Avodah Zarah, Daf Lamed Heh, Part 3

 

Introduction

This entire section contains derashot relating Song of Songs 1 to scholars of Torah.

 

דרש רב נחמן בריה דרב חסדא מאי דכתיב (שיר השירים א, ג) "לריח שמניך טובים"? למה ת"ח דומה לצלוחית של פלייטין מגולה ריחה נודף מכוסה אין ריחה נודף

 

R. Nahman the son of R. Hisda expounded: What is it that is written, Your ointments yield a sweet fragrance, [Your name is like finest oil] (Song of Songs 1:3)? To what may a scholar be compared? To a flask of pelaitin: When opened, its odor is diffused, but if covered up its odor does not diffuse.

 

Torah scholars are like a flask of expensive perfume. They should teach their Torah to the outside world so that their good teachings (smell) can spread.

 

ולא עוד אלא דברים שמכוסין ממנו מתגלין לו שנאמר (שיר השירים א, ג) עלמות אהבוך קרי ביה עלומות

 

Moreover things that are hidden become revealed to him, as it is said, Therefore do the maidens (alamot) love you. Read the hidden (alumot).

 

This midrash (and those below) play on the word alamot which literally means maidens or young women. With one vowel change it turns into the hidden things. When a Torah scholar teaches others, the hidden meanings of the words become revealed. As a teacher, I can tell you that this is certainly true. When teaching, I understand the material far better than I do when just learning it without the intent of teaching other.

 

ולא עוד אלא שמלאך המות אוהבו שנא’ עלמות אהבוך קרי ביה על מות

 

Moreover, even the Angel of Death loves him as it says alamot love you, read, the one who rules over death (al mavet).

 

By splitting the word alamot into two words and revocalizing it, we can read over death, an allusion to the Angel of Death. One who teaches Torah is loved even by the angel of death. While I assume that this is meant to be a good thing, I m not really 100 per cent sure.

 

ולא עוד אלא שנוחל שני עולמות אחד העוה"ז ואחד העוה"ב שנא’ עלמות קרי ביה עולמות:

 

Moreover, he inherits both worlds, this world and the world to come, as it says, alamot read worlds (olamot).

 

Another vowel change yields olamot worlds. The Torah scholar earns both worlds, for he/she impacts this world and receives merit in the world to come. I read these kind of statements as saying that a particular act is good for others and is also inherently good even if if does not impact other people. At least that s my rationalist reading of cases where the tradition says that one receives reward in both worlds.