Shir ha-Shirim X: Part Seven: One & Two into a Third

He composed three sets of Proverbs: “The Proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel (Proverbs 1:1),” “The Proverbs of Solomon; a wise son makes a happy father (10:1),” “These also are Proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah copied out (25:1).”

He uttered three cries of “vanity”: “Vanity of vanities, says Kohelet (Ecclesiastes 1:1).” “Vanity” is one, and “vanities,” two more, making three.

He composed three songs: “The song,” implies one, “of songs,” to more, making three in all. (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1.1:10, part seven)

The midrash is teaching us that this man of threes composed three books; Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs, in threes. Each book represents all three aspects of this man of threes. He incorporated and expressed all of his being in all that he taught.

Our approach to the Pesach story must also reflect our entire being; all of the history of the Jewish people, with its positive and negative points. Our mission is to review the entire story, not to focus on only one element. This is why there are so many references both to slavery and freedom, both to night and day. We are to take the opposites and combine them into a third level which incorporates both the positive and the negative.