THE SONG OF THE BEAR
The bear sings that Hashem’s world does not deserve to rest until it reaches its desired state of completion.
[Song 71] Bear (Ch. 5)
דֹּב אוֹמֵר יִשְׂאוּ מִדְבָּר וְעָרָיו חֲצֵרִים תֵּשֵׁב קֵדָר יָרֹנּוּ ישְׁבֵי סֶלַע מֵרֹאשׁ הָרִים יִצְוָחוּ: (ישעיה מב יא)
The Bear is saying: “Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the village that Kedar inhabits; let the inhabitants of the rocks sing, let them shout from the peaks of the mountains. Let them give kavod to Hashem, and tell of his praise in the islands.”
Commentary
The bear is always restless, constantly looking for food and drink. Even if
chained, it will not stop moving. As it “raises its voice in the wilderness”, it is
singing of the future redemption, the restored holy land will raise its voice in
jubilant song. Until then, as long as the King does not rule openly in His kingdom,
the restless bear expresses that the world does not deserve to be at ease. The bear’s
arousal from its death-like hibernation after each winter symbolizes the revival of
the dead, when “the dwellers of stone will awaken”.
The bear reminds us that until the world has reached its rectified state and
Hashem’s Presence has returned to its holy resting place, a Jew cannot be fully at
rest. We should never feel bored. Every part of our lives is there for a reason. And
every second of activity is a bearlike song to our King.
LIVING WITH THE SONG
As long as His Kingship is not realized in this world, a Jew cannot be fully at rest. A Jew is therefore never bored.
Every part of his life is there for a reason. Every second of busy-ness is a song to his Creator.
Inspirational commentary By Shmuel Ben-Tzion Kraines author of
The Song of Existence.