמיש indeed we do in this .)”the flint into a fountain of waters“( 114 למעינו מים. וחותם בגאולה .case The Tosefta And [the leader] closes with a blessing for The Tosefta is a collection of early redemption.
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