232. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "I am the tulip of the Sharon, the rose of the valleys" (Shir Hashirim 2:1). How fond is the Holy One, blessed be He, of the Congregation of Yisrael. He always praises it, and she always praises the Holy One, blessed be He, as said in Shir Hashirim. How many poets and singers it summons before the Holy One, blessed be He. Happy is the portion of Yisrael, who cleaves to the lot of the holy portion, as it says, "For Hashem's portion is His people..." (Devarim 32:9).

233. "I am the tulip of the Sharon." This is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY THE NUKVA, which stands in the Garden of Eden in the magnificence of her beauty. She is called Sharon, because she sings (Heb. sharah) and praises before the most high King.

234. Another explanation is that "I am the tulip of the Sharon" in need of watering from the deep river, the source of all springs, NAMELY BINAH, as it says, "And the parched ground (Heb. sharav) shall become a pool" (Yeshayah 35:7). HENCE THE NUKVA IS CALLED SHARON, DERIVED FROM SHARAV, FOR SHE IS THIRSTY FOR THE WATER OF BINAH. She is called "the rose of the valley (also: 'the deeps')" since she is to be found very deep. The deeps are those in the verse, "Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Hashem" (Tehilim 130:1). "The tulip of the Sharon" comes from the place where the waters of the springs come and never stop flowing. "The rose of the valley" is from the place called the depth of all, closed on all sides.

235. Come and see, In the beginning, she is green as a tulip, which has leaves of green. Then, she is red as a rose with white shades, a rose (Heb. shoshana) of six leaves. THE WORD IS DERIVED FROM CHANGE (HEB. SHINUY), for she changes hues, changes from one color to another.

236. SHE IS CALLED a rose, THOUGH at first she was a tulip. WHEN she desired to be united with the King, she was called a tulip. Now that she is joined to the King in kisses, she is called a rose, since it is written, "His lips are lilies" (Shir Hashirim 5:13). She is called "the rose of the valley," for she changes colors, now for better now for worse, now for Mercy now for Judgment.

237. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes" (Beresheet 3:6). Come and see, Men do not behold, nor do they know or care, that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, He donned him with what is most dear, THE SUPERNAL MOCHIN, and asked Adam to cleave to Him, so he will be the only one, of one heart, to cling to the place of one never - changing clinging; NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, OF WHICH IT SAYS, "FOR I AM HASHEM, I DO NOT CHANGE" (MALACHI 3:6) -- which never alters, the knot to which the all embracing union is tied. This is the meaning of "The Tree of Life in the midst of the garden" (Beresheet 2:10), NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN.

238. Later, they turned from the path of faith, and left the only supernal tree among the trees, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, and alighted upon the place which changes colors, and changes from good to evil and from evil to good, MEANING, THE NUKVA WHEN NOT WITH ZEIR ANPIN, BUT SUCKING FROM THE LEFT ALONE. They descended downward from above, and were greatly changed. They left the only tree, the highest among the trees, as it is written, "That the Elohim has made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions" (Kohelet 7:29).

239. Surely then their heart was changed on that very side, FOR THEY UNDERWENT MANY CHANGES, now for good now for evil, now for Mercy now for Judgment. They clung to THE LEFT, surely seeking many inventions there, NAMELY NAMELY CHANGES, and cleaved to them.

240. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: 'Adam, you have abandoned life and clung to death. Life is, as it is written, "The Tree of Life in the midst of the garden," NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN called life, for whoever cleaves to it shall never taste death. Yet you clung to another tree, THE NUKVA WHEN NOT UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN. Now surely death awaits you,' as it is written, "Her feet go down to death" (Mishlei 5:5), FOR WHOEVER HAS NO MERIT IS EVIL. It is also written, "And I find more bitter than death the woman" (Kohelet 7:26), THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA WHEN NOT UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN. Surely he clung to the place of death and abandoned the place of living and was therefore doomed to death together with the rest of the world.

241. HE ASKS, If he sinned, what was the sin of the whole world, WHY WAS IT DECREED THAT THE REST OF THE WORLD WOULD DIE? Should you say, it is because the whole world ate of this tree, and therefore were all sentenced to death, this is not so. HE ANSWERS, When Adam WAS CREATED AND stood upon his feet, all the creatures saw and feared him, and followed him like servants after the King. But he said to them, "O come, let us worship and bow down" (Tehilim 95:6), you and I. When they saw Adam bowing before that place, THE LEFT SIDE, and cleaving to it, they all followed him. Thus, he brought death upon the whole world.