TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 5
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1I have come to my garden, My own, my bride; I have plucked my myrrh and spice, Eaten my honey and honeycomb, Drunk my wine and my milk. Eat, lovers, and drink: Drink deep of love!
BA-tee l'-ga-NEE a-kho-TEE kha-LAH a-REE-tee mo-REE im b'-sa-MEE a-KHAL-tee ya-REE im div-SHEE sha-TEE-tee yay-NEE im kha-la-VEE ikh-LU ray-EEM sh'-TU v'-shikh-RU do-DEEM
אבָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה אָרִיתִי מוֹרִי עִם־בְּשָׂמִי אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם־דִּבְשִׁי שָׁתִיתִי יֵינִי עִם־חֲלָבִי אִכְלוּ רֵעִים שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים׃
5:1 I have come to my garden
According to Metzudat David, this verse is a metaphor for Hashem entering the Beit Hamikdash that the people built for Him, and accepting the sacrifices they offer to Him. The garden is a reference to the Temple and the gathering of myrrh and spice to the acceptance of the incense offering that is brought in His honor. God metaphorically “eats” and “drinks” the offerings and libations, by means of a fire that descends from heaven to consume them. Finally, He calls upon his “friends,” the loyal priests, to partake in their share of the offerings. The use of a garden as the image to represent the Beit Hamikdash paints a picture of beauty and harmony which befits the meeting place of God and mankind on earth.
2I was asleep, But my heart was wakeful. Hark, my beloved knocks! “Let me in, my own, My darling, my faultless dove! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of night.”
a-NEE y'-shay-NAH v'-li-BEE ayr KOL do-DEE do-FAYK pit-khee LEE a-kho-TEE ra-ya-TEE yo-na-TEE ta-ma-TEE she-ro-SHEE nim-la TAL k'-vu-tzo-TAI r'-see-SAY LAI-lah
באֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה וְלִבִּי עֵר קוֹל דּוֹדִי דוֹפֵק פִּתְחִי־לִי אֲחֹתִי רַעְיָתִי יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי שֶׁרֹּאשִׁי נִמְלָא־טָל קְוֻּצּוֹתַי רְסִיסֵי לָיְלָה׃
5:2 Hark, my beloved knocks!
The words: “My beloved knocks,” in Hebrew kol dodi dofek (קול דודי דופק), form the title and theme of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s classic essay on religious Zionism. In this essay, Rabbi Soloveitchik highlights the miraculous events surrounding the establishment of the State of Israel and posits that God “knocked” six times to get our attention. He points to military successes, political opportunities, the theological awakening of the Christian world and other developments as contemporary signs that Hashem is beckoning the Jewish people to return to the Land of Israel. Rabbi Soloveichik cautions that we must respond quickly to these knocks, unlike the beloved who hesitates in this chapter, and later regrets her lost opportunity.
3I had taken off my robe— Was I to don it again? I had bathed my feet— Was I to soil them again?
גפָּשַׁטְתִּי אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתִּי אֵיכָכָה אֶלְבָּשֶׁנָּה רָחַצְתִּי אֶת־רַגְלַי אֵיכָכָה אֲטַנְּפֵם׃
4My beloved took his hand off the latch, And my heart was stirred for him.
דדּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן־הַחֹר וּמֵעַי הָמוּ עָלָיו׃
5I rose to let in my beloved; My hands dripped myrrh— My fingers, flowing myrrh— Upon the handles of the bolt.
הקַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתֹּחַ לְדוֹדִי וְיָדַי נָטְפוּ־מוֹר וְאֶצְבְּעֹתַי מוֹר עֹבֵר עַל כַּפּוֹת הַמַּנְעוּל׃
6I opened the door for my beloved, But my beloved had turned and gone. I was faint because of what he said. I sought, but found him not; I called, but he did not answer.
ופָּתַחְתִּי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ קְרָאתִיו וְלֹא עָנָנִי׃
7I met the watchmen Who patrol the town; They struck me, they bruised me. The guards of the walls Stripped me of my mantle.
זמְצָאֻנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר הִכּוּנִי פְצָעוּנִי נָשְׂאוּ אֶת־רְדִידִי מֵעָלַי שֹׁמְרֵי הַחֹמוֹת׃
8I adjure you, O maidens of Yerushalayim! If you meet my beloved, tell him this: That I am faint with love.
חהִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם אִם־תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת־דּוֹדִי מַה־תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי׃
9How is your beloved better than another, O fairest of women? How is your beloved better than another That you adjure us so?
טמַה־דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים מַה־דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד שֶׁכָּכָה הִשְׁבַּעְתָּנוּ׃
10My beloved is clear-skinned and ruddy, Preeminent among ten thousand.
ידּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם דָּגוּל מֵרְבָבָה׃
11His head is finest gold, His locks are curled And black as a raven.
יארֹאשׁוֹ כֶּתֶם פָּז קְוּצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב׃
12His eyes are like doves By watercourses, Bathed in milk, Set by a brimming pool.
יבעֵינָיו כְּיוֹנִים עַל־אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם רֹחֲצוֹת בֶּחָלָב יֹשְׁבוֹת עַל־מִלֵּאת׃
13His cheeks are like beds of spices, Banks of perfume His lips are like lilies; They drip flowing myrrh.
יגלְחָיָו כַּעֲרוּגַת הַבֹּשֶׂם מִגְדְּלוֹת מֶרְקָחִים שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים נֹטְפוֹת מוֹר עֹבֵר׃
14His hands are rods of gold, Studded with beryl; His belly a tablet of ivory, Adorned with sapphires.
ידיָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים׃
15His legs are like marble pillars Set in sockets of fine gold. He is majestic as Lebanon, Stately as the cedars.
טושׁוֹקָיו עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ מְיֻסָּדִים עַל־אַדְנֵי־פָז מַרְאֵהוּ כַּלְּבָנוֹן בָּחוּר כָּאֲרָזִים׃
16His mouth is delicious And all of him is delightful. Such is my beloved, Such is my darling, O maidens of Yerushalayim!
טזחִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים וְכֻלּוֹ מַחֲּמַדִּים זֶה דוֹדִי וְזֶה רֵעִי בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ ִם׃
