Ecstasy of the Beloved

A Song of Songs Ritual Drama for Purim

from the Pillar of Fire

Notes:
This ritual is based heavily on Yakov Rabinovich’s gorgeous translation of the Song of
Songs. (Thanks, Yakov!) Arranged and annotated by Sophia Solomon and Frater
Aleph. The ritual requires a Bride, a Groom, a Narrator / King Solomon. Anyone may
read the marked "participant" parts, and we suggest everyone watching should do so. For
larger groups, the participant lines can be split between men and women. Stage directions
are in parentheses.

Introduction

Narrator:
In days of old in Eretz Yisrael, there lived a wise king.
As was the secret way of his people, the king was a sorcerer –
The greatest who ever lived.
Throughout the course of his reign, he had a great many wives,
Including the legendary Queen of Sheba, for whom he wrote the Song of Songs.
On this night of holy revelry, we evoke the twin Mysteries of Intoxication and Ecstasy
By the words of Solomon, magician and king,
In honor of Esther and Ahasuerus,
Israel and our Sabbath Bride,
And the Eternal with Shekhinah, his b'shert.
 Invocation of Solomon

Narrator:
I am [Hebrew name]., inheritor of the line of Abraham, blood-kin to Solomon the King.
My blood is his blood, and his kingdom is mine.
I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple-Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.

I am [Hebrew name], inheritor of the line of Isaac, blood-kin to Solomon the King.
My vision is his vision, and his foundation is mine.
I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple-Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.

I am [Hebrew name], daughter/son of the house of Jacob, blood-kin to Solomon the King.
My word is his word, and his splendor is mine.
I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple-Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.

I am [Hebrew name], inheritor of the line of Rachael, blood-kin to Solomon the King.
My heart is her heart, and her victory is mine.
I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple-Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.

I am [Hebrew name], inheritor of the line of Leah, blood-kin to Solomon the King.
My self is her self, and her beauty is mine.
I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple-Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.

I am [Hebrew name], inheritor of the line of Rivkah, blood-kin to Solomon the King.
My will is her will, and her power is mine.
I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple-Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.
I am [Hebrew name], inheritor of the line of Sarah, blood-kin to Solomon the King.
My love is her love, and her glory is mine.
I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple- Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.

(Repeat either three or seven times)

I invoke Solomon, Djinn-Master, Temple- Builder.
I invoke Solomon, the Magician and the King.
 Kiddush

Narrator:

Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen. (Participants respond:
"Amen")

Blessed are You, the Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the
vine. (Participants respond: "Amen")

(Read the following only on Shabbat)

Baruch ata Adonai, Elo-heinu melech ha-Olam, asher kidish-anu bi-mitz-votav vi-ratza vanu,
vi-Shabbat kod-sho bi-ahava uv-ratzon hin-chi-lanu, zikaron lima-aseh vi-raishit. Ki hu yom ti-
chila li-mikra-ay kodesh, zay-cher li-tzi-as mitz-rayim. Ki vanu vachar-ta vi-osanu kidash-ta
mikol ha-amim. Vi-shabbat kod-shicha bi-ahava uv-ratzon hinchal-tanu. Baruch ata Adonoy,
mi-kadesh ha-shabbat. (Participants respond: "Amen")

Blessed are You God, King of the Universe, who made us holy with his commandments and
favored us, and gave us His holy Shabbat, in love and favor, to be our heritage, as a reminder
of the Creation. It is the foremost day of the holy festivals marking the Exodus from Egypt.
For out of all the nations You chose us and made us holy, and You gave us Your holy
Shabbat, in love and favor, as our heritage. Blessed are you God, Who sanctifies Shabbat.
( Participants respond: "Amen")
 Ritual

Bride:
I want to feel his mouth on mine, to drink love at his lips.
The taste makes all wine weak, all liquors thin.
Take me, draw me after you,
Hurry, my king, bring me to your bedroom.

Participants:
We'll dance and laugh for you!

Bride:
I hear my lover, here he comes,
Leaping across the river,
Bounding down the mountainside,
Barely touching the ground,
Like a gazelle, like a young deer, more flying than afoot.
He's standing there, peering in the window,
Trying to peep through the blinds.
He thinks I don't hear him! He waits, he waits,
Then reveals himself with a whisper.

Groom:
Come out, my sweet, my lovely one,
The Winter's heavy rains are done,
The clouds have glided on,
The land is suddenly covered in flowers
And the season of songs is here.
The figs are beginning to ripen on the vine,
And blossoms spice the breeze.
Let me see your face;
Just let me hear your voice.
Bride:
My lover is mine, and I am his.
I am a meadow of lilies where he grazes all night,
Until that cool first morning breeze
When shadows run from the sun.
Turn again, before you leave,
Let me look at you again,
Tall and graceful like a young deer,
A gazelle on the mountains where spices grow.

Groom:
You are beautiful! With your eyes as gentle and shy as doves-

Bride:
(Interrupting)
No, you're beautiful, so sweet to me! Our bed is the new soft grass-

Groom:
(Interrupting)
The cedar boughs are a roof overhead, around us – a wall of pines.

Bride:
I am just a common wild-flower,
A lily among the rocks along the valley-slope.

Groom:
A lily shining among rough brambles, compared to other women.

Bride:
And you stand out among the men, an apple-tree amid a forest,
I joy to sit in its shade and pleasure my palate with its fruit.
Groom:
I want to explore your myrrh-scented hills, your frankincense slopes.
You're beautiful entirely, my love, a world of beauty, perfect, without flaw.
Your love, my sister, is better than wine,
It has made me drunk in daylight, my bride,
Your perfume is richer than all the incense,
Your words are honey – golden, sweet and slow;
The taste of your lips is delicious –
Milk and honey are under your tongue.

Your garden is locked, my sister, my bride,

Your well is closed, your fountain sealed to me –
And it is a paradise of branching pomegranate, with sweet, precious fruit,
With henna and mandrake, jasmine and saffron,
Rose, cinnamon, and all the trees with scented resin,
Myrrh and aloe, all the noble spices.

Bride:
My garden fountain is no closed well,
Its quick water rushes down to you
Blow through my garden, carry down its perfume to my love,
So he will come to my garden and taste its rarest fruit.

Groom:
I enter my garden, my sister, my bride,
I pluck my myrrh and spice.
I eat my honey from the comb, drink wine rich as milk.

Participants:
Eat, my friends, drink and be drunk with love!
Bride:
When you see my lover you'll know it, Jerusalem women.
He's gone where you cannot follow,
Down to his garden, his bed of spices,
To graze in the garden I keep for him,
To pluck my wild-flowers.

Groom:
There is nothing so good, so delightful as Love.
Be a tall palm-tree, your breasts a cluster of dates –
I will climb to the top, hold on by the upper branches.
Your breasts are my grapes, ripe and heavy,
Your breath like the smell of apples,
Your kiss like wine:
It stuns me drunk and leaves me dreaming –
Talking of you in my sleep.

Bride:
I have a lover who is eager for me.
Let us go to the country and sleep out in a vineyard,
Wake up among the henna blossoms that grow by the grapes.
We'll see if the vines have flowered,
If their buds are open yet,
Whether the pomegranates are in bloom.

That's where I want to make love to you.

If I have been coy, hidden my love from you,
It is only because I have been saving it all for now.
Narrator:
Set the Beloved on your life like a seal,
Tattoo the name on your wrist where the pulse is,
Making and marking you one
With your heart and all the force in your arms.
For Love is as strong as Death,
And Jealousy is as cruel as the Grave.
Love's fire sears like a branding iron,
Burns in deeper than fever;
It splinters your life like a lightning bolt thrown by the hand of God.
Many waters cannot quench love,
Neither can the floods drown it.

(Bride and Groom embrace and kiss.)

Narrator:
Amen.
 Shehecheyanu

Narrator:
Baruch ata Adonai, eloheinu melech ha olam, sheheheyanu, v'kiyimanu, v'higiyanu, lazman ha
zeh.
Blessed are you, the Eternal our G-d, Ruler of the universe, who has kept us alive,
sustained us, and has brought us to this season.

Festival Prayer

Narrator:
Baruch ata Adonai eloheinu melech ha olam, she asa nisim l'avoteinu, bayamim ha-hem,
bazman ha zeh.
Blessed are you, the Eternal our G-d, Ruler of the universe, who worked miracles for our
ancestors in days long ago at this season.

Final Toast

(Wine poured – one glass for the Narrator, Bride and Groom to share, and one for each
Participant.)

Everyone:
(Raise glass.)
L'Chaim!

-fin-