Shir HaShirim on the Tzadik as Olive Oil

Shir HaShirim on the Tzadik as Olive Oil

“And you shall command the Children of Israel to bring you pure olive oil, crushed from olives for lighting, to kindle the lamp continually.” (Shemot, Tetzaveh) After the passing of a tzadik, people donate olive oil for the elevation of the departed soul. The Talmud teaches that when something good is said about the deceased, or words of Torah are repeated in his name, the power of his soul is revealed in this world as well, as it is written in Yevamot 97a: “Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: ‘The lips of a sage whose words are spoken in this world whisper in the grave.’” Why is this custom specifically associated with olive oil? The initial letters of the words “Shemen Zayit Zach” (pure olive oil) have the numerical value of “Shaddai” (a Name of G-d), which in turn is an acronym for the words: “dovev siftei yeshanim.” We find this phrase in Shir HaShirim (7): “dovev siftei yeshenim” — (pleasing the lips of those who sleep). “The lips of those who sleep” are the lips of sages; “when their words are spoken in this world, they begin to whisper in the grave.” In addition, the word “zach” (pure) has a gematria of 27 and symbolizes the total number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet: 22 letters + 5 final forms. The 5 final letters, MaNTePaKh, are the letters that will bring about the Final Redemption. They are called: “Chamesh otiyot stumot — keneged chamesh leshonot ha-Geulah” — (five closed, or space-filling, letters corresponding to the five languages of the Geulah). The word “katit” (shemen katit) — crushed oil — symbolizes the tzadik who is mourned, and it is said that the day of a tzadik’s passing is as grievous as the day on which both Batei HaMikdash were destroyed. For korbanot (sacrifices) were offered there to G-d, and the soul of a tzadik is likewise compared to such a pure offering. (Rabbi Menachem Menashe, “Ahavat Chaim,” on Shemot, Tetzaveh)