330. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with, "I am the tulip of the Sharon; the lily of the valleys" (Shir Hashirim 2:1). How beloved is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT, before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, praises her and she praises Him constantly. How many hymns and songs did she compose always to the King! Happy is the lot of Yisrael, who are attached to the lot of the holy portion, as it is written, "For Hashem's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance" (Devarim 32:9).
331. "I am the tulip of the Sharon" refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT that is called a tulip. She stands with majestic beauty in the Garden of Eden to be planted. Sharon means that she sings (Heb. sharah) and praises the supernal King, ZEIR ANPIN. According to another interpretation, "I am the tulip of the Sharon," as she, MALCHUT, needs to be watered by the flow of the deep river, the source of the streams, BINAH, as it is written, "the Sharon is like the Aravah" (Yeshayah 33:9). SHARON MEANS THE PLAIN. THIS MEANS THE TULIP THAT IS IN THE PLAIN IS THIRSTY FOR WATER, BECAUSE THE SUN BURNS IT.
332. "The lily of the valleys" means she is situated where it is deepest. What are the deep valleys? They feature in the verse, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem" (Tehilim 130:1). The lily of the valleys comes from the place where the water of the deep rivers comes FROM and never ceases flowing, THAT IS, WHERE BINAH IS REVEALED. The lily of the valleys IS a lily of that place that is considered the deepest, hidden in every direction, NAMELY, FROM THE HIDDEN PLACE OF BINAH.
333. Come and see, at first MALCHUT IS a green-leafed green tulip; then she is a two-colored lily, red and white. It is a lily (Heb. shoshanah) of six (Heb. shishah) leaves, a lily that changes (Heb. meshanah) its colors and changes from one color to another. A lily first is CALLED a tulip, NAMELY, when she wishes to unite with the King she is called a tulip. After uniting with the King with kisses, she is called a lily, since it is written, "his lips like lilies" (Shir Hashirim 5:13). She is the lily of the valleys because she changes, changing her colors sometimes to the good and sometimes to evil, sometimes to Judgment and at times to Mercy.