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To whom did King Solomon sing the “Song of Songs”?

by Rabbi Simcha Bart

  

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He sang it to G-d. The bride and groom are a metaphor for the Jewish people and G-d, and the song is an expression of the profound and undying love which always exists between the two. Here is what Rashi has to say on the first verse of the Song of Songs:

Our Rabbis taught:1  “Every ‘Solomon’2  mentioned in the Song of Songs is sacred (a reference to G-d), the King to Whom peace belongs.” 3

"The world was never as worthy as on the day that the Song of Songs was given to Israel, for all the Writings are holy, whereas the Song of Songs is the holiest of the holy...
It is a song above all songs, which was recited to the Holy One, blessed be He, by His congregation and His people, the congregation of Israel.

Rabbi Akiva said: The world was never as worthy as on the day that the Song of Songs was given to Israel, for all the Writings are holy, whereas the Song of Songs is the holiest of the holy...

All the Writings are holy and the Song of Songs is the holiest of the holy, for it is all comprised of fear of Heaven and the acceptance of the yoke of His kingdom."

Footnotes

  • 1. Shavuot 35b.
  • 2. For they were at a loss to explain why Scripture did not mention his father, as it did in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
  • 3. Solomon’s Hebrew name, “Shlomo,” means “peace is his.”

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RELATED CATEGORIES

Torah » The Bible » The Prophets
Rashi
Acronym for Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040-1105). Legendary French scholar who authored the fundemental and widely accepted "Rashi commentary" on the entire Bible and Talmud.
Solomon
Son of King David, and succeeded him on the throne of Israel in the year 836 BCE. he was the wisest man to ever live. He built the first Holy Temple and authored several books of the Bible.
Song of Songs
One of the 24 books of the Bible, authored by King Solomon. This book, which ostensibly is a love poem, is an analogy meant to depict the love between G-d and His bride, the Jewish Nation.
G-d
It is forbidden to erase or deface the name of G-d. It is therefore customary to insert a dash in middle of G-d's name, allowing us to erase or discard the paper it is written on if necessary.