THE SONG OF THE POMEGRANATE
The pomegranate sings of the innumerable Mitzvos and merits of every member of Hashem’s nation.
[Song 25] Pomegranate (Ch. 3)
רִמּוֹן אוֹמֵר. כְּפֶלַח הָרִמּוֹן רַקָּתֵךְ מִבַּעַד לְצַמָּתֵךְ: (שיר השירים ד ג)
The Pomegranate is saying, “…Your brow is like a piece of a pomegranate behind your braids.”
Commentary
This song is an excerpt from Shir Hashirim, in which Hashem praises the Jewish
nation and describes their qualities with an analogy of a beautiful bride. He
describes her cheekbones as blushed, the color of a pomegranate’s interior. The
figurative intention of this praise is that the Jewish nation is filled with 613
Mitzvos in the same way that the pomegranate contains hundreds of pulpy seeds.
It has a characteristic crown on its top, like the crown of the Torah. It
sings that even “a slice of pomegranate”, that is to say, even a Jew who does
not manage to fulfill all of the Torah, still boasts innumerable seeds. Each seed
is edible in of itself, and contains untold future potential.2
Even if we have merited to amass Torah and Mitzvos, we should still retain our
modesty – just as each pomegranate seed is covered within its husk – and we
should appreciate the hidden greatness of every single Jew. Each pomegranate
is filled with song of Hashem’s love for His entire nation.
LIVING WITH THE SONG
None are like the Jewish nation. There is no such thing as a truly empty Jew. Even the relatively ignorant are filled the
good deeds and are an essential body-part of our interdependent nation. The word of Hashem permeates our furthest
branches and warms even our extremities.
As one grows in wisdom and in deed he should nevertheless remain humble and modest. Even the pomegranate is
hidden within its thick shell. One should remind himself, even if I have amassed much wisdom it is for this that I was
created. The beauty of greatness is when it is covered with modesty. Furthermore, as long as one is modest and
unassuming about his accomplishments he will still grow.
Inasmuch as one values the Torah and invests effort into its acquisition, he should not belittle those that are far behind
him. Nor should he overlook that which he himself has already accomplished. Even half a pomegranate is full of seeds.
Only if we understand the value of each half of our nation can we be considered whole.
Inspirational commentary By Shmuel Ben-Tzion Kraines author of
The Song of Existence.