On my bed at night. In my distress, when I lived in the darkness¹ for the entire thirty-eight years² that the [Bnei] Yisroel were under reproach.

footnotes: ¹ The Bnei Yisroel were left in darkness after the Clouds of Glory had withdrawn from them and the holy crown that had been given to them at Mt.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) ² After 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.

I sought him but did not find him. “For I will not go up in your midst,”³ [and] “for I am not in your midst.”⁴

footnotes: ³ Shemos 33:3. This was on account of the golden calf. ⁴ Devarim 1:42. This was on account of the spies.

I will rise now ... I will seek. “And Moshe prayed,”⁵ [and] “I will go up to the Adonoy.”⁶

footnotes: ⁵ Shemos 32:11. ⁶ Ibid. 32:30.

The watchmen found me. Moshe and Aharon.⁷

footnotes: ⁷ They 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)

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

Scarcely had I departed from them. Shortly after their parting from me,⁸ at the end of the forty years.

footnotes: ⁸ I.e., shortly after the deaths of Moshe and Aharon.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Who is this ascending from the wilderness. When I was traveling in the wilderness and the pillar of fire and the cloud were going before me, killing snakes and scorpions and burning the thorns and thistles to make a straight path, and [when] the cloud and the smoke were ascending, the nations saw them, and marveled at my greatness, and they would say, “Who is this?” i.e., “How great is she [Bnei Yisroel] who is ascending from the wilderness, etc.!”

With palm-like pillars of smoke. Tall and erect as a palm tree [=תָּמָר.

In a cloud of myrrh. [It is so called] because the cloud of incense which would rise straight up from the inner altar.

Perfume seller. A spice merchant who sells all types of spices.

Powders. [It is so called] because they crush it and pound it [until it becomes] as fine as dust.

Behold the bed of Shlomo. The Tent of Meeting and the Ark,⁹ which they carried in the wilderness.

footnotes: ⁹ This is in accordance with Rashi in 1:1 above that Shlomo refers to God, thus “the bed of Shlomo” refers to the resting place of the Divine Presence.

Sixty mighty men are around it. Sixty myriads surround it.

Of the mighty men of Yisroel. Of those who went into the army, excluding those under twenty and those over sixty.

Skilled in battle. The battle of Torah, and likewise, the kohanim who surround it, who camp around the Tabernacle, are skilled in the order of their service.

Each with his sword. His weapons are the Masorah [i.e., tradition] and the mnemonics, by which they preserve the correct version and the traditional rendition, so that it will not be forgotten.

For fear of the nights. For if they forget it, and troubles will befall them. And similarly it states, “Arm yourselves with the grain lest He become angry and you lose the way.”¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ I.e., study the Torah.

A canopy has [King Shlomo] made. This refers to the Tent of Meeting, which was established in the Tabernacle at Shiloh; He made for Himself a crowning canopy for [His] glory.

Its covering. His resting place and His dwelling were on the Ark cover, which is gold.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ See Shemos 25:17, 22.

Its curtain of purple wool. This is the dividing curtain,¹² which hangs and “rides” on poles from pillar to pillar.

footnotes: ¹² Separating the “Holy Place” from the “Holy of Holies,” See Shemos 26:31,33.

Its interior bedecked. It was arranged with a floor [displaying] love;¹³ the Ark and its cover, cherubim and Tablets.

footnotes: ¹³ Alternatively, “its interior filled with burning love.” In Yeshayahu 6:6, “רצפה” means “burning coal.” (Tzror Hamor)

From the daughters of Yerusholayim. These are the [Bnei] Yisroel, who fear and are wholehearted toward the Holy One, Blessed Is He.

Daughters of Tzion. Children who are distinguished מְצוּיָנִים=צֻיָּן as His, through circumcision, phylacteries, and ritual fringes. Upon the crown

with which his mother adorned him. The Tent of Meeting, which was adorned with hues of blue, purple, and scarlet. Rabbi Nechunya said, “Rabbi Shimon son of Yochai asked Rabbi Elazar the son of Rabbi Yose, ‘Perhaps you heard from your father what is meaning of “upon the crown with which his mother adorned him”?’ He replied, “This is a parable of a king who had an only daughter of whom he was very fond. He could not stop loving her until he called her “my daughter,” as it is stated, “listen daughter and see.”¹⁴ He could not stop loving her until he called her “my sister,” as it is stated, “Open for me, my sister, my love.”¹⁵ He could not stop loving her until he called her “my mother,” as it is stated, “Listen to Me, My people, and My nation וּלְאֻמִּי give ear to Me.”¹⁶ “וּלְאֻמִּי” is written [without a vav and can be read as “וּלְאִמִּי” “and to my mother”]. Thereupon Rabbi Shimon son Yochai stood up and kissed him on his head, etc.

footnotes: ¹⁴ Tehillim 45:11. ¹⁵ Below 5:2. ¹⁶ Yeshayahu 51:4.

On the day of his wedding. The day of the giving of the Torah,¹⁷ when they crowned Him as their King and accepted His yoke.

footnotes: ¹⁷ See Mishnayos Ta’anis 4:8.

And on the day his heart rejoiced. This is the eighth day of the installation,¹⁸ on which the Tabernacle was dedicated in the wilderness.

footnotes: ¹⁸ See Vayikra 9:1.