Introduction to Zohar with Rabbi Roller: Session 2 The Rose Among Thorns Genesis 1:1-3 When God began to create heaven and earth—the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water—God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Rashi: This verse does not say anything except “explain me!” Song of Songs 2:1-3 I am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys. Like a lily among thorns, So is my darling among the maidens. Like an apple tree among trees of the forest, So is my beloved among the youths. I delight to sit in his shade, And his fruit is sweet to my mouth. Mishnah Yadaim 3:5 The Song of Songs and Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) defile the hands. Rabbi Judah says: the Song of Songs defiles the hands, but there is a dispute about Kohelet. Rabbi Yose says: Kohelet does not defile the hands, but there is a dispute about the Song of Songs… Rabbi Akiba said: Far be it! No man in Israel disputed that the Song of Songs [saying] that it does not defile the hands. For the whole world is not as worthy as the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the writings are holy but the Song of Songs is the holy of holies. Zohar 1:1a-b Rabbi Hizkiyah opened, “It is written, as a rose among thorns.” (Song of Songs 2:2) What is the Rose? It is the Congregation of Israel. 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 Israel affected by the qualities of Judgment and Mercy. Just as a rose has thirteen petals, the Assembly of Israel is surrounded on all sides by the thirteen attributes of Mercy. Thus, between the first mentions of the name Elohim, [in the Torah] these [thirteen] words surround and guard the Congregation of Israel. After this, [the name "Elohim"] is written again in the text. And why is it mentioned again? In order to bring out the five rigid leaves that surround a rose. And these five represent the five gates of salvation. And this secret is written about in the verse, "I will raise the cup of salvation" (Pslams 116:13) This is the cup of benediction which is raised after a meal. The cup of benediction must rest on five fingers, and no more, just as a rose rests on five rigid leaves. And this Rose is the cup of benediction. From the second to the third mention of the name Elohim [in the Torah], there are five words. From this point the Ohr [light] was created [hence "Let there be Light."] and concealed and enclosed within that covenant that entered the rose and fructified it. This is referred to as a "fruit-tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof." [Genesis 1:11] This seed is the Covenant. And just as the Covenant is sown by forty- two birthings from that same seed, so is the engraved and holy name sown, by the forty-two letters that describe the works of Creation. Genesis 1: 1-3 chaos was And the earth and the earth the heavens God create When began ְבּ ֵרא ִ ֖שׁית ָבּ ָ ֣ר א ֱא ִ ֑הי ם ֵ֥את ַה ָשּׁ ַ ֖מ ִי ם ְו ֵ֥את ָה ָֽא ֶרץ׃ ְו ָה ָ֗א ֶר ץ ָה ְי ָ ֥תה ֨ ֹתה֙וּ sweeping God and the spirit of the deep on the face of and darkness and void ָו ֹ֔בהוּ ְו ֹ֖ח ֶשׁ ַﬠל־ ְפּ ֵ֣ני ְת ֑הוֹ ם ְו֣רוּ ַח ֱא ִ֔ה י ם ְמ ַר ֶ ֖ח ֶפת light and there was light let there be God and said the water on the face of ַﬠל־ ְפּ ֵ֥ני ַה ָֽמּ ִים׃ ַו ֥יֹּא ֶמר ֱא ִ ֖הי ם ְי ִ ֣הי ֑אוֹר ַֽו ְי ִהי־ ֽאוֹר ׃.