שיר השירים
kesuvim
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28 shiurim for Shir HaShirim
How can Klal Yisrael say "I am black and I am beautiful" simultaneously? The Midrash on Shir HaShirim lists opposite realities—blackened by sin in Egypt yet beautiful at Sinai, blackened by the golden calf yet beautiful in building the Mishkan. The shiur explores whether these are transformations or coexisting truths, and concludes that Hashem focuses on our beauty without denying the blackness—a model for how we should see ourselves and others.
How can Hashem declare us beautiful immediately after the golden calf sin? The shiur develops the principle that true love requires each partner to prioritize the other - Hashem says our existence is worth His pain from our sins, while we should feel unworthy of causing Him embarrassment. This mutual selflessness creates the 'verdant bed' of shalom bayis that nurtures healthy growth.
What does 'selichti kidvarecha' mean when we recite it on Yom Kippur? The shiur develops a chiddush that this phrase expresses divine love, not conditional forgiveness - Hashem forgives simply because we ask, prioritizing the relationship over receiving what is due. True forgiveness requires giving up one's right to demand full compensation, with divine forgiveness serving as the model for human relationships.
Why does Shir HaShirim 1:9 link divine love specifically to Kriyas Yam Suf? The shiur distinguishes between Hashem acting through middos (via malachim) versus direct divine appearances. Kriyas Yam Suf marked the first time Hashem personally intervened rather than working through messengers, demonstrating His special chibah for Klal Yisrael.
What does "go forth in the footsteps of the flock" mean when facing crisis? The shiur develops a dual yesod: later generations survive by following earlier ones' example, while earlier generations need later ones for ultimate fulfillment. This interdependence creates unshakeable resilience, as shown by Nakdimon ben Gurion's daughter who endured extreme poverty because ancestral merit maintained her connection to Hashem's love.
Was the Golden Calf simply idolatry, or something more specific? The shiur argues it was actually a rejection of Torah She'be'al Peh - choosing surface-level observance over deep understanding. Galus serves as the ultimate tikkun by forcing Jews to consciously seek Torah wisdom to explain their distinct practices.
How could the Jewish people blame the erev rav for the golden calf when each person is responsible for their own choices? The erev rav's decision to join the exodus gave wavering Jews validation that leaving Egypt wasn't foolish, creating psychological influence that Pharaoh deliberately exploited. This dynamic explains why whoever gives someone confidence gains power over them.
How can Israel be both "black" and "beautiful" simultaneously, as described in Shir HaShirim? The shiur uses Rashi's insight to reveal a fundamental difference between divine and human relationships. While people focus on recent failures and forget past goodness, God sees Israel's essential beauty intact even after transgressions like the Golden Calf.
What does the opening of Shir HaShirim mean by requesting divine 'kisses of His mouth'? Rashi's distinction between types of kisses reveals that mouth-to-mouth contact represents the deepest soul connection through divine breath. This explains why Israel requested direct divine communication at Sinai rather than receiving Torah only through Moshe.
Why did Hashem offer Torah to all nations if He already had a special relationship with Israel? The shiur distinguishes between two relationships: other nations were offered mitzvos as subjects to a king, but only Israel received the intimate 'beloved' relationship of marriage. The Exodus and wilderness journey were actually a divine courtship period, making the Golden Calf and spies' rejection devastating acts of infidelity.
Why did God hasten the Exodus by 190 years when He wasn't obligated to redeem the Jewish people yet? Rashi's reading of Shir HaShirim reveals extraordinary divine love - God redeemed them before they would despair completely and lose desire for redemption. The choice of Moshe, whose prophecy was uniquely direct speech rather than interpreted visions, made the redemption itself a personal divine connection rather than mere preparation for one.
Why does the Gemara say Hashem loves both one who reads "v'ahavta" (love) and one who reads "v'yafetz" (enmity) about our relationship with Him? Love and enmity both stem from a desire for unity - they differ only in who controls the relationship. This explains why tefillah belongs in Sefer Ahavah: prayer represents genuine connection, not mere obligation.
Who is speaking in Shir Hashirim's verses about the thirty-eight years when Israel was rebuked after the sin of the spies? The shiur traces how both Hashem and Knesses Yisrael express mutual longing during their separation, culminating in reunification only after Moshe and Aharon's death when the conquest of Eretz Yisrael restored their partnership.
Why does the Kodesh HaKodashim represent God's partnership with Israel rather than His independent majesty? The shiur develops the principle that Divine kingship requires willing human acceptance - a king needs subjects who choose to recognize his sovereignty. This explains why certain mitzvos like tefillin and tzitzis preserve Jewish identity in exile, ensuring we return to Israel as Jews, not as Americans who happen to observe Jewish practices.
Why does Avos 5:5 list ten specific miracles in the Beis Hamikdash, like wind never dispersing the smoke columns? The miracles weren't just divine protection of a holy place but demonstrations of Israel's spiritual elevation. Israel's holiness enabled them to stand "komemiyus" like fire reaching skyward, making the Mikdash's sanctity dependent on their spiritual achievements.
Who is speaking in each verse of Shir HaShirim 3:1-4 - HaKadosh Baruch Hu or Kneses Yisrael? Using Rashi's commentary, the shiur maps out a dialogue where both parties search for reunion after the sin of the spies. The conquest of Eretz Yisrael represents not just military victory but the fundamental repair of their damaged relationship.
How could Jewish women maintain their faithfulness during Egyptian slavery when the Egyptians controlled their husbands through forced labor? The locked garden metaphor teaches that Egyptian immorality operated through seduction rather than force, allowing Jewish women to resist. This faithfulness is eternally testified by God's inclusion of the divine letters yud and hei in Jewish family names.
What distinguishes Jerusalem's kedushah from earlier holy sites like Har Sinai and Shiloh? The shiur develops the principle that while Sinai and Shiloh represented temporary divine visits, Jerusalem became Hashem's permanent address through 'menuchah v'nachalah.' This explains why Jerusalem's kedushah endures even after destruction - like marriage versus dating, problems require repair rather than departure.
Why did the Ten Commandments appear in two columns of five, with each commandment directly opposite another? The shiur uses Rashi's explanation to reveal that each pairing teaches essential aspects of both mitzvos - like how murder violates our divine likeness or how coveting means wanting to become master of another's entire household.
Why does Shlomo HaMelech praise Klal Yisrael's spiritual beauty by referencing events like the war against Midian that occurred centuries before his time? These historical moments revealed eternal character traits inherent in the Jewish soul - capacity for faithfulness, purity, and integrity. Each poetic image in the verse points to a defining spiritual quality that transcends any particular generation.
When nations ask what makes HaShem superior to their gods, how should we respond? The shiur develops the fundamental distinction that idol worship creates estrangement while HaShem constantly engages with us for our elevation. Even HaShem's judgments operate through mercy, like a father disciplining his son rather than a king judging a servant.
Why does Rashi interpret 'I have come to My garden' as referring to the Mishkan inauguration where Hashem accepted normally inappropriate offerings? The shiur develops that this represents 'achosi kallah' - a partnership model where Israel contributes beyond mere obligation. When relationship breaks down, both Israel and Hashem experience genuine lack, not just punishment.
Why do the nations praise Israel's spiritual greatness while simultaneously trying to destroy the Temple that served them? The shiur develops the paradox that Israel's protective 'nut shell' nature preserves them from persecution but can also breed spiritual complacency and sinat chinam. The nations recognize Israel's cosmic significance as connected to creation's foundation stone, yet seek to redirect this power toward material rather than spiritual ends.
Why did the Jewish people reject the nations' offer to help build the Second Temple? The shiur develops that excessive spiritual intimacy without proper boundaries can lead to betrayal, as happened with the keruvim in the First Temple. True divine relationship requires exclusive commitment, not the mixed motives the nations brought to their offer.
What does Shir HaShirim's progression from describing individual limbs to complete spiritual stature represent? The shiur develops that this reflects the Jewish people's national maturity - their readiness for self-governance recognized even by other nations. Like craftsmen who possess inner dignity that prevents theft, a mature nation creates value through its own abilities rather than depending on others.
Why was Aharon called the "pillar of prayer" when Moshe was greater at prayer? Aharon created unity among Israel through his love of peace, transforming individual prayers into naturally communal ones. The shiur connects this to the Rambam's insight that God desires our love and pursuit of mitzvos, not mere compliance.
How does Knesses Yisrael's love for Hashem differ from mere repentance? The shiur reveals that 'Tachas hatapuach orarticha' refers to Har Sinai as both wedding canopy and burial threat—creating a marriage that brings blessing or death. True devotion means accepting persecution for kiddush Hashem, knowing that neither force nor bribery can extinguish this love.
How do the final verses of Shir HaShirim capture the arc from exile to redemption? The shiur reads the vineyard allegory as Hashem entrusting Israel to gentile 'keepers' who exploit rather than protect, yet divine justice will demand repayment with interest. Even in exile, Israel's natural habitat remains the study halls where angels gather to hear Torah.
