The garden as the place of the encounter of God and Israel and its place in (hi-)story and space : Song 4:16-5:1 in the reception of rabbinic midrashim

Abstract

Song Rab. 4:16-5:1, Num. Rab. 13, Pesiq. Rab. 5, and Lev. Rab. 9, which offer interpretations of Song 4:16-5:1, are to a high degree made up of the same fixed text passages. They are, however, characterised by different selections, different versions, and different ways in which they organise the shared material by means of different models of Israel's remembered history, which serve as "hypertexts". Differing interpretations of Song 4:16-5:1, and especially the understanding of the significance of the garden in the Song, are linked with the midrashim's differing interpretations of Israel's remembered history. The way in which identical material is used by these different midrashim to make different statements makes them a good example of the handling of traditional material by haggadic rabbinic midrashim.