Ḥeshek Shelomoh (Solomon’s Desire)

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The book’s name: This book [Song of Songs] is called a “song,” a noun bearing several meanings. First, it denotes music, as in the verse: all the daughters of song (Ecclesiastes 12:4), which means all musical instruments. Those texts which are set to vocal or instrumental music are also called by this term, because of their accompanying melodies. These are divided into different genres, in accordance with their sounds and meaning.

Some of them are fully metered and properly rhymed poetry. In such cases, their prime importance is the pleasantness of their sound, while the meaning of the text is only of secondary importance.

Other texts lack rhyme and meter but feature a variety of short and long lines. (This is called “a log on a log,” “a brick on a brick,” “a log on a brick,” or “a brick on a log.”)¹ For example: the Song at the Sea (Exodus 15:1–19), the song of Ha’azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1–43), and the books of Psalms, Job, and Proverbs. Here the prime importance is the meaning of the text, which is to be grasped by the mind of the reader, whereas the music and delightfulness are only of secondary importance. These can be divided into several categories: love songs, songs of victory, parables, wise sayings, and instructional texts. As Ibn Ezra wrote, “All the songs of the Ishmaelites are love songs and ballads, whereas the Edomites sing of wars and vengeance. The songs of the Greeks deal with wisdom and stories, the Indians’ songs are parables and riddles, while the Israelites sing songs of praise to the Lord of Hosts. All the songs of David, may he rest in peace, are of this last genre.”

The noun [“song”] also denotes speech without music at all. If so, it is not referring to narratives, such as all of Chronicles and the speeches of Ecclesiastes, nor maxims and parables, as in the entire book of Proverbs, and the book of Ezekiel, as well as the proverbs which the men of Hezekiah copied out (Proverbs 25:1). Rather, it means metaphors and similes, in which one thing is imaginatively compared to another, either in a dream or in a waking state, with the aim of inducing the listener to love or hate the item to which it is compared, even though it is not actually the same. In the field of logic, this is called a “song,” and this genre includes the Song of Deborah (Judges 4) and the song of Isaiah (Isaiah 5:1–7). [ . . . ]

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It can be inferred, by following the order of the metaphors of this song [Song of Songs], that on one fine day, a beautiful and educated maiden was sitting within her house and her walls [see Isaiah 56:5] and chatting with her girlfriends on matters close to the hearts of people in love, and praising highly the shepherd who was constantly passing by them. Their hearts burned with a great desire as they recalled the love invoked by his glorious beauty and majesty. While the maiden is enflamed by this shepherd—who knows how to play all musical instruments like David—he descends from the mountains to the people, as is his wont, singing in increasingly powerful tones, while his hands and fingers accompany his voice upon the psaltery and harp he holds in his hands. She hears the sound of the song knocking upon the walls of her heart, and says to her friends, who did not hear that which she heard, “Did you hear what reached my ears—the whisper of a good thing, the voice of a man singing songs to the heart of one who loves serenades. Listen to his melody, as it is an excellent song, finer and grander than all songs that people sing. Such a song can be attributed only to one who has achieved all manners of perfection in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and in playing all types of songs. He is the perfect king whom I love.” While they were listening and his voice was audible, rapping on their hearts, their eyes were glancing to and fro at the road, wanting to know who this was and where he was, this sweet singer and most wonderful player of all who handle the harp and pipe (Genesis 4:21). Then the maiden opened her eyes and saw him, and behold, the man who was singing this song was none other than the shepherd whom she loved more than ten rulers [see Ecclesiastes 12:4].