The
Rose
1)
Rabbi
Hizkiya
began:
“It
is
written,
‘As
a
rose
among
the
thorns.’”
What
is
a
rose?
It
is
the
assembly
of
Israel,
Malchut.
There
is
a
rose,
and
there
is
a
rose.
Just
as
a
rose
among
the
thorns
has
red
and
white,
the
assembly
of
Israel
has
judgment
and
mercy.
Just
as
a
rose
has
thirteen
petals,
the
assembly
of
Israel
has
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy
that
surround
it
on
all
sides.
Also,
God,
in
the
verse
“In
the
beginning
God
created,”
God
elicited
thirteen
words
to
surround
the
assembly
of
Israel
and
to
keep
her:
THE,
HEAVEN,
AND-THE,
EARTH,
AND-THE
EARTH,
WAS,
EMPTY,
AND-CHAOTIC,
AND-THE
DARKNESS,
OVER,
THE
FACE,
OF
THE
ABYSS,
AND-THE
SPIRIT,
up
to
the
words
“of
God
hovered”
[In
Hebrew,
“and”
is
written
in
conjunction
with
the
word
following
it,
so
it
is
regarded
as
one
word].
Explanation:
There
are
ten
Sefirot:
Keter,
Hochma,
Bina,
Hesed,
Gevura,
Tifferet,
Netzah,
Hod,
Yesod,
and
Malchut.
However,
essentially,
they
are
only
five:
Keter,
Hochma,
Bina,
Tifferet,
and
Malchut,
since
the
Sefira
[singular
of
Sefirot]
Tifferet
contains
six
Sefirot
HGT
NHY
within
it.
They
became
five
Partzufim
[plural
of
Partzuf]:
AA,
AVI,
and
ZON.
Keter
is
called
Arich
Anpin
(AA),
Hochma
and
Bina
(HB)
are
called
Aba
ve
[and]
Ima
(AVI),
Tifferet
and
Malchut
are
called
Zeir
Anpin
and
Nukva
(ZON).
The
seven
days
of
creation
are
the
two
Partzufim
Zeir
Anpin
and
Nukva
of
Atzilut.
They
contain
seven
Sefirot
HGT
NHY
and
Malchut.
The
writings
of
the
work
of
creation
explain
how
AVI,
which
are
HB,
emanated
them
from
the
beginning
of
their
formation
to
the
end
of
the
Gadlut
[adulthood/greatness],
which
take
place
in
them
over
six
thousand
years.
Rabbi
Hizkiya
begins
with
the
explanation
of
Nukva
of
ZA,
explaining
the
order
of
her
emanation
from
Ima,
Bina,
which
is
called
Elokim
[God].
This
is
the
meaning
of
Rabbi
Hizkiya
beginning
with
the
explanation
of
the
rose,
which
is
the
Nukva
of
ZA.
At
the
time
of
Gadlut,
the
Nukva
of
ZA
is
called
“the
assembly
of
Israel,”
and
this
is
why
he
said,
“What
is
a
rose?
It
is
the
assembly
of
Israel.”
There
are
two
states
to
the
rose:
1)
Katnut—the
beginning
of
her
formation,
in
which
there
is
only
the
Sefira
Keter
in
her,
in
which
her
light
of
Nefesh
is
clothed,
and
her
bottom
nine
Sefirot
fall
outside
of
Atzilut,
in
the
world
of
Beria.
2)
Gadlut—when
her
bottom
nine
rise
from
the
world
of
Beria
to
the
world
of
Atzilut
and
with
them,
she
is
built
into
a
complete
Partzuf
with
ten
Sefirot.
At
that
time,
she
rises
with
ZA,
her
husband,
to
an
equal
level
with
AVI
of
Atzilut
and
they
clothe
them.
Then
ZA
is
called
Ysrael
[Israel],
with
the
letters
Li
Rosh
[a
Rosh
(head)
to
me],
and
the
Nukva
is
called
“the
assembly
of
Israel,”
for
she
assembles
within
her
all
the
lights
of
Israel,
her
husband,
and
gives
them
to
the
lower
ones.
Katnut
[infancy/smallness]
is
called
“a
rose
among
the
thorns”
since
her
bottom
nine
were
emptied
from
the
light
of
Atzilut
and
remained
as
thorns.
Gadlut
is
called
plainly
“a
rose”
or
“the
assembly
of
Israel.”
This
is
why
it
was
said,
“There
is
a
rose,
and
there
is
a
rose.”
The
red
color
indicates
that
there
is
a
grip
to
the
outer
ones
there,
for
the
shells
to
suckle
from
her.
This
is
in
Katnut,
when
her
bottom
nine
are
in
Beria.
There
is
also
white
in
her
vessel
of
Keter,
where
there
is
no
grip
to
the
outer
ones.
This
is
why
it
was
said,
“Just
as
a
rose
among
the
thorns
has
red
and
white,
the
assembly
of
Israel
has
judgment
and
mercy.”
This
indicates
that
even
in
her
Gadlut,
called
“the
assembly
of
Israel,”
although
at
that
time,
she
rises
and
clothes
the
Bina,
judgment
still
remains
in
her
because
she
needs
the
screen
that
is
set
up
in
her
for
the
coupling
by
striking.
Because
of
the
judgment
in
the
screen,
it
strikes
the
upper
light
and
reflects
it
back.
By
this,
it
raises
ten
Sefirot
of
reflected
light,
which
is
called
the
light
of
judgment.
Within
them,
it
draws
ten
Sefirot
of
direct
light
called
“light
of
mercy.”
Hence,
there
are
judgment
and
mercy
in
the
assembly
of
Israel,
as
well,
corresponding
to
the
red
and
the
white
that
the
rose
among
the
thorns
has.
This
is
the
sea
that
Solomon
made,
which
stands
on
twelve
oxen,
for
her
bottom
nine
that
fell
into
Beria
have
been
established
there
in
twelve
oxen,
and
the
point
of
Keter
that
remained
in
Atzilut
is
the
sea
that
stands
atop
them.
All
together,
they
are
called
“the
thirteen
petals
of
the
rose.”
The
Mochin
of
Gadlut
of
Nukva
that
have
illumination
of
Hochma
are
extended
from
the
thirteen
names,
called
“the
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy.”
This
is
why
the
assembly
of
Israel
has
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy,
as
well.
The
main
thing
that
Rabbi
Hizkiya
comes
to
teach
by
this
comparison
between
the
rose
among
the
thorns
and
the
assembly
of
Israel
is
that
everything
that
the
Nukva
has
in
her
state
of
Gadlut
must,
correspondingly,
have
a
preparation
and
qualification
in
the
beginning
of
her
formation,
in
the
state
of
Katnut.
This
is
why
it
was
said
that
opposite
the
white
and
red
in
Katnut,
judgment
and
mercy
come
out
in
her
in
Gadlut,
and
opposite
the
thirteen
petals
in
Katnut,
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy
emerge
in
her
in
Gadlut.
Elokim
[God]
in
the
verse
“In
the
beginning
God
created”
is
the
Bina
that
emanates
to
the
Nukva
of
ZA.
He
elicited
thirteen
words:
THE,
HEAVEN,
AND-THE,
EARTH,
AND-THE
EARTH,
WAS,
EMPTY,
AND-CHAOTIC,
AND-THE-DARKNESS,
OVER,
THE-FACE,
OF-THE-ABYSS,
AND-THE-SPIRIT,
up
to
the
second
Elokim.
These
thirteen
words
imply
the
same
thirteen
petals
of
the
rose
among
the
thorns,
the
sea
that
stands
over
the
twelve
oxen,
which
are
preparation
and
qualification
for
the
assembly
of
Israel
to
receive
the
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy,
to
surround
the
assembly
of
Israel
and
to
keep
her
since
the
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy—the
complete
Mochin
of
Nukva—are
regarded
as
surrounding
and
illuminating
her
on
all
sides
from
all
around.
Through
them,
she
is
kept
from
contact
with
the
outer
ones
because
as
long
as
the
great
Mochin
in
illumination
of
Hochma
from
the
thirteen
qualities
are
not
in
her,
there
is
nursing
for
the
outer
ones
in
her.
2)
Afterwards,
the
name
Elokim
is
mentioned
another
time,
as
it
is
written,
“...of
God
hovers”
to
elicit
five
hard
leaves
that
surround
the
rose.
These
five
leaves
are
called
“salvations,”
and
they
are
five
gates.
It
is
written
about
it,
“I
shall
lift
up
the
cup
of
salvations.”
It
is
a
cup
of
blessing.
A
cup
of
blessing
must
be
over
five
fingers
and
not
more,
like
the
rose
that
sits
on
five
hard
leaves
that
correspond
to
the
five
fingers,
and
this
rose
is
a
cup
of
blessing.
There
are
five
words
from
the
second
name
Elokim
to
the
third
name
Elokim:
HOVERED,
OVER,
THE-FACE,
OF-THE-WATERS,
AND
...
SAID
[in
Hebrew
Elokim
comes
after
the
“said”],
corresponding
to
the
five
leaves.
Henceforth,
when
it
writes,
“God
...
Let
there
be
light,”
it
is
the
light
that
was
created
and
concealed,
and
was
included
in
that
covenant
that
entered
the
rose
and
produced
a
seed
in
her.
This
is
called
“a
fruit
bearing
tree”
with
which
they
sowed.
And
that
seed
is
found
in
the
very
token
of
the
covenant.
Explanation:
Five
hard
leaves
are
the
five
Gevurot
[plural
of
Gevura]
of
Nukva,
which
are
ten
Sefirot
of
reflected
light
that
the
Nukva
raises
through
a
coupling
by
striking
with
the
upper
light,
called
“light
of
judgment,”
for
the
ten
Sefirot
of
direct
light
are
called
five
Hassadim
HGT
NH,
and
clothe
the
five
Gevurot
HGT
NH
of
reflected
light.
Those
five
hard
leaves
are
the
power
of
judgment
in
the
screen
that
detains
the
upper
light
from
clothing
from
the
screen
down.
This
is
why
now
it
is
only
called
“five
hard
leaves,”
since
she
is
still
unfit
for
coupling
on
them.
At
the
time
of
Gadlut,
when
a
screen
comes
in
a
coupling
with
the
upper
light,
they
are
called
five
Gevurot.
These
five
hard
leaves
are
five
words
that
there
are
from
the
second
Elokim
to
the
third
Elokim:
HOVERED,
OVER,
THE-FACE,
OF-THE-WATERS,
AND
...
SAID.
And
why
was
it
mentioned
another
time,
implying
that
there
is
a
new
action
here?
It
is
in
order
to
bring
these
five
hard
leaves
out
of
the
Nukva,
which
are
a
preparation
for
a
coupling
at
the
time
of
Gadlut.
Ten
Sefirot
of
reflected
light
are
called
five
Gevurot
HGT
NH.
They
are
not
called
KHB
TM
because
they
extend
only
light
of
Hassadim.
Hence,
KHB
descended
from
their
degree,
and
they
are
called
HGT,
and
TM
are
called
NH.
In
Gadlut,
when
the
five
hard
leaves
became
five
Gevurot,
they
are
considered
five
gates,
open
to
receive
the
five
Hassadim
of
direct
light.
Also,
they
are
called
“salvations,”
and
then
the
Nukva
is
called
“a
cup
of
salvations”
or
“a
cup
of
blessing”
since
through
them,
the
Nukva
becomes
a
vessel
that
holds
the
blessing,
five
Hassadim.
The
number
of
Sefirot
is
ten.
Essentially,
they
are
five
phases,
or
thirteen,
like
the
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy.
Ten
indicates
the
Sefira
ZON,
in
which
there
is
only
light
of
Hassadim.
Thirteen
indicates
the
Mochin
of
illumination
of
Hochma,
which
is
received
for
ZON.
A
cup
of
blessing
indicates
the
extension
of
five
Hassadim
within
her
five
Gevurot.
It
must
be
five
fingers
and
not
more,
meaning
only
in
the
number
ten,
HGT
NH
and
not
more,
with
the
exception
of
the
number
thirteen
since
the
Nukva
is
unfit
to
receive
Hochma
from
thirteen
except
by
clothing
of
Hochma
in
Hassadim.
For
this
reason,
first
there
must
be
an
extension
of
blessing,
which
are
five
Hassadim,
specifically
through
the
five
fingers,
which
are
five
Gevurot,
and
then
she
can
receive
from
the
thirteen,
as
well.
This
means
that
it
refers
to
the
five
fingers
of
the
left
hand,
which
are
five
Gevurot,
since
the
five
fingers
of
the
right
hand
are
five
Hassadim.
Thus,
the
cup
of
blessing
must
be
raised
with
both
hands,
meaning
with
the
five
fingers
of
the
left
hand,
as
well,
to
indicate
the
intention
of
the
five
Gevurot.
However,
afterwards,
in
the
beginning
of
the
blessing,
only
the
five
fingers
of
the
right
hand
should
remain
on
the
cup
to
avoid
awakening
the
gripping
of
the
Sitra
Achra,
which
nurses
from
the
left.
The
third
Elokim
in
the
verse
“Let
there
be
light”
is
to
emanate
the
Gadlut
of
Nukva,
which
is
five
Hassadim
and
the
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy,
where
the
five
Hassadim
are
five
times
“light”
in
the
verses
“Let
there
be
light,”
“And
there
was
light,”
“That
the
light
was
good,”
“Between
the
light,”
“The
light,
day.”
The
thirteen
qualities
of
mercy
are
implied
in
the
words
“And
there
was
evening
and
there
was
morning,
one
day,”
since
one
is
thirteen
and
also
thirteen
in
Gematria.
These
five
lights
are
the
light
that
the
Creator
created
on
the
first
day.
Adam
was
watching
it
from
the
end
of
the
world
to
its
end.
When
the
Creator
looked
at
the
generation
of
the
flood
and
the
generation
of
Babylon
and
saw
that
their
actions
were
corrupt,
He
stood
and
concealed
it
from
them.
It
is
written,
“God,
‘Let
there
be
light.’”
This
is
the
light
that
was
created
and
concealed
and
included
in
that
covenant,
meaning
entered
the
rose,
that
the
five
Hassadim
were
first
incorporated
in
Yesod
of
ZA
and
did
not
come
straight
from
Bina,
from
Elokim,
to
the
Nukva,
and
the
covenant,
Yesod
of
ZA,
which
entered
the
rose
and
gave
them
to
her.
These
five
Hassadim
that
emerge
on
five
Gevurot
are
called
“seed.”
The
power
of
the
judgment
and
the
Gevurot
in
the
screen,
by
whose
power
it
strikes
the
upper
light
and
repels
it,
is
mainly
found
only
in
Ateret
Yesod
of
ZA,
which
it
extended
from
Mazal
veNakeh
in
Dikna
while
the
Nukva
receives
from
it
only
an
illumination
and
a
branch.
For
this
reason,
the
coupling
on
the
screen,
which
raises
the
five
Gevurot
that
extend
and
clothe
the
five
Hassadim,
which
are
five
lights,
is
done
mainly
in
Yesod
of
ZA,
and
he
is
the
one
who
gives
them
to
the
Nukva.
That
seed,
five
Hassadim
and
five
Gevurot,
is
found
in
the
very
token
of
the
covenant,
since
in
the
token
of
the
covenant,
which
is
Ateret
Yesod
of
ZA,
there
is
the
actuality
of
the
Gevurot
that
extend
five
Hassadim
called
“seed.”
However,
the
Yesod
of
the
Nukva
receives
only
the
form
of
his
Gevurot.
This
is
why
the
Yesod
of
the
Nukva
is
called
only
by
the
name
of
the
form
of
the
covenant.
3)
As
the
form
of
the
covenant
was
sown
in
forty-two
couplings
from
the
seed,
the
engraved
and
explicit
Name
was
sown
in
the
forty-two
letters
of
the
work
of
creation.
Explanation:
The
name
“forty-two
letters”
is
simple
HaVaYaH,
HaVaYaH
with
a
filling,
HaVaYaH
with
a
filling
of
filling,
in
which
there
are
forty-two
letters.
That
seed,
which
is
found
in
the
token
of
the
covenant—which
are
five
Hassadim
and
five
Gevurot—extends
from
the
name
“forty-two.”
Therefore,
as
the
form
of
the
covenant,
Yesod
of
Nukva,
was
sown
in
forty-two
couplings
from
the
seed
of
the
token
of
the
covenant,
the
engraved
and
explicit
Name
was
sown
in
forty-two
letters
of
the
work
of
creation.
There
are
two
phases
in
Nukva:
1)
The
construction
of
her
Partzuf,
which
was
built
by
Bina,
and
2)
Her
copulation
with
ZA,
which
is
called
“the
coupling.”
As
the
form
of
the
covenant,
Yesod
of
Nukva,
was
sown
in
forty-two
couplings
from
that
seed
of
the
token
of
the
covenant,
where
the
difference
is
in
the
coupling,
so
you
deduce
in
the
order
of
the
emanation
of
the
construction
of
the
Nukva,
called
“the
work
of
creation,”
through
the
Bina,
who
was
in
the
name
“forty-two,”
as
well.
There
are
two
states
in
the
construction
of
the
Nukva:
Katnut
and
Gadlut.
The
Katnut
is
called
“engraving,”
meaning
engraving
into
a
receptacle
of
the
lights
of
the
time
of
Gadlut,
since
all
that
is
received
by
the
Nukva
at
the
time
of
Gadlut
requires
preparation
and
qualification
for
them
from
the
days
of
Katnut.
The
Gadlut
is
called
by
the
explicit
Name
because
all
that
is
concealed
during
the
Katnut
is
explained
and
becomes
known
during
the
Gadlut.
Thus,
“The
engraved
and
explicit
Name”
is
sown
in
the
forty-two
letters
of
the
work
of
creation.
The
Nukva
is
called
“a
name.”
“Engraved”
means
her
Katnut,
“explicit”
is
her
Gadlut,
and
they,
too,
were
sown
and
built
in
forty-two
letters
like
the
forty-two
couplings
in
the
coupling
in
the
token
of
the
covenant.
Also,
the
forty-two
letters
of
the
work
of
creation
are
the
forty-two
letters
presented
from
Beresheet
[In
the
beginning]
through
the
Bet
of
Bohu
[Tohu
veBohu
means
“unformed
and
chaotic”].