Shir haShirim Zutta is very different in nature fromShir haShirim Rabbah.Zutta is a homiletic commentary on the whole text, and does not contain anyproems;some verses are treated at length, while others are dismissed very briefly, sometimes only one word being discussed. Although the two collections contain a few parallels, Rabbah does not contain those numerousaggadotwhich especially distinguish Zutta. Themessianicaggadot on verses 5:2 and 5:6 may be derived fromPirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer;the name ofR. Eleazar(or Eliezer) quoted in the part on Shir haShirim 5:2, as well as the messianic prediction attributed there toSimeon ben Shetach,support this supposition. Other passages are found in theBabylonian Talmud,thePesiktot,theMidrash Rabbot,theMekhilta,and theAvot de-Rabbi Natan.
S. Bubersupposes that this midrash has been shortened by the copyists, for R. Hillel, in his commentary onSifre,[3]quotes from a "Midrash Shir haShirim" a passage which is found neither in Rabbah nor in Zutta. Nor is the passage quoted from the Midrash Shir haShirim byMenahem Zioni[4]found in this midrash. Schechter argues that the 10th-century poetSolomon ben Judah ha-Bavlihad this midrash before him, and wove several passages from it into hispiyyutim.Accepting this theory, Schechter thinks that it was composed not later than the mid-10th century; he likewise points out resemblances to the various Messianic and eschatological midrashim published byA. Jellinek,[5]and especially to thePerek R. Yoshiyahu,[6]and holds that this midrash may date to the early 9th century. But considering that thePirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer(which was composed about the mid-9th century) is one of the sources of the Aggadat Shir haShirim, this date must be rejected.
Shir haShirim Zutta is most often quoted inYalkut ShimoniandYalḳuṭ ha-Makiri.Yalkut Shimoni used it as a basis for its commentary on Shir haShirim, but also quotes it in the commentary to other Biblical books.[7]In Yalkut Shimoni, the name "Pesikta Rabbati"is used for Shir haShirim Rabbah, while Zutta is always referred to as" Midrash Shir haShirim. "The author of Yalkut Shimoni may have applied this name to Rabbah because the two works were bound together; on the other hand, the occurrence of the name may be due to an error of the copyist. InYalḳuṭ ha-Makiri,Shir haShirim Zutta is quoted 19 times under the name of "Haggadat Shir haShirim" onIsaiahalone.[8]
It is quoted also by other ancient authorities.Judah b. Barzilaiquotes it (under the name "Aggadta Shir haShirim" ) in regard to the seventy eulogistic names given by God toIsrael.[9]Nahmanidescites it as "Midrash Shir haShirim";[10]so does his pupil (teacher?) Azriel, in the commentary on Shir haShirim generally ascribed to Naḥmanides himself.Abraham the son of Maimonidescalls it "Aggadat Shir haShirim";[11]Recanaticites the same passage quoted byJudah b. Barzilai.[12]
In addition, passages from this midrash are found inEleazar b. Tobiah'sLekach TovandIsaac ibn Sahulah'sMashal ha-Kadmoni.Although these do not mention the name of this midrash,S. Schechtersupposes that they probably used ancient homiletic commentaries, among others Shir haShirim Zutta.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Singer, Isidore;et al., eds. (1901–1906)."Shir ha-Shirim Zuta".The Jewish Encyclopedia.New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
