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118-518: The two lovers are in harmony, each desiring the other and rejoicing in sexual intimacy . Modern scholarship tends to hold that the lovers in the Song are unmarried, which accords with its near ancient Near East context. The women of Jerusalem form a chorus to the lovers, functioning as an audience whose participation in the lovers' erotic encounters facilitates the participation of the reader. Marvin H. Pope, in his commentary, quotes scholars who believe

236-467: A chiastic structure have not found acceptance, and analyses dividing the book into units have employed various methods, yielding diverse conclusions. The following indicative schema is from Kugler and Hartin's An Introduction to The Bible : The introduction calls the poem "the song of songs", a phrase that follows an idiomatic construction commonly found in Scriptural Hebrew to indicate

354-438: A means to an end , to increase emotional connection , and to alleviate insecurity . Most people engage in sexual activity because of pleasure they derive from the arousal of their sexuality , especially if they can achieve orgasm . Sexual arousal can also be experienced from foreplay and flirting, and from fetish or BDSM activities, or other erotic activities . Most commonly, people engage in sexual activity because of

472-415: A "locked garden" (usually taken to mean that she is chaste). The woman invites the man to enter the garden and taste the fruits. The man accepts the invitation, and a third party tells them to eat, drink, "and be drunk with love". The woman tells the daughters of Jerusalem of another dream. She was in her chamber when her lover knocked. She was slow to open, and when she did, he was gone. She searched through

590-557: A child or adolescent is sometimes referred to as the sexualization of the child, and may be considered a milestone or a change of status, as the loss of virginity or innocence. Youth are legally free to have intercourse after they reach the age of consent . A 1999 survey of students indicated that approximately 40% of ninth graders across the United States report having had sexual intercourse. This figure rises with each grade. Males are more sexually active than females at each of

708-650: A conduit carved from the rock, until it suddenly turned east, passed along the embankment and what is now known as Wilson's Arch , whence it entered the Temple Mount courtyard at the Chain Gate . Today, below the middle pool are the remains of the British pump station that took the water by pipe to the Old City of Jerusalem . Another, more recent pumping station below the lower pool is still providing water to

826-490: A given relationship – are known as switches . The precise definition of roles and self-identification is a common subject of debate within the community. In a 2013 study, researchers stated that BDSM is a sexual act where participants play role games, use restraint, use power exchange, use suppression and pain is sometimes involved depending on individual(s). The study serves to challenge the widespread notion that BDSM could be in some way linked to psychopathology . According to

944-548: A higher need for fulfillment. When this need was satisfied, they felt better about themselves. This was correlated with greater closeness to their partner and higher overall satisfaction in their relationship. Though both sexes engaged in sexual activity for self-determined reasons, there were some differences found between males and females. It was concluded that females had more motivation than males to engage in sexual activity for self-determined reasons. Females also had higher satisfaction and relationship quality than males did from

1062-407: A need. The participants have remarked that they enjoy pleasing their partner in any way they can and many surveyed have felt that this is one of the best things about BDSM. It gives a submissive pleasure to do things in general for their Dominant while a Dominant enjoys making their encounters all about their submissive and enjoy doing things that makes their submissive happy. The findings indicate that

1180-525: A pregnancy. To reduce the risk of unintended pregnancies, some people who engage in penile-vaginal sex may use contraception , such as birth control pills , a condom , diaphragms , spermicides , hormonal contraception or sterilization. The effectiveness of the various contraceptive methods in avoiding pregnancy varies considerably, and depends on the method rather than the user. Sexual activity that involves skin-to-skin contact, exposure to an infected person's bodily fluids or mucous membranes carries

1298-455: A profound sense of relaxation, especially in the postcoital period. From a biochemical perspective, sex causes the release of oxytocin and endorphins and boosts the immune system. People engage in sexual activity for any of a multitude of possible reasons. Although the primary evolutionary purpose of sexual activity is reproduction, research on college students suggested that people have sex for four general reasons: physical attraction , as

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1416-438: A relationship but want to hide polygamous activity (possibly of opposite sexual orientation) from their partner, may solicit consensual sexual activity with others through personal contacts, online chat rooms , or, advertising in select media. Swinging involves singles or partners in a committed relationship engaging in sexual activities with others as a recreational or social activity. The increasing popularity of swinging

1534-429: A roughly 6 metres (20 ft) drop to the next. They are rectangular or trapezoidal in shape, partly hewn into the bedrock and partly built, between 118 and 179 metres (387–587 ft) long and 8 to 23 metres (26–75 ft) deep, with a total capacity of well over a quarter of a million cubic metres (some 290,000 m or 75 million US gallons). The complex of reservoirs and water conduits might have been built by Herod

1652-635: A sex act, it may be referred to as group sex . Autoerotic sexual activity can involve use of dildos , vibrators , butt plugs , and other sex toys , though these devices can also be used with a partner. Sexual activity can be classified into the gender and sexual orientation of the participants, as well as by the relationship of the participants. The relationships can be ones of marriage, intimate partners , casual sex partners or anonymous . Sexual activity can be regarded as conventional or as alternative , involving, for example, fetishism or BDSM activities. Fetishism can take many forms, including

1770-473: A sexual relationship when the participants have positive feelings associated with the relationship. These participants do not feel guilty or coerced into the partnership. Researchers have proposed the model of self-determined sexual motivation. The purpose of this model is to connect self-determination and sexual motivation. This model has helped to explain how people are sexually motivated when involved in self-determined dating relationships. This model also links

1888-411: A single theme", and thus not worthy of canonization. In fact, "there is a tradition that even this book was considered as one to be excluded." It was accepted as canonical because of its supposed authorship by Solomon and based on an allegorical reading where the subject matter was taken to be not sexual desire but God's love for Israel. For instance, the famed first and second century Rabbi Akiva forbade

2006-678: A study, sexual experiences help teenagers understand pleasure and satisfaction. In relation to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, it stated that teenagers can positively benefit from sexual activity. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008 and 2009 at a rural upstate New York community. Teenagers who had their first sexual experience at age 16 revealed a higher well-being than those who were sexually inexperienced or who became sexually active at age 17. Furthermore, teenagers who had their first sexual experience at age 15 or younger, or who had many sexual partners were not negatively affected and did not have associated lower well-being. Sexual activity

2124-466: A system of ten sephirot emanations, each symbolizing a different attribute of God, comprising both male and female. The Shechina ( indwelling Divine presence) was identified with the feminine sephira Malchut , the vessel of Kingship. This symbolizes the Jewish people, and in the body, the female form, identified with the woman in Song of Songs. Her beloved was identified with the male sephira Tiferet ,

2242-458: A variety of ways, and may or may not express it in their behaviors. Research indicates that many gay men and lesbians want, and succeed in having, committed and durable relationships. For example, survey data indicate that between 40% and 60% of gay men and between 45% and 80% of lesbians are currently involved in a romantic relationship. It is possible for a person whose sexual identity is mainly heterosexual to engage in sexual acts with people of

2360-455: Is an innately physiological function, but like other physical activity, it comes with risks. There are four main types of risks that may arise from sexual activity: unwanted pregnancy , contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI), physical injury, and psychological injury. Any sexual activity that involves the introduction of semen into a woman's vagina, such as during sexual intercourse, or contact of semen with her vulva, may result in

2478-613: Is characterized by the potential for aesthetic attraction, romantic love , or sexual desire towards people without regard for their gender identity or biological sex . Some pansexuals suggest that they are gender-blind ; that gender and sex are insignificant or irrelevant in determining whether they will be sexually attracted to others. As defined in the Oxford English Dictionary , pansexuality "encompasses all kinds of sexuality; not limited or inhibited in sexual choice with regards to gender or practice". Although

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2596-454: Is generally influenced by social rules that are culturally specific and vary widely. Sexual ethics, morals, and norms relate to issues including deception/honesty, legality, fidelity and consent. Some activities, known as sex crimes in some locations, are illegal in some jurisdictions, including those conducted between (or among) consenting and competent adults (examples include sodomy law and adult-adult incest ). Some people who are in

2714-458: Is like a forest canopy ). The section closes with the woman telling the daughters of Jerusalem not to stir up love such as hers until it is ready. The woman recalls a visit from her lover in the springtime. She uses imagery from a shepherd's life, and she says of her lover that "he pastures his flock among the lilies". The woman again addresses the daughters of Jerusalem, describing her fervent and ultimately successful search for her lover through

2832-449: Is most sweet, he is altogether lovely ( mahamaddim )." In his book Demystifying Islam , Muslim apologist Harris Zafar argues that the last word ( Hebrew : מַחֲּמַדִּים‪‬‪‬ , romanized :  maḥămaddîm , lit.   'lovely'), with the plural suffix "-im" (which is occasionally used to indicate intensity, and is normally understood to do so for both of the adjectives in this verse), expressing respect and greatness (as

2950-507: Is not as worthy as the day on which Song of Songs was given to Israel, for all the Writings are holy, but Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies." Other rabbinic scholars who have employed allegorical exegesis in explaining the meaning of Song of Songs are Tobiah ben Eliezer , author of Lekach Tov , and Zechariah ha-Rofé , author of Midrash ha-Hefez . The French rabbi Rashi did not believe

3068-546: Is often read from a scroll similar to a Torah scroll in style. It is also read in its entirety by some at the end of the Passover Seder and is usually printed in most Hagadahs . Some Jews have the custom to recite the entire book prior to the onset of the Jewish Sabbath. The literal subject of the Song of Songs is love and sexual longing between a man and a woman, and it has little (or nothing) to say about

3186-576: Is one of the strongest human drives. It is an innate feature of human nature, and may be related to the sex drive . The human mating process encompasses the social and cultural processes whereby one person may meet another to assess suitability, the courtship process and the process of forming an interpersonal relationship . Commonalities, however, can be found between humans and nonhuman animals in mating behavior. The physiological responses during sexual stimulation are fairly similar for both men and women and there are four phases. Sexual dysfunction

3304-600: Is recognized, and promotion of equity between men and women is crucial for attaining sexual and reproductive health , as stated by the UN International Conference on Population and Development Program of Action: BDSM is a variety of erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage , dominance and submission , sadomasochism , and other interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged in by people who do not consider themselves as practicing BDSM, inclusion in

3422-522: Is regarded by some as arising from the upsurge in sexual activity during the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Some people engage in various sexual activities as a business transaction. When this involves having sex with, or performing certain actual sexual acts for another person in exchange for money or something of value, it is called prostitution. Other aspects of the adult industry include phone sex operators, strip clubs , and pornography. Social gender roles can influence sexual behavior as well as

3540-522: Is the inability to react emotionally or physically to sexual stimulation in a way projected of the average healthy person; it can affect different stages in the sexual response cycles, which are desire, excitement and orgasm. In the media, sexual dysfunction is often associated with men, but in actuality, it is more commonly observed in females (43 percent) than males (31 percent). Sexual activity can lower blood pressure and overall stress levels. It serves to release tension, elevate mood, and possibly create

3658-419: Is the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality . People engage in a variety of sexual acts, ranging from activities done alone (e.g., masturbation ) to acts with another person (e.g., sexual intercourse , non-penetrative sex , oral sex , etc.) in varying patterns of frequency, for a wide variety of reasons. Sexual activity usually results in sexual arousal and physiological changes in

Song of Songs - Misplaced Pages Continue

3776-403: Is unclear and possibly corrupted.) The people praise the beauty of the woman. The images are the same as those used elsewhere in the poem, but with an unusually dense use of place-names, e.g., pools of Hebron , gate of Bath-rabbim , tower of Damascus , etc. The man states his intention to enjoy the fruits of the woman's garden. The woman invites him to a tryst in the fields. She once more warns

3894-420: Is unknown. Scholars speculate that it might have supplied water to Herod's Palace , which according to ancient sources, was particularly well-known for its water fountains. Herod created the sophisticated Wadi el-Byiar Aqueduct, which fed the upper pool. The aqueduct was partially built as a tunnel which collected underground water from the aquifer it was passing through, in the way of a qanat , to supplement

4012-618: The Bible . Those books reveal an abiding imbalance in the relationship between God and man, ranging from slight to enormous; but reading Songs as a theological metaphor produces quite a different outcome, one in which the two partners are equals, bound in a committed relationship. In modern times the poem has attracted the attention of feminist biblical critics, with Phyllis Trible 's foundational "Depatriarchalizing in Biblical Interpretation" treating it as an exemplary text, and

4130-501: The Book of Ecclesiastes 2.6: "I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees." Josephus wrote that Solomon enjoyed the beauty of the water-rich "Etham" (one of the main springs is called Ein Eitam = Hebrew : עין עיטם ). The pools are in close proximity to the ancient town of ʻEiṭam (now Khirbet al-Khuaḥ ) and the spring known as ʻAin ʻEiṭam . Legend has it that

4248-619: The Kinsey Institute , the average frequency of sexual intercourse in the US for individuals with partners is 112 times per year (age 18–29), 86 times per year (age 30–39), and 69 times per year (age 40–49). The rate of sexual activity has been declining in the 21st century, a phenomenon that has been described as a sex recession . The age at which adolescents become sexually active varies considerably between different cultures and times. (See Prevalence of virginity .) The first sexual act of

4366-633: The Ottomans and the British . In 1902 for instance, a new 16 km pipeline to Jerusalem was inaugurated to mark the 60th birthday of the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II . The pools are directly fed by four different springs: the most prominent is 'Ain Saleh, at the head of the Wadi Urtas (Artas), about 200 metres (660 ft) to the north-west of the upper pool. The spring water is transferred to

4484-607: The Second Temple . On the surface of the aqueduct, archeologists discovered two prutah coins - one was minted by Alexander Jannaeus and the other one by Herod - along with a fragment of a roof tile bearing a stamped impression of Legio X Fretensis . The High Level Aqueduct originated in the upper pool and followed a similar route to the Low Level Aqueduct. However, its precise destination in Jerusalem

4602-492: The Temple Mount area of Jerusalem . From the pools to Bethlehem, the average drop is about 35 cm for every 270 meters, but from Bethlehem to Jerusalem it only averages 35 cm for every 1,700 meters. The length of the extant aqueduct is about 2,350 meters and the slope's gradient is about 11 meters, which means a drop of less than 85 cm for every 1,600 meters. In olden times, this aqueduct, commonly called

4720-475: The allegoric interpretation of Ambrose of Milan , Saint Augustine of Hippo stated that the Song of Songs represents the wedding between Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, pure and virgin, within an ascetic context. Over the centuries the emphases of interpretation shifted, first reading the Song as a depiction of the love between Christ and Church, the 11th century adding a moral element, and

4838-660: The norms of certain societies or cultures. Two examples that are criminal offences in most jurisdictions are sexual assault and sexual activity with a person below the local age of consent . Sexual activity can be classified in a number of ways. The practices may be preceded by or consist solely of foreplay . Acts involving one person ( autoeroticism ) may include sexual fantasy or masturbation . If two people are involved, they may engage in vaginal sex, anal sex , oral sex or manual sex . Penetrative sex between two people may be described as sexual intercourse , but definitions vary. If there are more than two participants in

Song of Songs - Misplaced Pages Continue

4956-403: The physiology of the reproductive system , sex drive , sexual intercourse, and sexual behaviour in all its forms. In some cultures, sexual activity is considered acceptable only within marriage , while premarital and extramarital sex are taboo . Some sexual activities are illegal either universally or in some countries or subnational jurisdictions, while some are considered contrary to

5074-466: The sexual desire generated by a person to whom they feel sexual attraction ; but they may engage in sexual activity for the physical satisfaction they achieve in the absence of attraction for another, as in the case of casual or social sex . At times, a person may engage in a sexual activity solely for the sexual pleasure of their partner, such as because of an obligation they may have to the partner or because of love, sympathy or pity they may feel for

5192-480: The "Holy One Blessed be He", a central principle in the beneficent heavenly flow of divine emotion. In the body, this represents the male torso, uniting through the sephira Yesod of the male sign of the covenant organ of procreation. Through beneficent deeds and Jewish observance , the Jewish people restore cosmic harmony in the divine realm, healing the exile of the Shechina with God's transcendence, revealing

5310-565: The "Low-level Aqueduct," is thought to have been built in the first century BCE, around the end of the Hasmonean period. It delivered water to cisterns located underground beneath the Temple Mount , which were primarily used by the Temple . A second aqueduct, the "High-Level Aqueduct," took a similar path, but it is uncertain where it ended up in Jerusalem. It might have provided water to Herod's Palace . The Herodium also received water from

5428-612: The "Lower Aqueduct," crossed the Valley of Hinnom slightly above the Sultan's Pool and passed through a number of pointed arches protruding slightly above the ground. Afterwards, the aqueduct continued to meander on the southern slope of Mount Zion and entered the city near the present Jewish Quarter of the Old City. It then ran along the eastern side of that hill, and was supported in part by stonework, while in other parts passed through

5546-399: The "sacred marriage" of Ishtar and Tammuz . It offers no clue to its author or to the date, place, or circumstances of its composition. The superscription states that it is "Solomon's", but even if this is meant to identify the author, it cannot be read as strictly as a similar modern statement. The most reliable evidence for its date is its language: Aramaic gradually replaced Hebrew after

5664-412: The "tents of Kedar " (nomads) and the "curtains of Solomon". A dialogue between the lovers follows: the woman asks the man to meet; he replies with a lightly teasing tone. The two compete in offering flattering compliments ("my beloved is to me as a cluster of henna blossoms in the vineyards of En Gedi ", "an apple tree among the trees of the wood", "a lily among brambles ", while the bed they share

5782-536: The 12th century understanding of the Bride as the Virgin Mary , with each new reading absorbing rather than simply replacing earlier ones, so that the commentary became ever more complex. These theological themes are not found explicitly in the poem, but they come from a theological reading. Nevertheless, what is notable about this approach is the way it leads to conclusions not found in the overtly theological books of

5900-511: The 1990s, the Nassar quarry, the Arja textile industry, and other nearby enterprises freely drew water from the pools. Six people have drowned in the pools since 1993, and no one has been held accountable. In 2009, the pools still lacked any safety precautions, guards on duty, a fence, or warning signs preventing children from jumping in. As a result, complaints were filed against the ministry of Awqaf,

6018-465: The BDSM community or subculture usually being dependent on self-identification and shared experience. BDSM communities generally welcome anyone with a non-normative streak who identifies with the community; this may include cross-dressers , extreme body modification enthusiasts, animal players , latex or rubber aficionados , and others. B/D (bondage and discipline) is a part of BDSM. Bondage includes

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6136-590: The Bible is that the Song of Songs is an erotic poem, and not an elaborate metaphor. In his commentary for the Anchor Bible Series , Marvin H. Pope quotes scholars who believe that the Song described a fertility cult liturgy, rooted in the fertility cults of the ancient Near Eastern cultures of Mesopotamia and Canaan, as well as their sacred marriage rites and funeral feasts. J. Cheryl Exum wrote: "The erotic desire of its protagonists, everywhere evident in

6254-509: The Feminist Companion to the Bible series edited by Athalya Brenner and Carole Fontaine devoting two volumes to it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints specifically rejects the Song of Solomon as inspired scripture. Several Islamic apologists contend that the word mahmaddim in Song of Songs 5:16 mentions Muhammad . Whereas most translators will render the first words of that verse in terms such as "His mouth

6372-599: The Great in connection with his rebuilding program of the Second Temple . The Low-Level Aqueduct is thought to have been built in the first century BCE, around the end of the Hasmonean period. The aqueduct began at the lower pool and, after traveling to Jerusalem, climbed a bridge over the Tyropoeon Valley to reach the Temple Mount platform, where it ended inside the cisterns hidden underneath its surface. Water delivered by this aqueduct were primarily used by

6490-441: The Great or an earlier Hasmonean ruler. The original rectangular excavations may have been stone quarries . The pools were fed by two aqueducts bringing water to the pools from the hills to the south; by several springs of the surrounding countryside including one situated underneath the lower pool; as well as by rainwater that descended from the hills. The pools served as a storage and distribution facility. The collected water

6608-465: The Solomon's Pools. Although the pools are named and traditionally associated with King Solomon, scholars today believe the pools to be much younger, with the oldest part dating to the 2nd century BCE. The masonry of one pool and a recently discovered aqueduct have been dated to the early Roman period. The pools are named and traditionally associated with King Solomon and linked to the passage in

6726-465: The Song are read on Shabbat eve or at Passover , which marks the beginning of the grain harvest as well as commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, to symbolize the love between the Jewish people and their God. Jewish tradition reads it as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel. The entire Song of Songs in its original Hebrew is read in synagogues during the intermediate days of Passover. It

6844-422: The Song employs a number of literary conventions typical of this didactic literature and that it combines features of both ancient Near Eastern love song and wisdom genres to produce a wisdom literature about romantic love, instructing readers to pursue what she describes as a particular type of 'wise love' relationship, modelled by the lovers of the poem. Likewise, Katharine J. Dell notes a number of Wisdom motifs in

6962-575: The Song of Songs to be an erotic poem. Song of Songs is one of the overtly mystical Biblical texts for the Kabbalah , which gave an esoteric interpretation on all the Hebrew Bible. Following the dissemination of the Zohar in the 13th century, Jewish mysticism took on a metaphorically anthropomorphic erotic element, and Song of Songs is an example of this. In Zoharic Kabbalah, God is represented by

7080-477: The Song such as parallels between the lovers and the advices and conduct of Woman Wisdom and the Loose Woman of Proverbs , among others. The Song was accepted into the Jewish canon of scripture in the 2nd century CE, after a period of controversy in the 1st century. This period of controversy was a result of many rabbis seeing this text as merely "secular love poetry, a collection of love songs gathered around

7198-509: The Song would have been ritually performed as part of ancient fertility cults and that it is "suggestive of orgiastic revelry". Though scholars have differed in assessing when it was written, with estimates ranging from the 10th to 2nd century BCE, linguistic analysis suggest an origin in the 3rd century. In modern Judaism , the Song is read on the Sabbath during the Passover , which marks

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7316-472: The Song, leads me, in conclusion, to the Song's unique contribution to the conceptualization of love in the Bible: its romantic vision of love". The historian and rabbi Shaye J. D. Cohen summarises: Song of Songs [is a] collection of love poems sung by him to her and her to him: [– –] While authorship is ascribed to Solomon in its first verse and by traditionalists, [modern Bible scholarship] argues that while

7434-503: The abrupt shifts of scene, speaker, subject matter and mood, and the lack of obvious structure or narrative. Those who hold it to be a single poem point out that it has no internal signs of composite origins, and view the repetitions and similarities among its parts as evidence of unity. Some claim to find a conscious artistic design underlying it, but there is no agreement among them on what this might be. The question, therefore, remains unresolved. The consensus among contemporary scholars of

7552-426: The age, gender, marital status or other factors of the participants, or otherwise contrary to social norms or generally accepted sexual morals . In evolutionary psychology and behavioral ecology , human mating strategies are a set of behaviors used by individuals to attract, select, and retain mates . Mating strategies overlap with reproductive strategies, which encompass a broader set of behaviors involving

7670-483: The anger of the local people. The aqueduct was destroyed during the First Jewish-Roman War . The lower of the three pools was built in 1483 CE during the reign of Mamluk Sultan Qaytbay . Between 1480 and 1484 Felix Fabri visited, and noted that beside the middle pool there were: "pavilions and tents, wherein dwelt the architects, clerks of the works, overseers, and masters, who there arranged how

7788-598: The aroused person, some of which are pronounced while others are more subtle. Sexual activity may also include conduct and activities which are intended to arouse the sexual interest of another or enhance the sex life of another, such as strategies to find or attract partners ( courtship and display behaviour), or personal interactions between individuals (for instance, foreplay or BDSM ). Sexual activity may follow sexual arousal. Human sexual activity has sociological, cognitive, emotional , behavioural and biological aspects. It involves personal bonding , sharing emotions,

7906-460: The autoerotic case due to the isolation and lack of assistance in the event of a problem. Sexual activity that is consensual is sexual activity in which both or all participants agree to take part and are of the age that they can consent. If sexual activity takes place under force or duress, it is considered rape or another form of sexual assault . In different cultures and countries, various sexual activities may be lawful or illegal in regards to

8024-568: The beginning of the grain-harvest as well as commemorating the Exodus from Biblical Egypt . Jewish tradition reads it as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel. In Christianity , it is read as an allegory of Christ and his bride , the Church . There is widespread consensus that, although the book has no plot, it does have what can be called a framework, as indicated by the links between its beginning and end. Beyond this, however, there appears to be little agreement: attempts to find

8142-440: The book may contain ancient material, there is no evidence that Solomon wrote it. [– –] What is a collection of erotic poems doing in the Hebrew Bible? Indeed, some ancient rabbis were uneasy about the book’s inclusion in the canon. Several scholars have also argued that, alongside its condition as love poetry, the Song of Songs also shares a number of features with Wisdom literature . For instance, Jennifer L. Andruska argues that

8260-527: The commercial caravans between Jerusalem and Hebron, as well as a staging post on the local hajj route to Mecca . For a long time it was also used as a caravanserai or khan . After being allowed to decay since the middle of the 19th century, the ruined fortress has been largely rebuilt and developed as part of a new tourist complex. The Castle Museum houses one of the largest ethnographic collections of Palestinian history and culture. The water system gradually created consisted of two aqueducts feeding

8378-523: The contraceptive pill and other highly effective forms of contraception in the mid- and late 20th century has increased people's ability to segregate these three functions, which still overlap a great deal and in complex patterns. For example: A fertile couple may have intercourse while using contraception to experience sexual pleasure (recreational) and also as a means of emotional intimacy (relational), thus deepening their bonding, making their relationship more stable and more capable of sustaining children in

8496-424: The daughters of Jerusalem against waking love until it is ready. The woman compares love to death and Sheol : love is as relentless and jealous as these two, and cannot be quenched by any force. She summons her lover, using the language used before: he should come "like a gazelle or a young stag upon the mountain of spices". The poem seems to be rooted in festive performance, and connections have been proposed with

8614-437: The definition of sexual practice, abstinent or autoerotic (including masturbation ). Additionally, different religious and political movements have tried to influence or control changes in sexual practices including courting and marriage, though in most countries changes occur at a slow rate. Homosexuality is the romantic or sexual attraction to the same sex. People with a homosexual orientation can express their sexuality in

8732-489: The desire for certain body parts ( partialism ) such as breasts , navels , or feet . The object of desire can be shoes , boots , lingerie , clothing , leather or rubber items. Some non-conventional autoerotic practices can be dangerous. These include autoerotic asphyxiation and self-bondage . The potential for injury or even death that exists while engaging in the partnered versions of these fetishes (choking and bondage , respectively) becomes drastically increased in

8850-457: The end of the Babylonian exile in the late 6th century BCE, and the evidence of vocabulary, morphology , idiom and syntax clearly point to a late date, centuries after King Solomon to whom it is traditionally attributed. It has parallels with Mesopotamian and Egyptian love poetry from the first half of the 1st millennium, and with the pastoral idylls of Theocritus , a Greek poet who wrote in

8968-594: The essential unity of God. This elevation of the world is aroused from above on the Sabbath, a foretaste of the redeemed purpose of Creation. The text thus became a description, depending on the aspect, of the creation of the world, the passage of Shabbat , the covenant with Israel, and the coming of the Messianic age. " Lecha Dodi ", a 16th-century liturgical song with strong Kabbalistic symbolism, contains many passages, including its opening two words, taken directly from Song of Songs. In modern Judaism, certain verses from

9086-583: The expression of deleterious recessive mutations . The avoidance of inbreeding as a constraint on human sexual activity is apparent in the near universal cultural inhibitions in human societies of sexual activity between closely related individuals. Human outcrossing sexual activity provides the adaptive benefit of the masking of expression of deleterious recessive mutations. Alex Comfort and others propose three potential social aspects of sexual intercourse in humans, which are not mutually exclusive: reproductive, relational, and recreational. The development of

9204-446: The findings, one who participates in BDSM may have greater strength socially and mentally as well as greater independence than those who do not practice BDSM. It suggests that people who participate in BDSM play have higher subjective well-being, and that this might be due to the fact that BDSM play requires extensive communication. Before any act occurs, the partners must discuss their agreement of their relationship. They discuss how long

9322-405: The first half of the 3rd century BCE; as a result of these conflicting signs, speculation ranges from the 10th to the 2nd centuries BCE, with the language supporting a date around the 3rd century. Other scholars are more skeptical about the idea that the language demands a post-exilic date. Debate continues on the unity or disunity of the book. Those who see it as an anthology or collection point to

9440-420: The future (deferred reproductive). This same couple may emphasize different aspects of intercourse on different occasions, being playful during one episode of intercourse (recreational), experiencing deep emotional connection on another occasion (relational), and later, after discontinuing contraception, seeking to achieve pregnancy (reproductive, or more likely reproductive and relational). Human sexual activity

9558-454: The grade levels surveyed. Sexual activity of young adolescents differs in ethnicity as well. A higher percentage of African American and Hispanic adolescents are more sexually active than white adolescents. Research on sexual frequency has also been conducted solely on female adolescents who engage in sexual activity. Female adolescents tended to engage in more sexual activity due to positive mood. In female teenagers, engaging in sexual activity

9676-523: The king built the pools for his many wives, so that they could bathe in their waters. According to Josephus , he would pass this place when riding in his chariot. French explorer Victor Guérin who visited the site in the late 19th-century described the source of the pools and their surrounding villages in Description de la Palestine . Solomon's Pools, consisting of three large reservoirs , are situated several dozen meters apart, each pool with

9794-526: The main adaptive function of human sexual activity is reproduction, human sexual activity also includes the adaptive constraint of avoiding close inbreeding , since inbreeding can have deleterious effects on progeny. Charles Darwin, who was married to his first cousin Emma Wedgwood, considered that the ill health that plagued his family was a consequence of inbreeding. In general, inbreeding between individuals who are closely genetically related leads to

9912-737: The meeting of the genitalia between same-sex partners – tribadism (generally vulva -to-vulva rubbing) and frot (generally penis -to-penis rubbing). People who have a romantic or sexual attraction to both sexes are referred to as bisexual. People who have a distinct but not exclusive preference for one sex/gender over the other may also identify themselves as bisexual. Like gay and lesbian individuals, bisexual people who pretend to be heterosexual are often referred to as being closeted . Pansexuality (also referred to as omnisexuality) may or may not be subsumed under bisexuality, with some sources stating that bisexuality encompasses sexual or romantic attraction to all gender identities . Pansexuality

10030-433: The night-time streets of the city. When she finds him she takes him almost by force into the chamber in which she was conceived. She reveals that this is a dream, seen on her "bed at night", and ends by again warning the daughters of Jerusalem "not to stir up love until it is ready". The next section reports a royal wedding procession. Solomon is mentioned by name, and the daughters of Jerusalem are invited to come out and see

10148-453: The object's status as the greatest and most beautiful of its class (as in Holy of Holies ). The work is also referred to as the "Song of Solomon", meaning the song 'of', 'by', 'for', or '[dedicated] to' Solomon. The poem proper begins with the woman's expression of desire for her lover and her self-description to the "daughters of Jerusalem": she insists on her sun-born blackness, likening it to

10266-621: The opposite sex. People who engage exclusively in same-sex sexual practices may not identify themselves as gay or lesbian. In sex-segregated environments, individuals may seek relationships with others of their own gender (known as situational homosexuality ). In other cases, some people may experiment or explore their sexuality with same (or different) sex sexual activity before defining their sexual identity . Despite stereotypes and common misconceptions, there are no forms of sexual acts exclusive to same-sex sexual behavior that cannot also be found in opposite-sex sexual behavior, except those involving

10384-635: The partner. A person may engage in sexual activity for purely monetary considerations, or to obtain some advantage from either the partner or the activity. A man and woman may engage in sexual intercourse with the objective of conception . Some people engage in hate sex which occurs between two people who strongly dislike or annoy each other. It is related to the idea that opposition between two people can heighten sexual tension , attraction and interest. Research has found that people also engage in sexual activity for reasons associated with self-determination theory . The self-determination theory can be applied to

10502-400: The passive, receiving, or obedient role are known as submissives or bottoms . These terms are sometimes shortened so that a dominant person may be referred to as a "Dom" (a woman may choose to use the feminine "Domme") and a submissive may be referred to as a "sub". Individuals who can change between Top/Dominant and bottom/submissive roles – whether from relationship to relationship or within

10620-412: The pinnacle of his biblical exegesis . In them, he compares the bride to the soul and the invisible groom to God: the finite soul is incessantly reaching out towards the infinite God and remains continually disappointed in this life due to the failure to achieve ecstatic union with the beloved, a vision which enraptures and can be achieved fully and perfectly only in life after death. Similarly, following

10738-500: The play will last, the intensity, their actions, what each participant needs or desires, and what, if any, sexual activities may be included. All acts must be consensual and pleasurable to both parties. In a 2015 study, interviewed BDSM participants have mentioned that the activities have helped to create higher levels of connection, intimacy, trust and communication between partners. The study suggests that Dominants and submissives exchange control for each other's pleasure and to satisfy

10856-472: The plural form seems to do in the common Hebrew appellation of God, Elohim ( pl. maiestatus )), should be translated "Muhammad", for the translation "His mouth is most sweet; he is Muhammad". Some Christian Apologists, however, have countered this claim. Excerpts from the book have inspired composers to write vocal and instrumental compositions, including: Sexual intimacy Human sexual activity , human sexual practice or human sexual behaviour

10974-449: The pools, which themselves acted as a collection and distribution facility, and of three further aqueducts: two carrying the water north to Jerusalem, and a third one to Herodium . Together, the five aqueducts totalled some 80 kilometres in length. The construction date of the upper (westernmost) two pools is uncertain but was probably started during the Hasmonean period, between mid-second and mid-first century BC and completed by Herod

11092-420: The positive outcomes, (satisfying the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) gained from sexual motivations. According to the completed research associated with this model, it was found that people of both sexes who engaged in sexual activity for self-determined motivation had more positive psychological well-being. While engaging in sexual activity for self-determined reasons, the participants also had

11210-537: The pubic area but sometimes are found on coarse hair elsewhere on the body (for example, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, mustache, chest, armpits, etc.). Pubic lice infestations (pthiriasis) are spread through direct contact with someone who is infested with the louse. Some STIs like HIV/AIDS can also be contracted by using IV drug needles after their use by an infected person, as well as through childbirth or breastfeeding . Factors such as biological and psychological factors, diseases, mental conditions, boredom with

11328-739: The purpose of encouraging people to have sex only within marriage. Sodomy laws have been used to discourage same-sex sexual practices, but they may also affect opposite-sex sexual practices. Laws also ban adults from committing sexual abuse , committing sexual acts with anyone under an age of consent , performing sexual activities in public, and engaging in sexual activities for money (prostitution). Though these laws cover both same-sex and opposite-sex sexual activities, they may differ in regard to punishment, and may be more frequently (or exclusively) enforced on those who engage in same-sex sexual activities. Different-sex sexual practices may be monogamous , serially monogamous, or polyamorous , and, depending on

11446-690: The reaction of individuals and communities to certain incidents; the World Health Organization states that, "Sexual violence is also more likely to occur where beliefs in male sexual entitlement are strong, where gender roles are more rigid, and in countries experiencing high rates of other types of violence." Some societies, such as those where the concepts of family honor and female chastity are very strong, may practice violent control of female sexuality, through practices such as honor killings and female genital mutilation . The relation between gender equality and sexual expression

11564-438: The relationship of God and man; in order to find such a meaning it was necessary to turn to allegory, treating the love that the Song celebrates as an analogy for the love between God and Church. The Christian church's interpretation of the Song as evidence of God's love for his people, both collectively and individually, began with Origen . Saint Gregory of Nyssa wrote fifteen Homilies on the Song of Songs , which are considered

11682-451: The relationship, and widowhood have been found to contribute to a decrease in sexual interest and activity in old age, but older age does not eliminate the ability to enjoy sexual activity. Heterosexuality is the romantic or sexual attraction to the opposite sex. Heterosexual practices are institutionally privileged in most countries. In some countries, mostly those where religion has a strong influence on social policy , marriage laws serve

11800-474: The restraint of the body or mind. D/s means "Dominant and submissive". A Dominant is one who takes control of a person who wishes to surrender control and a submissive is one who surrenders control to a person who wishes to take control. S/M (sadism and masochism) is the other part of BDSM. A sadist is an individual who takes pleasure in the pain or humiliation of others and a masochist is an individual who takes pleasure from their own pain or humiliation. Unlike

11918-484: The risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection. People may not be able to detect that their sexual partner has one or more STIs, for example if they are asymptomatic (show no symptoms). The risk of STIs can be reduced by safe sex practices, such as using condoms. Both partners may opt to be tested for STIs before engaging in sex. The exchange of body fluids is not necessary to contract an infestation of crab lice. Crab lice typically are found attached to hair in

12036-404: The same sex. Gay and lesbian people who pretend to be heterosexual are often referred to as being closeted (hiding their sexuality in "the closet"). "Closet case" is a derogatory term used to refer to people who hide their sexuality. Making that orientation public can be called " coming out of the closet " in the case of voluntary disclosure or " outing " in the case of disclosure by others against

12154-487: The sexual activity. Overall, research concluded that psychological well-being, sexual motivation, and sexual satisfaction were all positively correlated when dating couples partook in sexual activity for self-determined reasons. The frequency of sexual activity might range from zero to 15 or 20 times a week. Frequency of intercourse tends to decline with age. Some post- menopausal women experience decline in frequency of sexual intercourse, while others do not. According to

12272-548: The site's owner, and the Solomon's Pools Tourism Agency, the operating company. A Palestinian court was then consulted on the matter. Solomon's Pools have been managed since 2009 by the Convention Palace Company , which also operates Bethlehem Convention Center along with other sites in the area. The Murad Castle, an Ottoman fort at the park's northern gate, has been transformed into a tourist attraction that also includes an ethnographic and history museum and

12390-621: The south-central West Bank , immediately to the south of al-Khader , about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) southwest of Bethlehem , near the road to Hebron . The pools are located in Area A of the West Bank under the control of the Palestinian National Authority . Solomon's Pools provided the water for two aqueducts that delivered water to Jerusalem during the late Second Temple period . The first one, known as

12508-476: The spectacle. The man describes his beloved: Her eyes are like doves, her hair is like a flock of goats, her teeth like shorn ewes, and so on from face to breasts. Place-names feature heavily: her neck is like the Tower of David , her smell like the scent of Lebanon . He hastens to summon his beloved, saying that he is ravished by even a single glance. The section becomes a "garden poem", in which he describes her as

12626-408: The spring water and surface runoff it was also carrying. In a third phase, Roman prefect Pontius Pilate built 39 kilometres (24 mi) of aqueduct bringing yet more water to Solomon's Pools from the large collection pools at Arrub to the south. This aqueduct, which brought water to Jerusalem, was paid for by Pontius Pilate at the expense of the Temple treasury , which act in itself incited

12744-416: The streets again, but this time she failed to find him and the watchmen, who had helped her before, now beat her. She asks the daughters of Jerusalem to help her find him, and describes his physical good looks. Eventually, she admits her lover is in his garden, safe from harm, and committed to her as she is to him. The man describes his beloved; the woman describes a rendezvous they have shared. (The last part

12862-447: The subject's wishes (or without their knowledge). Among some communities (called "men on the DL" or " down-low "), same-sex sexual behavior is sometimes viewed as solely for physical pleasure. Men who have sex with men , as well as women who have sex with women , or men on the "down-low" may engage in sex acts with members of the same sex while continuing sexual and romantic relationships with

12980-582: The surveyed submissives and Dominants found BDSM makes play more pleasurable and fun. The participants have also mentioned improvements in their personal growth, romantic relationships, sense of community and self, the dominant's confidence, and their coping with everyday things by giving them a psychological release. Solomon%27s Pools Solomon's Pools ( Arabic : برك سليمان , romanized :  Burak Sulaymān , or in short el-Burak , 'the pools'; Hebrew : בריכות שלמה , romanized :  Breichot Shlomo ) are three ancient reservoirs located in

13098-450: The timing of reproduction and the trade-off between quantity and quality of offspring (see life history theory ). Relative to other animals, human mating strategies are unique in their relationship with cultural variables such as the institution of marriage . Humans may seek out individuals with the intention of forming a long-term intimate relationship , marriage, casual relationship , or friendship . The human desire for companionship

13216-682: The town of Bethlehem. Near the Upper Pool stands a small Turkish fort known as Qal'at el-Burak , 'Castle of the Pools', or Qal'at Murad , 'castle of [Sultan] Murad', known in English as Murad or Burak Castle. The rectangular structure with four square corner towers was built by the Ottoman sultan Osman II in 1618. It served as barracks for the Turkish soldiers guarding the Pools of Solomon and

13334-589: The upper pool by a large subterranean passage. From the same direction comes the water of 'Ain Burak. 'Ain Attan or Ein Eitam is located south-east of the lower pool, while 'Ain Farujeh is right underneath that pool. Today the water from the pools only reaches as far Bethlehem. The aqueduct beyond this was destroyed once taken out of use in 1967. In recent decades, the pools have suffered from neglect. Between 1967 and

13452-437: The use of the Song of Songs in popular celebrations. He reportedly said, "He who sings the Song of Songs in wine taverns, treating it as if it were a vulgar song, forfeits his share in the world to come". However, Rabbi Akiva famously defended the canonicity of the Song of Songs, reportedly saying when the question came up of whether it should be considered a defiling work, "God forbid! [...] For all of eternity in its entirety

13570-439: The usual "power neutral" relationships and play styles commonly followed by couples, activities and relationships within a BDSM context are often characterized by the participants' taking on complementary, but unequal roles; thus, the idea of informed consent of both the partners becomes essential. Participants who exert dominance (sexual or otherwise) over their partners are known as Dominants or Tops , while participants who take

13688-463: The watercourses should be dug through the mountains. Round about these pavilions many Moors and Saracens were running to and fro..." The water system based on Solomon's Pools has provided water to Jerusalem, on and off, for two millennia, all until 1967. Major repairs to the water system were done by the 10th Roman Legion, Legio Fretensis during the second century CE, later by the Mamluks ,

13806-454: Was directly positively correlated with being older, greater sexual activity in the previous week or prior day, and more positive mood the previous day or the same day as the sexual activity occurred. Decreased sexual activity was associated with prior or same day negative mood or menstruation. Although opinions differ, researchers suggest that sexual activity is an essential part of humans, and that teenagers need to experience sex. According to

13924-504: Was distributed by three other aqueducts: two leading from the pools northwards to Jerusalem, and the third heading eastwards to the Herodium. Traces of all five aqueducts have been found. The pools are positioned so that the water from the high pool can flow into the lower pool next to it when the water is pumped from it. By way of an aqueduct, the water first flowed to Bethlehem , passed through an underground channel, and finally reached

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