קבלה על שיר השירים 2:2

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.

Rabbi Yitzchak said, Though she acted wisely toward the servant, I do not yet know if her behavior was right or not. Rather, Come and behold, it is written, "Like the rose among thorns, so is my love among the daughters" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). The rose is the congregation of Yisrael which is among the legions as a rose among the thorns. The hidden meaning is that Isaac came from the side of Abraham, supernal Chesed, who is kind to all creatures. And although he represented Severe Judgment, (he draws Chesed from Abraham). Rivkah also came from the side of Harsh Judgment (of Bethuel and Laban). Although she was herself of Weak Judgment and a thread of Chesed was attached to her, nevertheless she came from Severe Judgment. Thus, because Isaac was severe in his judgment and Rivkah was softer in her Judgment, she was as a rose among the thorns. If she were not of Weak Judgment, the world would not have been able to bear the Harsh Judgment of Isaac. In this manner, the Holy One, blessed be He, joins couples in the world, the severe with the weak, so as to balance everything, and the world would be sweetened.