Commentary: On the Song of Songs

This Hebrew commentary first divides the book into units of text. It then explains the allegory of each unit and clarifies difficult words and phrases. The author takes the Song of Songs to be an allegory about the relationship between God and Israel, as many Jewish exegetes did, and uses the story to encourage his fellow Jews to remain faithful to their God, even in exile, and to resist the conversionary efforts of Christians. Perhaps more than other medieval interpreters, the author takes an interest in the overall structure of the story. Although many attribute it to Samuel ben Meir, others think that this work was written by one or more of his students or successors. The excerpts here contain the methodological introduction and some passages that reflect the relationship between the young lover and her beloved.