Simeni Chachotam

The text for Simeni Chachotam is taken from Chapter 8 of Shir HaShirim (The Song of Songs). Shir HaShirim is one of five megillot (scrolls) in the Hebrew Bible; the other four are the Book of Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and the Book of Esther. The authorship of The Song of Songs is commonly attributed to King Solomon, but the actual heading given, Shir Hashirim liShlomo, is ambiguous: it could mean the work was written by Solomon or for Solomon. Shir Hashirim has been interpreted as an allegory, comparing the relationship of God and the Jewish people as husband and wife. Taken literally, it is simply a chronicle of carnal love, from courtship to consummation. Whichever interpretation we accept, the beauty and power of the poetry are timeless and undeniable.