memory, in their respective books; for when they intended to be profound, they did not mention the same terms employed in the Law, but changed them for other expressions which are somewhat synonymous with those in the former, e.g., [HE: yyn/ Hmr{,} prdm/], wine, vine, vineyard, &c. From this arose the great hyperbole in the writings of the Rabbins of blessed memory, for wisdom was not hid from them. But this is not necessary here. The above remarks will suffice for this book according to our design. Praise be to God, and blessed be his name! Amen.
Moses Ibn Tibbon, a celebrated writer of the same age,
wrote an elaborate commentary in which he maintains the same
view that "the Song of Songs represents the union of the RECEPTIVE
or MATERIAL INTELLECT with the ACTIVE INTELLECT."
This commentary has not been printed. A defective MS. containing the Preface, which is very copious, is to be found in the British Museum, Harleian Collection, No. 5797; and a complete MS. is in the possession of the Bodleian Library at Oxford.
1272-1350. The most powerful and ingenious defender of this view is Immanuel ben Solomon. This most charming Hebrew writer, who is poetically called [HE: 'alv.p/ had.a`at b.^emag^ediy'El], the Prince of Science in Rome, was born in Rome, in 1272, where he was the spiritual head of the Jewish community, and where he died, in the first half of the fourteenth century. As Immanuel gives an analysis of this mode of interpretation in his exposition on the first verse, and as this commentary has not been published, we give a translation of this verse, which will enable the reader to see how this mode of interpretation is applied to the whole book. The MS. used for this purpose is in the possession of the British Museum, Harl. Col., No. 5797.[1]
The Song of Songs.—Immanuel ben R. Solomon of blessed memory,
saith, Acknowledging the goodness of the Lord, I agree with the opinion of
our Rabbins, that this book is the most sublime of all the Books given by
inspiration. Expositors, however, differ in its interpretation, and their
opinions are divided, according to the diversity of their knowledge. There
are some—but these are such as go no further than the material world,
and that which their eye sees, looking forward to the good of this world
- [Footnote: [HE:tHbvlt hml'kh S`Sv hnby'ym/ `"h v'Hryhm/ r#z#l bspryhm/ k'Sr rxn/ lh`myq rmz l'
yzkdv Sm/ lmlh kmv Shm/ btyrh 'bll ymyrvhv bSm/ vmlh 'Hrt Shvh kmv nrdp/ lr'Svn/ `"d yyn/ vHmr p_ds{,} vmzh hmyn/ hplgt bdbr r#z#l ky l' n`lmh mhm/ Hkmh{,} 'bl #l' xrykym/ 'nHnv bzh vdy b'lv h`_vt zh hspr lpy kvvntynv{,} vl'l hhvd'h yt# Sm 'mn/{.}]]]*
- ↑ [HE:Syr hSyrym/ 'Sr lSlmh 'mr `mgv'l b#k#r Slmh z#x#l 'Hry hvdvt l#h yt# `l Tvb gmvlvtyv{,} 'vmr ky hspr hzh `l d`h rbvty# z#l dv' mbtr hsprym Sn'mrv brvH hqvdS{.} vnHlqv hmprSym/ bb'rv{,} vhtHlpv d`vtyhm/ bv kpy htHlpvt hkrtm/{,} ky qxtm/ vhm/= 'vtm/
