Zohar Prologue Section 1 - 13 Petal Rose

It is recommended to read / study / scan the section of the Zohar prior to reading the Synopsis. It is also recommended that one read the Prologue sections prior to other sections.

Zohar Commentary from the Zohar Sulam Prologue

SYNOPSIS:

The secret of spiritual protection is revealed through a richly metaphorical discourse given by Rabbi Chizkiyah. The Rabbi explains that the spiritual forces that protect and watch over us are called the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. They are transmitted into our physical world through the first thirteen words of the Torah. When judgments are decreed against us, these thirteen forces can safeguard us from their influence. We begin drawing this Light of protection to ourselves at the very moment we begin to browse and behold the mystical shapes and sequences of the Aramaic text, and to learn the spiritual insights presented there.

Pasook 1. from the Zohar Commentary on the Prologue

רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח, כְּתִיב כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים. מָאן שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּגִין דְּאִית שׁוֹשַׁנָּה וְאִית שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, מַה שׁוֹשַׁנָּה דְּאִיהִי בֵּין הַחוֹחִים אִית בַּהּ סוּמָק וְחִוָּור, אוּף כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית בַּהּ דִּין וְרַחֲמֵי. מַה שׁוֹשַׁנָּה אִית בַּהּ תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, אוּף כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית בַּהּ תְּלֵיסַר מְכִילִין דְּרַחֲמֵי דְּסַחֲרִין לַהּ מִכָּל סִטְרָהָא. אוּף אֱלֹהִים דְּהָכָא מִשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִדְכַּר אַפִּיק תְּלֵיסַר תֵּיבִין לְסַחֲרָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְנַטְרָא לַהּ.

Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse, "As the Rose among the thorns" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). HE ASKS: What is the Rose? AND HE REPLIES: It is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT. 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 Yisrael affected by the qualities of Judgment and Mercy. Just as the Rose has thirteen petals, so the Congregation of Yisrael is surrounded by the thirteen attributes of Mercy. Thus, between the first mention of the name Elohim, which appears in the passage, "In the beginning Elohim created" (BERESHEET 1:1) TO THE SECOND MENTION OF ELOHIM, THERE ARE THIRTEEN WORDS IN THE VERSE, WHICH TRANSLATE AS "THE, HEAVEN, AND THE, EARTH, AND THE EARTH, WAS, WITHOUT FORM, AND VOID, AND DARKNESS, WAS UPON, THE FACE, OF THE DEEP, AND A WIND" (IBID. 2). These words surround and guard the Congregation of Yisrael.

chanoch's Commentary

There are many commentaries on this section of the Zohar. They are all better than this one. Rabbi Ashlag is telling us that our best protection shield which covers all attacks from the negative side is the 13 attributes of Mercy. This is what the Zohar Prologue is hinting. If our thoughts are negative and we do not break the Klipah on that thought the 13 Attributes only mitigate the effect of our negative actions. It is recommended that one say the 13 Attributes from Arich Anpin in the Morning and then the 13 Attributes in the afternoon. You will find both sets of 13 Attributes on the Yeshshem website by performing a local search for "13 attributes". It is recommended that you learn both of these every day which will help with any attack from the negative system from what ever source.

Pasook 2.from the Zohar Commentary on the Prologue

וּלְבָתַר אִדְכַּר זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא, אַמַּאי אִדְכַּר זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא, בְּגִין לְאַפְקָא חָמֵשׁ עָלִין תַּקִּיפִין דְּסַחֲרִין לַשׁוֹשַׁנָּה. וְאִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ, אִקְרוֹן יְשׁוּעוֹת. וְאִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ תַּרְעִין. וְעַל רָזָא דָא כְּתִיב, כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָׂא, דָּא כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה. כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי עַל חָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָן וְלָא יַתִּיר, כְּגַוְונָא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה דְּיָתְבָא עַל חָמֵשׁ עָלִין תַּקִּיפִין דּוּגְמָא דְחָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָן. וְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה, דָא אִיהִי כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, מֵאֱלֹהִים תִּנְיָנָא עַד אֱלֹהִים תְּלִיתָאָה חָמֵשׁ תֵּיבִין. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, אוֹר דְּאִתְבְּרֵי וְאִתְגְּנִיז, וְאִתְכְּלִיל בַּבְּרִית, הַהוּא דְּעָאל בַּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה וְאַפֵּיק בַּהּ זַרְעָא. וְדָא אִקְרֵי עֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בוֹ. וְהַהוּא זֶרַע, קַיָּימָא בְּאוֹת בְּרִית מַמָּשׁ.

After this, THE NAME ELOHIM is mentioned another time in the passage "ELOHIM MOVED OVER" (IBID.). And why is it mentioned again? In order to bring out the five rigid leaves that surround the Rose. And these five LEAVES represent the five gates of salvation. And this secret is written about in the verse, "I will raise the cup of salvation" (Tehilim 116:13). This is the 'cup of benediction' that is raised after the meal. The cup of benediction must rest on five fingers, and no more, just as the Rose rests on five rigid leaves that represent the five fingers. And this Rose is the cup of benediction. FROM THE second to the third mention of THE NAME Elohim, there are five words, WHICH TRANSLATE AS "MOVED, OVER, THE SURFACE, OF THE WATERS, AND SAID." AND THESE WORDS PARALLEL THE FIVE LEAVES. From this point, THE VERSE CONTINUES, "ELOHIM SAID... LET THERE BE LIGHT" (BERESHEET 1:3). After this light was created, it was concealed and enclosed within the covenant that entered the Rose and fructified it. This is referred to as "a fruit tree yielding fruit...whose seed is in itself" (Ibid. 11) and this seed is the Brit.

chanoch's Commentary

What this Zohar is hinting is that the manifestation of the 13 attributes is the Kiddush. Most people today only do kiddush after Shabbat and Holiday prayers. This is true of the Kabbalists as well. It is wise to take on this practice since it will be a protection shield to stop any creation of chaos that one might do unawares. That will still leave any chaos that still has not manifested in your life from your previous actions yet it is nice to know that you have no more additions to your chaos potential and all of the previous ones can be cleansed with your doing Teshuvah and changing yourself and your life movies using binding by striking.

Pasook 3. from the Zohar Commentary on the Prologue

וּכְמָה דְדִיּוּקְּנָא דִבְרִית אִזְדְּרַע בְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין זִוּוּגִין דְּהַהוּא זַרְעָא, כָּךְ אִזְדְּרַע שְׁמָא גְלִיפָא מְפָרַשׁ, בְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון דְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית.

And just as the covenant is sown by forty-two matings from that same seed, so the engraved and holy name is sown by the forty-two letters that describe the works of Creation.

chanoch adds: This Zohar is hinting at the protection shield of the Ana Bekoach. this is in addition to the 13 attributes and the 5 Gevurot which are all included within the First 84 letters in the Torah. Please note that 84 is twice 42.