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Rabbi Hizkiah opened his discourse with the text: "As a lily among thorns, etc" (S.S. II, 2).
What, he said, does the lily symbolise? It symbolises the Community of Israel. [1]
As the lily among thorns is tinged with red and white, so the Community of Israel is visited now with justice and now with mercy; [2] as the lily possesses thirteen leaves, so the Community of Israel is vouchsafed thirteen categories of mercy which surround it on every side. [3] For this reason, the term Elohim (God) mentioned here (in the first verse of Genesis) is separated by thirteen words from the next mention of Elohim, symbolising the thirteen categories of mercy which surround the Community of Israel to protect it. [4]
The second mention of Elohim is separated from the third by five words, representing the five strong leaves that surround the lily, symbolic of the five ways of salvation which are the "five gates". [5] This is alluded to in the verse "I will lift up the cup of salvation" (Ps. CXVI, 13). This is the "cup of benediction", which has to be raised by five fingers and no more, after the model of the lily, which rests on five strong leaves in the shape of five fingers. [6] Thus the lily is a symbol of the cup of benediction.
Immediately after the third mention of Elohim appears the light which, so soon as created, was treasured up and enclosed in that b'rith (covenant) which entered the lily and fructified it, [7] and this is what is called "the tree bearing fruit wherein is the seed thereof": and this seed is preserved in the very sign of the covenant.
And as the ideal covenant was formed through forty-two copulations, so the engraven ineffable name is formed of the forty-two letters of the work of creation. [8]
[Soncino Zohar, Prologue, Vol. I, pg. 1.]
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My notes...
[1] The "Community of Israel" symbolises the sefirah Tifaret (Jacob) on the Tree of Life, and includes the five sefirot that surround Tifaret (i.e. Hesed, Geburah, Netzah, Hod, and Yesod). The twelve tribes of Israel are included in this conformation because they are symbolised by the twelve pathways that extend between these six sefirot.
[2] The terms "justice" ("red") and "mercy" ("white") refer to the sefirot Geburah and Hesed. Justice flows to the Community of Israel from Geburah, while Mercy flows to it from Hesed.
[3] The Community of Israel is especially signified by Tifaret (Jacob/Israel), and thus also with the Double letter Kaf, and the Sun. On the Tree of Life, Tifaret is surrounded by thirteen pathways. These consist of the twelve Simple letter pathways symbolising the twelve tribes of Israel, and the twelve heavenly constellations (i.e. that surround the Sun/Tifaret). The thirteenth pathway is the path of the Mother letter Shin (Fire) which, like Tifaret/Sun, is positioned in the midst of all the twelve Simple letter pathways and (in a sense) rules over them. The path of Shin is an emanation of the sefirah Binah (Shin) who rules over all the twelve Simple letters (i.e. because they are Her adornment--the adornment of the Sheckinah, as mentioned in my previous post). The path of Shin joins the Sun (Tifaret) with the Moon (Yesod) on the Tree of Life. Because all these thirteen pathways are associated with Binah/Shin/Fire, and therefore with 'Judgement', the Community of Israel is provided with thirteen "categories of mercy" to balance the 'judgements' associated with the thirteen pathways. These thirteen 'mercies' come originally from Hockmah/Maym/Water.
[4] The name Elohim here refers to the sefirah Binah (and also Geburah) on the Tree of Life.
[5] The "five strong leaves" is a reference to the five sefirot that surround Tifaret (Kaf/Sun). They are: Hesed (Gimel/Jupiter), Geburah (Dalet/Mars), Netzah (Peh/Venus), Hod (Raysh/Mercury), and Yesod (Tav/Moon). (Note: The pathways are considered 'soft', and the sefirot 'hard'.) These five sefirot form the five corners of an inverted pyramid, or cup (see diagram). Between these five corners are extended the twelve Simple letter (i.e. zodiacal) pathways.
[6] Tifaret is associated with the Double letter Kaf (meaning 'open palm of the hand', and also 'cup'). From Tifaret/Kaf (i.e. from the 'palm') extend five fingers which once again is a reference to the five sefirot surrounding Tifaret. The five fingers raise the "cup of benediction" refering also to Tifaret/Kaf as the 'cup'.
[7] Thus, the lily is basically feminine, it having a close association with the sefirah Binah (i.e. because of Binah's rulership of the twelve Simple letter 'leaves', and because of the path of Shin in their midst). The lily is fructified (and mitigated) by the male principle as represented by Hockmah/Maym (opposite Binah). The Mother letter pathway of Maym is an emanation of Hockmah (Maym). It enters the lily (i.e. water flows into the cup) and protrudes out of its top, joining Tifaret to Da'at. There are two 'covenants'--the covenant of the 'circumcision of the male member', and the covenant of the 'circumcision of the tongue'. These are associated with the sefirot, Yesod and Da'at respectively. The feminine aspect of the covenant is basically symbolised by the Mother letter Shin (and Yesod), while the masculine aspect of the covenant is symbolised by the Mother letter Maym (and Da'at).
[8] The "ideal covenant" is a reference to the sefirah Da'at. In one sense, the number forty-two can be viewed as an oblique reference to maym-bayt (M-B, 42)--that is, to the path of Maym extending to Da'at (Bayt) from Tifaret. The "forty-two copulations" and the "forty-two letters of the work of creation" are also, of course, references to the mysterious 'Name of forty-two'.
Blessings,
Patrick.
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