The Rose

Synopsis

The secret of spiritual protection is revealed through a richly metaphorical discourse given by Rabbi Chizkiyah. The Rabbi explains that the spiritual forces that protect and watch over us are called the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. They are transmitted into our physical world through the first thirteen words of the Torah. When judgments are decreed against us, these thirteen forces can safeguard us from their influence. We begin drawing this Light of protection to ourselves at the very moment we begin to browse and behold the mystical shapes and sequences of the Aramaic text, and to learn the spiritual insights presented there.

Community of Yisrael Creation Darkness Earth Face Form Heaven Judgment Lily Mercy Red Thirteen Thirteen Attributes of Mercy Void White

1. Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse, "As the Rose among the thorns" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). HE ASKS: What is the Rose? AND HE REPLIES: It is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Because there is a Rose; and there is a Rose. Just as the Rose among the thorns is tinged with red and white, so is the Congregation of Yisrael affected by the qualities of Judgment and Mercy. Just as the Rose has thirteen petals, so the Congregation of Yisrael is surrounded by the thirteen attributes of Mercy. Thus, between the first mention of the name Elohim, WHICH APPEARS IN THE PASSAGE, "IN THE BEGINNING ELOHIM CREATED" (BERESHEET 1:1) TO THE SECOND MENTION OF ELOHIM, THERE ARE THIRTEEN WORDS IN THE VERSE, WHICH TRANSLATE AS "THE, HEAVEN, AND THE, EARTH, AND THE EARTH, WAS, WITHOUT FORM, AND VOID, AND DARKNESS, WAS UPON, THE FACE, OF THE DEEP, AND A WIND" (IBID. 2). These words surround and guard the Congregation of Yisrael.

1. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח, כְּתִיב כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים. מָאן שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּגִין דְּאִית שׁוֹשַׁנָּה וְאִית שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, מַה שׁוֹשַׁנָּה דְּאִיהִי בֵּין הַחוֹחִים אִית בַּהּ סוּמָק וְחִוָּור, אוּף כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית בַּהּ דִּין וְרַחֲמֵי. מַה שׁוֹשַׁנָּה אִית בַּהּ תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, אוּף כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית בַּהּ תְּלֵיסַר מְכִילִין דְּרַחֲמֵי דְּסַחֲרִין לַהּ מִכָּל סִטְרָהָא. אוּף אֱלֹהִים דְּהָכָא מִשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִדְכַּר אַפִּיק תְּלֵיסַר תֵּיבִין לְסַחֲרָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְנַטְרָא לַהּ.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Creation Cup Cup of Benediction Cup of Salvation Fingers Fruit Gates Light Lily Meals Point Redemption and Salvation Tree Waters

2. After this, THE NAME ELOHIM is mentioned another time in the passage "ELOHIM MOVED OVER" (IBID.). And why is it mentioned again? In order to bring out the five rigid leaves that surround the Rose. And these five LEAVES represent the five gates of salvation. And this secret is written about in the verse, "I will raise the cup of salvation" (Tehilim 116:13). This is the 'cup of benediction' that is raised after the meal. The cup of benediction must rest on five fingers, and no more, just as the Rose rests on five rigid leaves that represent the five fingers. And this Rose is the cup of benediction. FROM THE second to the third mention of THE NAME Elohim, there are five words, WHICH TRANSLATE AS "MOVED, OVER, THE SURFACE, OF THE WATERS, AND SAID." AND THESE WORDS PARALLEL THE FIVE LEAVES. From this point, THE VERSE CONTINUES, "ELOHIM SAID... LET THERE BE LIGHT" (BERESHEET 1:3). After this light was created, it was concealed and enclosed within the covenant that entered the Rose and fructified it. This is referred to as "a fruit tree yielding fruit...whose seed is in itself" (Ibid. 11) and this seed is the Brit.

2. וּלְבָתַר אִדְכַּר זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא, אַמַּאי אִדְכַּר זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא, בְּגִין לְאַפְקָא חָמֵשׁ עָלִין תַּקִּיפִין דְּסַחֲרִין לַשׁוֹשַׁנָּה. וְאִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ, אִקְרוֹן יְשׁוּעוֹת. וְאִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ תַּרְעִין. וְעַל רָזָא דָא כְּתִיב, כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָׂא, דָּא כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה. כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי עַל חָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָן וְלָא יַתִּיר, כְּגַוְונָא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה דְּיָתְבָא עַל חָמֵשׁ עָלִין תַּקִּיפִין דּוּגְמָא דְחָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָן. וְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה, דָא אִיהִי כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, מֵאֱלֹהִים תִּנְיָנָא עַד אֱלֹהִים תְּלִיתָאָה חָמֵשׁ תֵּיבִין. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, אוֹר דְּאִתְבְּרֵי וְאִתְגְּנִיז, וְאִתְכְּלִיל בַּבְּרִית, הַהוּא דְּעָאל בַּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה וְאַפֵּיק בַּהּ זַרְעָא. וְדָא אִקְרֵי עֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בוֹ. וְהַהוּא זֶרַע, קַיָּימָא בְּאוֹת בְּרִית מַמָּשׁ.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Creation Hebrew Letters Holy Name