Emor: Chapter 44

The tulip and the lily

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon talks about the special relationship that God has with the Congregation of Yisrael. He says that Malchut is the lily of the valleys because she changes, sometimes to the good and sometimes to evil, sometimes to Judgment and at other times to Mercy.

Congregation Jacob Lily Tulip

330. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with, "I am the tulip of the Sharon; the lily of the valleys" (Shir Hashirim 2:1). How beloved is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT, before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, praises her and she praises Him constantly. How many hymns and songs did she compose always to the King! Happy is the lot of Yisrael, who are attached to the lot of the holy portion, as it is written, "For Hashem's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance" (Devarim 32:9).

330. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח, אֲנִי חֲבַצֶּלֶת הַשָּׁרוֹן שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים. כַּמָּה חֲבִיבָה כ"י קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְשַׁבַּח לֵיהּ, וְהִיא מְשַׁבַּחַת לֵיהּ תָּדִיר. וְכַמָּה שְׁבָחִין וּמַזְמְּרִין אַתְקְנַת לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא תָּדִיר. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דַּאֲחִידָן בְּעַדְבָא דְּחוּלָקָא קַדִּישָׁא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ' עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ.

Aravah Congregation Flow Garden of Eden Rivers Streams Sun Tulip Water Zeir Anpin

331. "I am the tulip of the Sharon" refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT that is called a tulip. She stands with majestic beauty in the Garden of Eden to be planted. Sharon means that she sings (Heb. sharah) and praises the supernal King, ZEIR ANPIN. According to another interpretation, "I am the tulip of the Sharon," as she, MALCHUT, needs to be watered by the flow of the deep river, the source of the streams, BINAH, as it is written, "the Sharon is like the Aravah" (Yeshayah 33:9). SHARON MEANS THE PLAIN. THIS MEANS THE TULIP THAT IS IN THE PLAIN IS THIRSTY FOR WATER, BECAUSE THE SUN BURNS IT.

331. אֲנִי חֲבַצֶּלֶת הַשָּׁרוֹן, דָּא כ"י, דְּאִקְרֵי חֲבַצֶּלֶת, דְּקַיְּימָא בִּשְׁפִּירוּ דְּנוֹי בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן לְאִתְנַטְּעָא. הַשָּׁרוֹן, דְּהִיא שָׁרָה וּמַשְׁבָּחַת לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. ד"א אֲנִי חֲבַצֶּלֶת הַשָּׁרוֹן, דְּבַעְיָא לְאִשְׁתְּקָאָה מִשַּׁקְיוּ דְּנַחֲלָא עֲמִיקָא, מַבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלִין. כד"א הָיָה הַשָּׁרוֹן כָּעֲרָבָה. שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים, דְּקַיְּימָא בְּעֲמִיקְתָא דְּכֹלָּא.

Directions Flow Lily Rivers Water

332. "The lily of the valleys" means she is situated where it is deepest. What are the deep valleys? They feature in the verse, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem" (Tehilim 130:1). The lily of the valleys comes from the place where the water of the deep rivers comes FROM and never ceases flowing, THAT IS, WHERE BINAH IS REVEALED. The lily of the valleys IS a lily of that place that is considered the deepest, hidden in every direction, NAMELY, FROM THE HIDDEN PLACE OF BINAH.

332. שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים. מַאן אִינּוּן עֲמָקִים. כד"א מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ.' חֲבַצֶּלֶת הַשָּׁרוֹן, מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּשַׁקְיוּ דְּנַחֲלִין עֲמִיקִין נָפְקִין, וְלָא פַּסְקִין לְעָלְמִין. שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים, שׁוֹשַׁנַּת דְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי עֲמִיקָא דְּכֹלָּא, סָתִים מִכָּל סִטְרִין.

Colors Evil Judgment Kisses Lily Lips Mercy Red Tulip White

333. Come and see, at first MALCHUT IS a green-leafed green tulip; then she is a two-colored lily, red and white. It is a lily (Heb. shoshanah) of six (Heb. shishah) leaves, a lily that changes (Heb. meshanah) its colors and changes from one color to another. A lily first is CALLED a tulip, NAMELY, when she wishes to unite with the King she is called a tulip. After uniting with the King with kisses, she is called a lily, since it is written, "his lips like lilies" (Shir Hashirim 5:13). She is the lily of the valleys because she changes, changing her colors sometimes to the good and sometimes to evil, sometimes to Judgment and at times to Mercy.

333. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא חֲבַצֶּלֶת יְרוֹקָא, בְּטַרְפִּין יְרוֹקִין לְבָתַר שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, בִּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין סוּמָק וְחִוָּור. שׁוֹשַׁנַּת: בְּשִׁית טַרְפִּין. שׁוֹשַׁנַּת: דְּשַׁנִיאַת גַּוְונָהָא, וְאִשְׁתְּנִיאַת מִגַּוְונָא לְגַוְונָא. שׁוֹשַׁנַּת, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא חֲבַצֶּלֶת, בְּזִמְנָא דְּבַעְיָא לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בֵּיהּ בְּמַלְכָּא, אִקְרֵי חֲבַצֶּלֶת. בָּתַר דְּאִתְדָּבָקַת בֵּיהּ בְּמַלְכָּא, בְּאִינּוּן נְשִׁיקִין, אִקְרֵי שׁוֹשַׁנָּה. בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים. שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים. דְּהִיא שַׁנְיַית וּמַשְׁנִיאַת גַּוְונָהָא, זִמְנִין לְטָב, וְזִמְנִין לְבִישׁ. זִמְנִין לְדִינָא, וְזִמְנִין לְרַחֲמֵי.

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