Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1.5

שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה, שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּמַעֲשַׂי, וְנָאוָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתַי. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה, אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בִּפְנֵי עַצְמִי, וְנָאוָה בִּפְנֵי קוֹנִי, דִּכְתִיב (עמוס ט, ז): הֲלוֹא כִבְנֵי כֻשִׁיִּים אַתֶּם לִי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּבְנֵי כֻשִׁיִּים אַתֶּם בִּפְנֵיכֶם, אֲבָל אַתֶּם לִי כִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם ה'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּמִצְרַיִם. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּמִצְרַיִם (יחזקאל כ, ח): וַיַּמְרוּ בִי וְלֹא אָבוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֵלַי, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּמִצְרַיִם, בְּדַם הַפֶּסַח וּבְדַם הַמִּילָה, דִּכְתִיב (יחזקאל טז, ו): וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי, זֶה דַּם הַפֶּסַח, וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי, זֶה דַּם הַמִּילָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בַּיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו, ז): וַיַּמְרוּ עַל יָם בְּיַם סוּף. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בַּיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, ב): זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּמָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, כד): וַיִּלֹּנוּ הָעָם עַל משֶׁה לֵאמֹר מַה נִּשְׁתֶּה. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּמָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, כה): וַיִּצְעַק אֶל ה' וַיּוֹרֵהוּ ה' עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶל הַמַּיִם וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בִּרְפִידִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יז, ז): וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בִּרְפִידִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יז, טו): וַיִּבֶן משֶׁה מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ ה' נִסִּי. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּחוֹרֵב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו, יט): יַעֲשׂוּ עֵגֶל בְּחֹרֵב. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּחוֹרֵב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בַּמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עח, מ): כַּמָּה יַמְרוּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּר. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בַּמִּדְבָּר בַּהֲקָמַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ט, טו): וּבְיוֹם הָקִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בַּמְרַגְלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יג, לב): וַיֹּצִיאוּ דִּבַּת הָאָרֶץ. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָלֵב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לב, יב): בִּלְתִּי כָּלֵב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה הַקְּנִזִּי. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בַּשִּׁטִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כה, א): וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּשִּׁטִּים. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בַּשִּׁטִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו, ל): וַיַּעֲמֹד פִּינְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּעָכָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ז, א): וַיִּמְעֲלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַעַל בַּחֵרֶם. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ז, יט): וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶל עָכָן בְּנִי שִׂים נָא כָבוֹד. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה. אִם בַּשְּׁחוֹרִים שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁלִּי כָּךְ אֲנִי נָאוָה, בַּנְּבִיאִים שֶׁלִּי עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.

“I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon” (Song of Songs 1:5). “I am black but lovely,” black in terms of my actions but lovely in terms of the actions of my ancestors. “I am black but lovely,” the congregation of Israel said: I am black in terms of myself, and am, therefore, lovely before my Creator, as it is written: “Are you not like Kushites to Me, children of Israel [– the utterance of the Lord]” (Amos 9:7), you are like Kushites in terms of yourselves, but to Me you are the children of Israel – the utterance of the Lord. Another matter, I was black in Egypt and I was lovely in Egypt. I was black in Egypt; “they defied Me and were unwilling to heed Me” (Ezekiel 20:8). I was lovely in Egypt, with the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, as it is written: “I passed you, and I saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you: In your blood, you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6); this is the blood of the Paschal offering; “I said to you: In your blood, you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6); this is the blood of circumcision. Another matter, I was black at the sea, as it is stated: “They rebelled at the sea, at the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). And I was lovely at the sea, as it is stated: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). I was black at Mara, as it is stated: “The people complained against Moses, saying: What will we drink?” (Exodus 15:24). And I was lovely at Mara, as it is stated: “He cried to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree and he cast it into the water and the waters were sweetened” (Exodus 15:25). I was black in Refidim, as it is stated: “He called the name of the place Masa and Meriva” (Exodus 17:7). And I was lovely in Refidim, as it is stated: “Moses built an altar, and he called its name: The Lord is my banner” (Exodus 17:15). I was black at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “They crafted a calf at Ḥorev” (Psalms 106:19). And I was lovely at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “Everything that the Lord stated we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). I was black in the wilderness, as it is stated: “How much they defied Him in the wilderness” (Psalms 78:40). And I was lovely in the wilderness with the establishment of the Tabernacle, as it is stated: “On the day the Tabernacle was established” (Numbers 9:15). I was black with the scouts, as it is stated: “They issued a slanderous report” (Numbers 13:32). And I was lovely with Joshua and Caleb, as it is stated: “Except Caleb ben Yefuneh the Kenizite [and Joshua son of Nun]” (Numbers 32:12). I was black in Shitim, as it is stated: “Israel settled in Shitim [and the people began engaging in harlotry]” (Numbers 25:1). And I was lovely in Shitim, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). I was black regarding Akhan, as it is stated: “The children of Israel trespassed regarding the proscribed spoils” (Joshua 7:1). And I was lovely regarding Joshua, as it is stated: “Joshua said to Akhan: My son, please give honor [to the Lord, God of Israel]” (Joshua 7:19). I was black regarding the kings of Israel and I was lovely regarding the kings of Judah. If with the black that I had, I was lovely, among My prophets, all the more so.

שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי, מְדַבֵּר בְּאַחְאָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א כא, כז): וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ אַחְאָב אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיִּקְרַע בְּגָדָיו [וישם שק על בשרו ויצום] [וישכב בשק ויהלך אט]. כַּמָּה נִתְעַנָּה, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר שָׁלשׁ שָׁעוֹת, אִם הָיָה לָמוּד לֶאֱכוֹל סְעוּדָתוֹ בְּשָׁלשׁ שָׁעוֹת אוֹכֵל בְּשֵׁשׁ, וְאִם הָיָה אוֹכֵל בְּשֵׁשׁ אוֹכֵל בְּתֵשַׁע. (מלכים א כא, כז): וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּשָֹּׂק וַיְהַלֵּךְ אַט, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר שֶׁהָלַךְ יָחֵף, בִּיהוֹרָם מַה כְּתִיב (מלכים ב ו, ל): וַיַּרְא הָעָם וְהִנֵּה הַשַֹּׂק עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ מִבָּיִת. רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חַיְתָא אָמַר בָּהּ תְּלַת שִׁטִּין, שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי כָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בַּשַּׁבָּת. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי כָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּשֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִין. שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

“I am black,” this is referring to Ahab, as it is stated: “It was when Ahab heard these matters that he rent his garments [and placed sackcloth upon his flesh, and he fasted]” (I Kings 21:27). How much did he fast? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Three hours. If he was accustomed to eat his meal at three hours, he ate at six, and if he would eat at six, he ate at nine. “He lay in sackcloth, and walked slowly” (I Kings 21:27). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He walked barefoot. [Similarly,] regarding Yehoram, what is written? “The people saw, and behold, the sackcloth was upon his flesh underneath” (II Kings 6:30). Rabbi Levi Bar Ḥaita said three approaches in regard to this [verse]: I am black all the days of the week and I am lovely on Shabbat. I am black all the days of the year and I am lovely on Yom Kippur. I am black regarding the Ten Tribes and I am lovely regarding the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. I am black in this world and I am lovely in the World to Come.

בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אַל תִּקְרֵי בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, אֶלָּא בּוֹנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, זוֹ סַנְהֶדְרֵי גְדוֹלָה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וּמְבִינִין אוֹתוֹ בְּכָל שְׁאֵלָה וּמִשְׁפָּט. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן עֲתִידָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְהֵעָשׂוֹת מֶטְרוֹפּוֹלִין לְכָל הַמְדִינוֹת, וּלְהַמְשִׁיךְ כְּנָהָר אֵלֶיהָ לִכְבוֹדָה. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יהושע טו, מז): אַשְׁדּוֹד בְּנוֹתֶיהָ וַחֲצֵרֶיהָ עַזָּה בְּנוֹתֶיהָ וַחֲצֵרֶיהָ עַד [לשע] [לשעת] הִיא דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּתִיב (יחזקאל טז, סא): וְנָתַתִּי אֶתְהֶן לָךְ לְבָנוֹת וְלֹא מִבְּרִיתֵךְ, מַהוּ לְבָנוֹת, לְכוּפְרָנִין. וְלֹא מִבְּרִיתֵךְ, לֹא מִן פְּרָנִיךְ אֶלָּא מִן פְּרָנִין דִּידִי. רַבִּי בֵּיבַי מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי רְאוּבֵן אָמַר (ישעיה נד, א): רָנִּי עֲקָרָה, הָא רִנָּה עַקְרוּתָא הִיא, אֶלָּא רָנִּי עֲקָרָה שֶׁא יָלְדָה בָנִים לְגֵיהִנֹּם. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר, נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּנְקֵבָה, מַה נְּקֵבָה זוֹ נוֹטֶלֶת עִשֹּׂוּר נְכָסִים מֵאָבִיהָ וְיוֹצְאָה, כָּךְ יָרְשׁוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶרֶץ שִׁבְעָה עַמָּמִים, שֶׁהוּא עִשֹּׂוּר שִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁיָּרְשׁוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּנְקֵבָה, אָמְרוּ שִׁירָה בִּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, א): אָז יָשִׁיר משֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לַה'. אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא הֵן עֲתִידִין לִירַשׁ כְּזָכָר הַיּוֹרֵשׁ לְכָל נִכְסֵי אָבִיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל מח, ז): מִפְּאַת קָדִים עַד פְּאַת יָמָּה יְהוּדָה אֶחָד, (יחזקאל מח, א ב): דָּן אֶחָד, אָשֵׁר אֶחָד, וְכֻלְּהוֹן כָּךְ, וְהֵן אוֹמְרִין בִּלְשׁוֹן זָכָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צו, א): שִׁירוּ לַה' שִׁיר חָדָשׁ, שִׁירָה חֲדָשָׁה אֵין כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא שִׁיר חָדָשׁ. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי, לָמָה נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּנְקֵבָה, מַה נְּקֵבָה זוֹ טוֹעֶנֶת וּפוֹרֶקֶת, טוֹעֶנֶת וּפוֹרֶקֶת, וְחוֹזֶרֶת וּפוֹרֶקֶת, וְשׁוּב אֵינָהּ טוֹעֶנֶת, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין וְנִגְאָלִין, מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין וְנִגְאָלִין, וְחוֹזְרִין וְנִגְאָלִין וְשׁוּב אֵין מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין לְעוֹלָם. בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁצָּרָתָן צָרַת נְקֵבָה יוֹלֶדֶת, הֵן אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה לְפָנָיו בִּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, אֲבָל לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁצָּרָתָן אֵין צָרַת יוֹלֶדֶת, הֵן אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה בִּלְשׁוֹן זָכָר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה כו, א): בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יוּשַׁר הַשִּׁיר הַזֶּה.

“Daughters of Jerusalem,” the Rabbis say: Do not read it as “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem, but rather, builders of [bonot] Jerusalem. This is the Great Sanhedrin of Israel, which convenes and instructs them with regard to every question and judgment. Another matter, “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to become a metropolis for all countries, and to draw [people] to it in streams, for its glory, as it is stated: “Ashdod, its towns, [benoteha] and its surrounding areas; Gaza, its towns, and its surrounding areas up to <Lasha>” (Joshua 15:47). This is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “I will give them to you as daughters [levanot] and not due to your covenant” (Ezekiel 16:61). What is “levanot”? Towns. What is “not due to your covenant”? It is not due to your contract, but rather due to My contract. Rabbi Beivai said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: “Sing, barren one, [who did not bear]” (Isaiah 54:1). What song is there for barrenness? Rather, “sing, barren one,” who did not bear children for Gehenna. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Israel was likened to a female, just as a female takes one-tenth of the property from her father and leaves, so, too, Israel inherited the land of the seven nations, which is one-tenth of the seventy nations. Because they inherited like a female, they sang songs in the feminine, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song [hashira hazot] to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1). But, in the future, they are destined to inherit like a male, who inherits all his father’s property; that is what is written: “From the eastern side to the western side, Judah, one portion” (Ezekiel 48:7). “Dan one portion…Asher one portion” (Ezekiel 48:1–2), and all of them so, and they speak in the masculine, as it is stated: “Sing to the Lord a new song [shir ḥadash]” (Psalms 96:1); shira ḥadasha is not written, but rather shir ḥadash. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi [said]: Why was Israel likened to a female? Just as a female loads and unloads, loads and unloads, and then unloads and does not load again, so, too, Israel is enslaved and redeemed, enslaved and redeemed, and is then redeemed and is never enslaved again. In this world, because their trouble is like the trouble of a female who gives birth, they sing songs in the feminine; however, in the World to Come, where their trouble is not like the trouble of one who gives birth, they sing songs in the masculine. That is what is written: “On that day this song [hashir] will be sung” (Isaiah 26:1).

כְּאָהֳלֵי קֵדָר, מַה אָהֳלֵי קֵדָר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּרְאִין מִבַּחוּץ כְּעוּרִים וּשְׁחוֹרִים וּסְמַרְטוּטִין, וְהֵם מִבִּפְנִים אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָּלִיּוֹת, כָּךְ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּרְאִין כְּעוּרִים וּשְׁחוֹרִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אֲבָל בִּפְנִים יֵשׁ בָּהֶם תּוֹרָה, מִקְרָא, מִשְׁנָה, מִדְרָשׁוֹת, הֲלָכוֹת, תַּלְמוּד, תּוֹסֶפְתּוֹת וְאַגָּדוֹת. אִי מָה אָהֳלֵי קֵדָר אֵין צְרִיכִין תִּכְבּוֹסֶת, יָכוֹל אַף יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּךְ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כִּירִיעוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה, מַה יְּרִיעוֹת שַׂלְמָה זוֹ מִתְלַכְלֶכֶת וּמִתְכַּבֶּסֶת וְחוֹזֶרֶת וּמִתְלַכְלֶכֶת וּמִתְכַּבֶּסֶת, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמִּתְלַכְלְכִין בַּעֲוֹנוֹת כָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה, יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים בָּא וּמְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טז, ל): כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם, וּכְתִיב (ישעיה א, יח): אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ, אִי מָה אָהֳלֵי קֵדָר מִטַּלְטְלִין מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, יָכוֹל אַף יִשְׂרָאֵל כֵּן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר כִּירִיעוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה, כִּירִיעוֹתָיו שֶׁל מִי שֶׁהַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁלוֹ, מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁמִּשָּׁעָה שֶׁמְּתָחָן עוֹד לֹא זָזוּ מִמְקוֹמָן. תָּנֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב (ישעיה לג, כ): אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן, בַּל יֵצֵא וּבַל יָנוּעַ. מָה אָהֳלֵי קֵדָר אֵין עָלֶיהָ עֹל כָּל בְּרִיָה, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֵין עֲלֵיהֶם עֹל כָּל בְּרִיָה. תָּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּא (ויקרא כו, יג): וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם קוֹמְמִיּוּת, בְּקוֹמָה זְקוּפָה שֶׁאֵינָן יְרֵאִין מִכָּל בְּרִיָּה. רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר כְּיוֹסֵף, מַה יּוֹסֵף נִמְכַּר לְאָהֳלֵי קֵדָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לז, כח): וַיִּמְכְּרוּ אֶת יוֹסֵף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים, וְחָזַר וְקָנָה אֶת קוֹנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מז, כ): וַיִּקֶּן יוֹסֵף אֶת כָּל אַדְמַת מִצְרַיִם, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל (ישעיה יד, ב): וְהָיוּ שֹׁבִים לְשֹׁבֵיהֶם.

“Like the tents of Kedar,” just as the tents of Kedar appear externally to be ugly, black, and in tatters, but internally they are gems and pearls, so too Torah scholars, even though they appear ugly and black in this world, internally there is Torah in them, Bible, Mishna, Midrash, halakhot, Talmud, Tosefta, and aggada. If so, just as tents of Kedar do not require laundering, perhaps the same is true of Israel; the verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon”—just as these curtains of Solomon are soiled and laundered, and are again soiled and laundered, so, too, Israel, even though they are soiled with sins all the days of the year, Yom Kippur arrives and atones for them, as it is stated: “For on this day He will atone for you” (Leviticus 16:30), and it is written: “If your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). If so, just as the tents of Kedar are moved from place to place, perhaps the same is true of Israel. The verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon [Shelomo],” like the curtains of the One [of Whom it may be stated] that the peace is His, the One Who spoke and the world came into being, that from the moment He spread them, they did not move from their place. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov taught: “A tent that will not be displaced [yatzan]” (Isaiah 33:20); it will not emerge [yetze] and will not move [yanua]. Just as the tents of Kedar are not subject to the yoke of any creature, so too, Israel, in the future, will not be subject to the yoke of any creature. Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “I led you upright” (Leviticus 26:13); with an upright stature, without fear of any creature. Rabbi Yudan said: Like Joseph; just as Joseph was sold to the tents of Kedar, as it is stated: “They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites… [and they brought Joseph to Egypt]” (Genesis 37:28), and he then purchased his purchasers, as it is stated: “Joseph purchased all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 47:20), so too Israel: “They will be captors of their captors” (Isaiah 14:2).