Song of Songs / Songs of Solomon

[robocombot]

As far as i know, the book of Ruth does not contain a single reference to G-d.

As far as i know, the theological importance of the book of Ruth is how G-d acts in everday live.

However, the Songs of Solomon is very much a mystery to me. I have heard it described as "The Holy of Holies". Could someone explain the theological significance of this book from a Jewish perspective?

 

[dauer]

As far as i know, the book of Ruth does not contain a single reference to G-d.

As far as i know, the theological importance of the book of Ruth is how G-d acts in everday live.

Theologically that is an important aspect of it. There are other important things about the book. Ruth is a good model of a convert and she is dealt with in the way that later Judaism would approach converts, by first testing their sincerity. There is mention of God, although none particularly explicit.

However, the Songs of Solomon is very much a mystery to me. I have heard it described as "The Holy of Holies". Could someone explain the theological significance of this book from a Jewish perspective?

The traditional Jewish answer would be that it's about the relationship between God and Israel. Akiva's statement about the Song of Songs being the holy of holies to the rest of scripture may have to do with him being a Merkava mystic, if he was.

 

[dauer]

I realized it may have been misleading, but when I said later Judaism I didn't mean much later. For a while some Jews were much more welcoming of converts. But this became an issue after a while, especially with the penalty of death for those helping someone to convert.