Chapter I

משכני אחריך נרוצה הביאני
המלך חדריו נגילה ונשמחה בך

"Draw me to You; after You we shall run. The King led me into His chambers; we are gladdened and rejoice with You."1

Rashi explains this verse in the following manner: "Jews say to G-d: 'We understood the intimation of Your messengers Moshe and Aharon, that You desire to draw us close to You. Upon hearing this, we immediately responded: "After You we shall run. The King led me into His chambers; we are gladdened and rejoice with You."

'Even today, [say the Jews to G-d], we greatly rejoice in having cleaved to You.' "

Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon), Divinely inspired, composed the above verse, which alludes to the status of Israel at the time of our exodus from Egypt, our journey through the Sea of Reeds, and our subsequent receiving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai.2 The Jews state: "While still in Egypt we received an intimation from Your messengers Moshe and Aharon that You desired to draw us close to You. Our response was 'After You we shall run.' We did not merely go, we ran."

To merely "go" may imply action contrary to one's true desire. From the expression, "after You we shall run," we infer that the running was joyful and of the Jews' own volition. Traveling in such a manner is indicative of complete and total trust. Indeed, this was the manner in which the Jews traveled from Egypt to Mt. Sinai; traversing harsh desert and plunging into a life-threatening sea with the greatest self-sacrifice, until we reached Mt. Sinai. At that time, through receiving the Torah, "The King led me into His chambers," [for which reason, even now] "we are gladdened and rejoice with You."

We must, however, understand3 why the verse begins with the singular, "Draw me close" and then goes on to say "After You we shall run," in the plural. And why, contrary to the whole verse which is in first person, is "the King led me into His chambers" stated in the third person?

We must also understand what is meant by the expression, "we received an intimation...." Further, since this verse also applies to man's spiritual service, how are we to interpret it in that context?

The matter is as follows:4

"Draw me to You," refers to Divine revelation independent of man's prior preparation. This revelation is so powerful that even the most simple person is aroused by it to draw closer to G-dliness. It is similar to an individual who acquires a new object; as it is drawn from its previous place, the object becomes his, for "drawing" is a form of acquisition.5 When G-d revealed Himself to Israel in Egypt, He drew us out of the 49 Portals of Unholiness6 and thereby acquired us as His nation. Israel was so affected that we were then able to not only hear and perceive G-d's message as related by His messengers Moshe and Aharon, but were even able to comprehend their "intimation."

When individuals are sunk in the Portals of Unholiness may Heaven protect us they become so coarsened that they are totally insensitive to the words of G-d's messengers. Eating non-kosher food and desecrating Shabbos leads Jews to total denial of G-d and His Torah, not only sinning themselves but causing others to sin as well. However, having been drawn out of the 49 Portals of Unholiness by G-d's revelation, the Jews in Egypt understood both the words and the intimations of His messengers.

In summary: "Draw me close" refers to the Divine revelation to Israel in Egypt, which drew us out of the 49 Portals of Unholiness. "After You we shall run" alludes to the time from the Exodus until Israel came to Mt. Sinai. It is termed "running" since we proceeded of our own volition. "He led me into His chambers; we are gladdened and rejoice with You" refers to the giving of the Torah.