The rose, part two

Synopsis

The eagle returns, drops a rose to the rabbis, and again flies away. Rabbi Pinchas says that God sent them this rose through the agency of the eagle as testimony to the Work of Creation. He explains the meaning to be derived from the parts of the rose.

Relevance

The Zohar speaks of the thirteen petals on the rose. There are also thirteen Attributes of Mercy which signify the concept of miracles and wonders. In addition, thirteen denotes one more than twelve, indicating our ascension over the influences of the twelve signs of the Zodiac.

Our reading ignites all this power in our lives helping us receive the miracles we truly need. Sickness and judgment decreed to us by the planets and stars are mitigated. Moreover, miracles now become the norm, a natural part of our existence instead of a scarce and infrequent phenomenon.

We learn that the five strong leaves of the rose correspond to the fifty Gates of Binah. The fifty gates pertain to the path of spirituality leading directly to the reality of the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is a realm of perfect, flawless order. It is the source of our joy, our pleasure, our fulfillment, and our well-being. All the wisdom of the world resides in this realm. When intuition leads us to good fortune, we have made contact with this dimension. When our immune system wards off disease, we are linked to the Tree of Life. When a miracle occurs, it flows from the Tree of Life reality. This is our ultimate objective, and we attain it now, through the very words that expound upon these mysteries.

The rose also connects to the Sh'ma Yisrael prayer. The Sh'ma's first five words signify the five strong pedals. The last word of the Sh'ma is echad, which means one. This corresponds to the one stem that holds the entire rose, and to the one Creator that holds all Creation. The Hebrew word echad has a numerical value of thirteen, just the same way that the one rose has thirteen pedals. Thus, the entire rose is encapsulated inside the Sh'ma.

Therefore, the Sh'ma also emits the power of the thirteen Attributes, which are miracles and wonders; as well as the fifty Gates of Binah, which are the Tree of Life reality. All of this splendid Light cast through the Sh'ma shines upon us now, healing and regenerating the 248 parts of the body and soul and bringing forth our ultimate and final unification with the Light of the Creator.

Finally, verse 398 states that Yisrael is: "Like the rose among the thorns..." When the rose is closed, no fragrance is emitted. When it opens, the rose radiates a sweet fragrance. One is then impelled to take the rose out from among the thorns to inhale its aroma and behold its beauty.

When Yisrael, including all those who embrace the spiritual wisdom of Kabbalah, opens its heart and shares the Light, all the nations of the world will be inspired to inhale the sweet scent of spirituality and elevate Yisrael to its proper place. Yisrael and all mankind will ascend out of the thorns of judgment, and all the world will behold the beauty of the rose - that is, the Light of the Creator.

In accordance with these spiritual insights, these verses of Zohar open our hearts to emit a sweet aroma from our soul. We are forever lifted from out of the thorns (judgment).

Eagle

392. עַד דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי, הָא נִשְׁרָא אַתְיָא לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, וְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה חֲדָא בְּפוּמָהּ, וְשַׁדֵי קַמַּיְיהוּ, וְאַזְלַת לָהּ, חָמוּ וְחַדוּ. א"ר פִּנְחָס, וְלָאו אֲמֵינָא לְכוּ, דְּנִשְׁרָא דָּא בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא דְּמָארָהּ, אַזְלָא וְאַתְיָא. שׁוֹשַׁנָה דָּא, אִיהִי שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת דְּקָאֲמֵינָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁדַר לֵיהּ לְגַבָּן.

Congregation Creation David Testimony Thirteen Unity

393. He began again and said: "To the chief musician upon Shushan-Edut; A michtam (lit. 'writ') of David, to teach" (Tehilim 60:1). HE ASKS, Does this mean that Shushan is testimony (Heb. edut)? What is the testimony to which it testifies? AND HE ANSWERS, This Shushan is witness to the Work of Creation, and is witness to the Congregation of Yisrael, and is witness to the heavenly unity. And this is so because in a rose (Heb. shoshanah) there are thirteen petals, all of them on one root, and there are five strong petals on the outside, that cover this rose and protect it.

393. פָּתַח כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין וְאָמַר, לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד לְלַמֵּד. וְכִי שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת מַאי סַהֲדוּתָא סָהִיד. אֶלָּא שׁוּשַׁן דָּא אִיהִי סַהֲדוּתָא לְמַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, וְאִיהִי סַהֲדוּתָא לכנ"י. וְאִיהִי סַהֲדוּתָא לְיִחוּדָא עִלָּאָה, וְדָא אִיהוּ. בְּגִין דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה דָּא אִית בָּהּ תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימִין בְּעִקָרָא חֲדָא, וְאִית בָּהּ חֲמֵשׁ עָלִין לְבַר תַּקִּיפִין, דְּחַפְיָין לְדָא שׁוֹשַׁנָה וְאַגִּינוּ עָלָהּ.

Brit (Covenant) Congregation Covenant (Brit) Fifty Gates Hundred Mercy Ten Thirteen Thirteen Attributes of Mercy Tree Tree of Life Wisdom Year Zeir Anpin

394. And it is all based on the secret of wisdom, for the thirteen leaves ALLUDE TO the thirteen attributes of Mercy that the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, inherits from above, FROM THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES OF ARICH ANPIN. And all of them are attached to one root, which is one covenant, NAMELY YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, BY WHOSE MEANS MALCHUT RECEIVES THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES OF MERCY OF ARICH ANPIN. AND THUS THE ROOT OF THE THIRTEEN LEAVES OF THE ROSE THAT ARE BENEATH THEM IS a pattern of the covenant, which is the foundation (Yesod) of everything. The five strong LEAVES that surround it are the fifty gates, NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD OF BINAH, EACH ONE OF WHICH IS COMPOSED OF TEN. And they are five hundred years that the Tree of Life, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, goes by, FOR IT RECEIVES THEM IN THE PLACE OF BINAH, WHOSE SFIROT ARE IN THE PRINCIPLE OF HUNDREDS, AND THEY ARE FIVE HUNDRED YEARS.

394. וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא, תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, אִלֵּין תְּלֵיסַר מְכִילָן דְּרַחֲמֵי, דְּיָרְתָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלְּעֵילָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן בְּעִקָרָא חֲדָא, וְאִיהוּ בְּרִית חֲדָא וְדוּגְמָא דִּבְרִית יְסוֹדָא דְּכֹלָּא. חֲמֵשׁ תַּקִּיפִין דְּסַחֲרָן עָלֵיהּ, אִלֵּין חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין, חֲמֵשׁ מְאָה שְׁנִין דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, אַזְלָא בְּהוּ.

Congregation Creation

395. סַהֲדוּתָא לְעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית. כָּל עוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית, כֻּלְּהוּ תֵּיבִין יְדִיעָן בְּסוּכְלְתָנוּ, וְקַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא אֱלֹֹהִים דְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית. אַחְזֵי לְעֵילָּא, וְאַחְזֵי לְתַתָּא. אַחְזֵי לְעֵילָּא, בְּרָזָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וְאַחְזֵי לְתַתָּא, בְּרָזָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Creation Darkness Earth Face Form Grades Heaven Light Mercy Thirteen Thirteen Attributes of Mercy Void Waters Wind

396. The rose is witness to the Work of Creation, for it has all these signs, NAMELY THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES OF MERCY AND THE FIVE SFIROT OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD. For it is written: "In the beginning Elohim created..." (Beresheet 1:16): This is the rose, WHICH IS BINAH AND WHICH IS MALCHUT, BECAUSE IT IS SEEN ABOVE AND SEEN BELOW, AS ABOVE IN THE PRECEDING SECTION. The thirteen leaves are the thirteen words FROM "IN THE BEGINNING ELOHIM" (BERESHEET 1:1) until ."..AND A WIND FROM Elohim" (Ibid. 2), namely: ...1) the 2) heaven 3) and the 4) earth. 5) And the earth 6) was 7) without form 8) and void 9) and darkness was 10) on 11) the face of 12) the deep 13). And a wind... These, then, are the thirteen leaves of the rose THAT ALLUDE TO THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES. The five stronger LEAVES that surround these thirteen are: 1) moved 2) over 3) the surface of 4) the waters. 5) And (Elohim) said; FROM THE WORD ELOHIM IN THE EXPRESSION "AND A WIND FROM ELOHIM" UNTIL "ELOHIM" IN "AND ELOHIM SAID." For there are five others THAT ALLUDE TO THE FIVE SFIROT: CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD, AS EXPLAINED ABOVE. After this comes "Let there be light," this being the prime cause and the root of the rose, for all THE GRADES ARE INCLUDED IN AND attached to it.

396. שׁוֹשַׁנָה סַהֲדוּתָא לְעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית, דְּקַיְּימָא בְּכָל הָנֵי סִימָנִין, דִּכְתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹֹהִים, דָּא שׁוֹשַׁנָה. תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, אִינּוּן תְּלֵיסַר תֵּיבִין עַד אֱלֹֹהִים תִּנְיָינָא. וְאִינּוּן: אֵת, הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת, הָאָרֶץ, וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה, תֹהוּ, וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל, פְּנֵי, תְהוֹם, וְרוּחַ. הָא תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה. חֲמֵשׁ תַּקִּיפִין דְּסַחֲרָן לְאִלֵּין, אִינּוּן: מְרַחֶפֶת, עַל, פְּנֵי, הַמָּיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר. הָא חָמֵשׁ אַחֲרָנִין. לְבָתַר יְהִי אוֹר, הָא עִיקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה דְּכֹלָּא וַאֲחִידָן בָּהּ.

Echad (One) One (Echad) Thirteen Unity

397. סַהֲדוּתָא לְיִחוּדָא. חֲמֵשׁ עָלִין תַּקִּיפִין, שָׁרָשִׁין וְיִחוּדָא, דַּאֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין אִלֵּין. שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ' אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ,' הָא חֲמֵשׁ עָלִין דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה. אֶחָד, דָּא הִיא עִיקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דְּכֻלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ. רָזָא דִּתְלֵיסַר בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, גּוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְּמַלְכָּא.

Angels Congregation Eagle Fragrance Love Shechinah

398. Come and see: "Like the rose among the thorns" (Shir Hashirim 2:2), so are Yisrael among the idol worshipping nations and so is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, among the many other ministers appointed OVER THE NATIONS. So long as the rose stands there closed, unopened, it has no fragrance and one does not lift it out and remove it from among the thorns. When the rose is open and gives off a fragrance, then one takes it out from among the thorns. And the Congregation of Yisrael will benefit from them, as it is said: "Open to me, my sister, my love" (Shir Hashirim 5:2). And the Holy One, blessed be He, only sent to us THE EAGLE, WHO BROUGHT THE ROSE SO THAT we should continue on our journey WITH THE SHECHINAH. End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Sheperd).

398. ת"ח, כְּגַוְונָא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים, הָכִי אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין עַמִּין עכו"ם. וְהָכִי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּין שְׁאַר אֻכְלוּסִין רַבְרְבָן מְמָנָן. כָּל זְמַן דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה קַיְּימָא אֲטִימָא, דְּלָא פְּתִיחָא, לֵית בָּהּ רֵיחָא, וְלָא סַלְּקִין לָהּ, וְלָא מַפְקִין לָהּ מִגּוֹ גּוּבִין, בְּשַׁעַתָא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה פְּתִיחָא, סַלְּקָא רֵיחָא, כְּדֵין אַפִּיקוּ לָהּ מִגּוֹ גּוּבִין. וְיִתְהֲנֵי בְּהוּ כ"י, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחוֹתִי רַעְיָתִי, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא שַׁדְרָהּ לָן אֶלָּא לְמֵיהַךְ לְאוֹרְחָן. (עד כאן רעיא מהימנא)