Torah 243 · תורה רמ״ג

Know! there is a very great tzaddik whose holiness the world is unable to bear. Therefore, he keeps himself very hidden, so that people do not detect in his behavior any special holiness or asceticism. This is due to the great extent of his holiness.

This is the aspect of “All the songs are holy, and Song of Songs is the holiest of the holy” (Yalkut Shimoni #960). Thus it is that Song of Songs is very holy, much more so than the rest of Scripture.

Now, we find that King Shlomo, of blessed memory, authored three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. And in fact, both Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are brimming with moral reproof and God-fearingness. We find in them the words “holiness” and “purity” any number of times. On the other hand, in Song of Songs no words of holiness and purity whatsoever are to be found. Go, see for yourself, that in the entire book of Song of Songs there are no holy or pure words.

This, that we do not detect any holiness there, is due to its awesomely great holiness. Therefore, there are no words of holiness and purity found in it at all.