Shir HaShirim-God Skips Over
The Kobriner commented on the verse, “Hark! My beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills (Song of Songs 2:8).” The Midrash (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 2:19) tells us that when Moshe announced the Redemption to Israel, they said, ‘ How may we be redeemed when on every mountain and on every hill stand our altars to the false gods?’ Moshe replied, ‘ When God calls you, He does not look upon your idolatrous temples. His eyes leap over the mountains, and skip over the hills.’
Nowadays, when a Jew is influenced by the sermon of the preacher, and earnestly desires to improve his ways, the evil thought within him declares, “How can you become a good Jew when you have neglected God’s commandments and precepts for so long a time?”
Then the spiritual leader tells them, “God desires only your repentance. He will overlook them forget what has transpired, if only you resolve sincerely to embark anew upon the road to godliness.” (Ohr Yesharim, page 89)
Haggadah: God passed over