Recently the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith have given approval to the apparitions to Pierina Gilli in regards to the Mystical Rose or Rosa Mystica devotion. I have had a devotion to Our Lady under the title of the Mystical Rose for many years. I first started writing about the Mystical Rose in connection with the Zohar back in 2004 after I had a prayer experience in 2002 in Jerusalem.
I was studying at the Aish haTorah Yeshivah in the Old City of Jerusalem with Rabbi Yomtov Glasser an Chasidic Rabbi in a classroom that overlooked the Kotel (Western or Wailing Wall) when he led us in a meditation in our imagination. He asked me where I had been taken and what I saw.
I had been taken back to my childhood when I went with my parents to visit my mother's relatives Leo and Ena Bartram in Beverley in Western Australia at their farm called Emerald Hills, which had been the home of my mother's great grandfather James Bartram an early pioneer of the district. It was a beautiful sight with green grass and horses running in the paddocks when one looked down from the rise where the homestead was placed and they had the most beautiful rose garden surrounding their beautiful homestead which was surrounded with verandahs. The roses were splendid and it was like a paradise.
Then my memory switched to a visit there a few years later when I was a teenager after a drought in which everything was barren and turned to dust and there was no trace of the rose garden and the rose paradise was only a memory from my childhood. It was so sad.
After I shared with the class what I "saw" the Rabbi looked at me strangely and intently. Later I learnt that in Temple times that behind the Kotel was a beautiful Rose Garden that mystics meditated in and they used the fragrances made from the flowers in the incense used in the worship in the Temple. Beyond the Rose Garden was the Holy Place with the Holy of Holies housing the Ark of the Covenant.
In 2003 I returned to Australia and when I was teaching in the Goldfields town of Kambalda I started studying the Jewish mystical book of the Zohar which opened with the mystery of the Mystical Rose quoting from the Song of Songs and I began to write about it. When I began my first blog in 2005 I published some of my writings on it. I will share some of what I have written over the years here in one place.
This is the first one I wrote and published on my blog on the 21 September 2005 just three days before my darling mother suddenly died (in my arms and the arms of my sister Tamara Bartram). My mother was in a sense my mystical rose who had given me my interest in mystical and spiritual matters from my childhood. It was the 24th of September and the feast day of Our Lady of Walsingham when she passed from this life to the next. Even though my mother was not a Catholic she in her later life had a great devotion to Our Lady.
Mystical Rose: The Zohar and Rosa Mystica
“Rabbi Hezekiah opened, ‘Like a
rose among thorns, so is my darling among the maidens’ (Song of Songs
2:2). Who is Rosa Mystica? Our Lady of Israel (KnesetYisrael/ Matronita/ Sabbath Queen). For
there is a Rose and then there is Rosa Mystica. Just as a rose among
the thorns is coloured red and white, so Our Lady of Israel includes
judgement and mercy. Just as a Rose has 13 petals, so Our Lady of Israel
has 13 attributes of mercy surrounding her on every side. Similarly
from the moment Elohim (God) is mentioned (in Genesis 1) he generates 13 words to surround Our Lady (in Eternity) and
protect her. Then Elohim is mentioned again. Why again? To produce 5
sturdy leaves surrounding Rosa Mystica. These 5 are called Salvation (Yeshuot/Yeshuah), they are 5 gates. Concerning this mystery (raza) it
is written: I shall raise the Cup of Salvation (Psalm 116:13). This is
the cup of Blessing, which should rest on 5 fingers and no more – like
the Rose sitting on 5 sturdy leaves, paradigm of 5 fingers. This Rosa
Mystica is the Cup of Blessing”Zohar 1:1a.
The Zohar is a book that records
many of the Jewish mystical insights and traditions that I believe have
their source in the mystical teachings of the early Jewish Christians
that founded the Church. These mystical teachings were passed on in
secrecy in the Jewish community by certain schools of mystics. They were
veiled in order to preserve these mysteries and disguise their Jewish
Christian meaning.
The beginning of the Zohar reveals
that the book is concerned with the mysteries connected with Rosa
Mystica and her Son. Rosa Mystica is Our Lady also called Kneset
Yisrael, Matronita and Sabbath Queen. This spouse of the Ruach haKodesh
(Holy Spirit) mirrors the mysteries of the Godhead as the Moon mirrors
the Sun. She is the Woman (Isha) clothed with the Sun standing on the
Moon.
The Zohar opens quoting the verse
from the Song of Songs about one who is a ‘shoshanah’ among the thorns.
Shoshanah is translated as a Lily or as a Rose. In Ladino it is
translated as ‘roza’. The Zohar considers it to be a rose as well. Since
ancient times the Rose has been the sign of Mystery. In Aramaic
‘mystery’ is ‘raza’ and the European word ‘roza’ derives from the
Aramaic word Raza symbolised by the Rose. The rose was also a symbol of
paradise for the early Christians coming from the Jewish concept of the
Mystical world called Pardes to which the mystics ascend and descend.
The Zohar then discusses this
Rosa Mystica who is the woman of Israel called Kneset Yisrael. Other
traditions call her Matronita, the Heavenly warrior Queen of Israel. In
the Catholic understanding this is Our Lady under her title of RosaMystica. This title is intricately linked with Our Lady’s title of
Immaculate Conception.
The Zohar refers to this Rosa
Mystica as connected with the 13 qualities or attributes of Mercy
(chesed). She is the mirror or created light that mirrors clearly and
perfectly the 13 qualities of Mercy of the Divinity himself (seen as
Divine Mercy). This is Our Lady of Fatima (as Our Lady of Mercy) who is
connected with the number 13. This mystical Rose is red and white,
mirroring the Divine attributes of Judgement and Mercy. As a Rose has 13
petals so the Rosa Mystica has 13 qualities or paths of Mercy.
“Like a rose (shoshanah) among thorns, so is my darling among the maidens”
(Song of Songs 2:2). This first section of the Zohar speaks of the
Immaculate Conception using this verse from the Song of Songs to show
that Our Lady the Rosa Mystica is saved, by Yeshuah through his 5 wounds
(gates), from the demonic forces that have ruled men since the Fall.
The thorns represent sin and the demons. The 5 leaves that surround the
rose are connected here with Salvation. Salvation is Yeshuah (Jesus) in
Hebrew. Salvation’s five gates are the five wounds of Yeshuah in his
hands, feet and heart. These five gates are also linked to the five
books of the Torah.
Song of Songs 2:2 refers to Our
Lady and her Immaculate Conception and the following verse to her Son
the Beloved (dodi) who is the Messiah. The Zohar asks “Who is Shoshanah (Roza)?” The answer is Kneset Israel or the Woman of Israel. “For there is a rose and then there is Rosa Mystica.” Daniel Matt states:
“A rose blossom can have thirteen petals in its second tier.”
The Zohar states :
“Just as a rose has thirteen petals, so KnesetYisrael (Our Lady) has thirteen qualities of mercy surrounding Her on every side.”
It
is this Celestial Mother that fully understands the concept of God as
‘Elohim’ (God). She does this through her spousal relationship with the
Holy Spirit of Understanding (Binah). This Holy Spirit is called ‘Ruach
Elohim’ in Genesis 1. Between the first and second mentions of ‘Elohim’
in Genesis 1, there are thirteen Hebrew words symbolising the 13
qualities of Mercy. These 13 qualities are in a deep way connected with
the Spirit of God and his spouse the Celestial Mother. These 13
qualities of Mercy are linked to the 13 rivers of balsam that await the
righteous (Tzaddikim) in the World to Come.
Daniel Matt states: “The leaves of rose plants grow in clusters of five, nine and thirteen leaves.”
Also between the second and third mentions of ‘Elohim” are five words
that are connected in the Zohar with the five gates of Salvation
(yeshuot). This Salvation (yeshuot) is directly connected to the raising
of the cup of Salvation also called the cup of Blessing. This in veiled
terms is directing us to a meditation on the five wounds of the
crucified Messiah made present in the Eucharist in the raising of the
Eucharistic Cup of Blessing and Salvation which is Yeshuah (Jesus)
himself. Thus this opening section of the Zohar is in veiled form
revealing the mysteries of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and then
moves on to the Virginal Incarnation of Jesus (Yeshuah).
“From the second ‘Elohim’ till the third, five words appear. From here on the creative Light, that is concealed and contained in the covenant, enters the Rosa Mystica and emits seed into her.”
The Zohar then associates this process with the number 42 which is a veiled reference to the word ‘imma’ (alef mem alef) and 'My heart' (lamed bet yod). Imma means Mummy or Mother in Aramaic and Hebrew. This is connected to Genesis 3:15 where the Woman (isha) is the mother (imma) of the Divine Seed. The mysteries of the Spirit and of the Mother are closely connected at the level of Understanding (Binah).
The
42 are connected to the first 42 letters of the Torah from the first
‘beit’ in ‘Bereshit’ to the ‘beit’ in ‘bohu’. The 42 is also the 22
letters or paths and the ten Sefirot plus the ten creative Sefirot
mirrored in the heavenly Mother or Woman. It is interesting that “The
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” author Douglas Adams says that the
answer to Life, the Universe and everything is 42 in his novel. In a
sense the Zohar says the same thing. The Zohar calls it “the 42 letters of the act of Creation”. The Universe is made in the image of this Imma (Mother). The number 42 is also the gematria for ‘My Heart’.
In 1947 in Italy the Virgin Mary
appeared to Pierina Gilli and called herself Rosa Mystica. Her second
apparition was on July 13 1947 and the 13th of each month was to be a
Day of Rosa Mystica and the annual day of celebration for RosaMystica
was to be July 13th. This modern Rosa Mystica devotion stresses the
Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th in which a special
hour of Mercy is kept. It is as if the Virgin Mary has come to confirm
the insights about RosaMystica and the Immaculate Conception found in
the opening verses of the Zohar.
This
title of Rosa Mystica is found in the Litany of Loreto and has a rich
history in Catholic devotion. However devotion to Mary as Rosa Mystica
is much more ancient. Since at least the 5th century Christian writers
have written that Mary is the ‘rose among the thorns’ of Song of Songs
2:2. Both Jesus and Mary have been referred to as the Mystical Rose
throughout Christian history. This Mystical rose is also associated with
the Holy Grail (the Cup of the Last Supper). They are both seen as
vessels that contain the divinity. At Lucca in Italy (a centre of
Kabbalah) from earlier times has kept the feast of Our Lady of the Rose
on January 30th. Since 1947 many statues of Mary as Rosa Mystica have
wept in many places around the world including New York and Russia. She
weeps that her Son is left abandoned in so many tabernacles with no one
to adore him.
This Mystical Rose is linked to
the opening verses of the Torah as mentioned above. The first verses are
seen as a mystical Rose. The phrase ‘et ha shamayim’ is especially seen
as the concept of the Mystical Rose. Paradise is seen as the Mystical
Rose Garden (Rosarium) mirrored on the earth by the Rose Garden between
the Kotel (Wailing or Western Wall of the Temple) and the Temple itself.
Shamayim is Heaven, which is linked to the concept of Paradise or
Pardes. In the Celestial Mother her attributes (that mirrors the Divine
attributes perfectly) are seen as the enclosed Rose Garden. In her son
the Beloved they are seen as an Apple Orchard linked to Song of Songs
2:3:
“Like an apple tree among the trees of the orchard, so is my beloved among the sons of men.”
The Catholic devotion of the
rosary is also called the Rosarium or Rose Garden and each prayer in it
is seen as a rose to offer Mary in her role as Intercessor and prayer
warrior for her children. Each of the 20 mysteries of the Rosary is
linked to the Divine Attributes of God. A white and a red rose are
conceptually seen on the left and on the right of each attribute in the
figure of the Divine Man who is perfectly mirrored in the mother. The
rose has been associated with many of the famous apparitions of Mary
through the ages.
The Rosa Mystica is the mystery of
the Two Hearts that beat as one. These are the two children symbolised
by the cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant mention here in the
introduction to the Zohar. They are the blossoms. The Mother or female
is the rose bush with its blossoms and the male is the apple Tree with
its blossoms. The blossoms are the ten attributes (sefirot). The term of
‘created these’ (‘bara elleh’) refers mystically to these two with
child-like hearts that beat as one. The heart of the Rosa Mystica is
united to the heart of her Divine Son who is the image and likeness of
the Infinite One. Who created these two hearts? The Infinite One through
the power, light and love of the Holy Spirit. The Son in his divinity
was not created but in his humanity he was created through the flesh of
his Mother. These two Cherubic Hearts united by the Divine Mercy
(chesed) adore the Infinite Abba (Father) in spirit and in truth.
The
mystery (Raza) of the Temple is the Rose that is the two hearts. It is
two Roses that are united as One Rose. It is the Rosa Mundi. The white
rose of the female and the red rose of the suffering male are united to
form this Universal and Mystical Rose. O mystery of mysteries (Raza de
Razin) is the holy rosarium. Rosarium is Latin for the Rose Garden. The Rose Garden is the Garden of Pardes- it is the spiritual journey to the
divine heart of the Mystical Rose. It is the number 13. 13 is for Love
(ahavah). 13 is for oneness and unity (echad) of the hearts filled with
the 13 qualities or attributes of mercy (Chesed).
The Zohar asks “Who created these?” ‘Who’
(‘mi’ in Hebrew) and ‘what’ (‘mah’ in Hebrew) refers to the cherubs of
the Ark – the Holy children- one male and the other female. Metatron and
Matronita. Yeshuah and Miriam. The ‘mem’ of ‘who’ (mi) is the female
enclosed with two mems as a Rose Garden. This is part of the mystery
(raza) of the name ‘Miriam’ who is Rosa Mystica. The letter ‘yod’ of
‘who’ (mi) is the male- the Divine Yesod and Holy Tzaddik. The mem of
‘mi’ is at the level of Binah (Understanding) and the yod of ‘mi’ is at
the level of Hokhmah (Wisdom).
The mem of ‘mah’ is the Mother as
Kneset Yisrael – Mother of the Church. The ‘hay’ of ‘what’ (‘mah’) is
the radiance of the Shekhinah – it is the Holy Spirit and the Son as the
Body of Christ. He is the Head (rosh) and Beginning (reshit) of
Creation. Shekhinah is the manifestation of the love of the triune God
through the mirror of the Mother united with the human and divine Heart
of her Son. For its humanity is heart of her heart. It is the Mystical
Rose for all time – the very beauty of God.
‘Bara Elleh’ (‘created these’)
alludes to the mystery of these two pure and holy ones. Bara can be also
read as Bera (Son) and represents the male cherub while Elleh
represents the female cherub on the Ark of the Covenant. It is the
female that unites the two for the Son (Bera) is flesh of her flesh,
heart of her heart and blood of her blood. ‘Mi bara elleh’ also
mystically reveals that this Son is Elohim (God). The ‘Mi’ is united
with ‘Elleh’ in order to reveal that the Son (Bera) is Elohim. This
uniting of the words ‘mi’ and ‘Elleh’ makes the word Elohim. The Bera
(Divine Son) is the ‘concealed of the concealed’ according to Yehuda
Liebes in his book on Zohar. He is the great secret of the Zohar.
The Son and his Mother is the hidden and Mystical Rose. This is the Son as the Creative Word and Light (see Gospel of John 1). Beriyah is the dimension or World where the Son (Bera) is revealed as Divine Word and Creator God (Elohim). This is also part of the mystical understanding of the first three words of the Torah “Bereshit bara Elohim”. This phrase represents the Triune Deity and the role of the Son as Creator God.
The
mystery of ‘Bereshit’ the first word given a triune meaning of Bera
(Son), Rosh (Head) and Shit (six) as revealed in the Zohar also reveals
the mystery of the Rosa Mystica. The word ‘shit’ refers to the number
six alluding to the six days of Creation. It also alludes to the Rose
(shoshan) for Shoshan also derives from the number six as a rose is said
to have six petals on one of its tiers. Here we see that the rose
refers to both Jesus and Mary as well as to the very Creation itself.
The three meanings of the Mystical Rose are intricately linked. The Rose
also represents the 5 gates of salvation united with the sixth sefirot
of Yesod /Tzaddik of the lower attributes that make up the Divine Body
of the Son (Zer Anpin).
The Zohar states: "The rose is the Cup of Blessing".
This is the Holy Grail. It is also the Eucharistic Cup of Blessing in
the Mass. Thus the rose in another sense refers to the Eucharist. This
is the Cup of Salvation that has messianic significance. The Zohar
associates this cup with the Holy Child who is Son of Joseph and
associated with the fish (nuna). Every holy hour of Eucharistic
Adoration is an entering into the rose and the Divine Attributes follow
forth as a rose unfolding and blossoming. Rav Hamnuna Sava is a
reference to the Fisherking of this period who is a descendant of Joseph
of Arimathea the original guardian of the Holy Grail. This is the Rose
as ‘Shoshan’ the male six petalled one. ‘Shoshanah’ is the female
thirteen petalled Rose.
The six days of Creation are also
the unfolding or blossoming of the Rose. On the first day of Creation
the conceptual light of the Two Hearts was hidden. On the third day of
Creation these two beautiful blossoming plants ‘appeared on earth’. This
means that the concept of the Two Hearts was revealed to the angelic
beings who, under God, ruled the Universe and the Earth. On the fourth
day of Creation the imperfect lights (angelic beings who became demons)
fell by rejecting the Divine Will and Light for these Two Hearts.
These
Two Hearts were the beautiful blossoming Mystical Rose Bush and the
Mystical Apple Tree. They are the image and model for the Creation. They
are the Eternal Blueprint and the Living Torah. The attributes called
the blossoms are mirrored in the patriarchs. Like the Two hearts the
Patriarchs and Matriarchs were in the mind of the Creator as a Blueprint
before the actual spiritual and physical creation. In the OlamHaba
(The World that is Coming) they were hidden with ‘the Two Hearts that
beat as One’.
The Patriarch Joseph is a
representative of the heavenly Joseph associated with the Divine
Attribute of Righteousness. This heavenly Joseph is the Ultimate
Tzaddik. The Patriarch Joseph is also a type of Joseph, the husband of
Our Lady, who is also called a Tzaddik in the New Testament. He is also a
sign of the Messiah son of Joseph who is to come in the fullness of
these attributes that are called the blossoms of the Patriarchs. The
blossoms are the spiritual fruit of the Divinity. The Zohar hints that
the coming of the two blossoming ones is connected to a Joseph–like
figure with whom they would live in a hidden way in the Holy Land. The
Zohar states that they will be revealed when the Rainbow herself
appears.
The
Rainbow is the symbol of Our Lady in Eternity (OlamHaba). When she
comes to earth (‘appears on earth’), the full message of the Patriarchs
and the Torah will be revealed about these two pure child-like ones
(symbolised by the Cherubs on the ends of the Ark of the Covenant).
These two pure golden children of Adam and Eve will bring the full
blossoming of the Torah to its deepest level of Messianic, Marian and
Universal understanding. A level only the humble and child-like ones can
fully comprehend. The Zohar is this way of the Rose, revealing the true
blossoming of the Torah.
The five leaves or gates of
Salvation (yeshuah) are also linked to the five books of Torah. Bereshit
(Genesis) with the gate of his crucified right hand of Mercy, Shemot
(Exodus) with his crucified left hand of power (Gevurah), Vayyikkra
(Leviticus) with his pierced and beautiful Heart of compassion, BeMidbar
(Numbers) with his crucified right foot of Endurance and Victory and
Devarim (Deuteronomy) with his left foot of hidden Majesty and
Splendour. The Divine Man is the Living Torah. By his crucifixion the
closed gates of Salvation were opened and salvation gushed forth as
Divine Love and Mercy which is his precious Blood.
The Zohar refers to the two ends
of Heaven in regard to the two Cherubim on the ends of the Ark of the
Covenant. The two cherubim are discussed in Exodus 25:17-22. The two
ends (of ‘mi’ and ‘mah’) are the two cherubim. “And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end” (Exodus
25:19). The divine Presence speaks above the Mercy Seat (covering)
between the two cherubim. Rabbi Abraham Abulafia in his work “Chay Olam
Haba” (Life of the Future World) says that “the two cherubs allude to the Divine Presence (Ha Shekhinah = 390).” He
then associates the Shekhinah with the male and female cherubim as
zachar u-nukevah (male and female in Hebrew) also add up to 390 in
gematria. 390 is also the gematria of Heaven (Shamayim).
He also states that “the primeval substance is on the ark cover like the form of the Rainbow”. Each of the three parts of this phrase are 805 in gematria. ‘Chamar rishon’ (primeval substance) = 805, ‘al haKaporet’ (on the Ark Cover) = 805 and ‘ha keshet’ (the Rainbow) = 805 in gematria. “They were forged as a single body with two forms” writes Abulafia in regards to the two golden cherubim on the Ark. This is a veiled understanding of how Jesus and Mary are both of the flesh of Mary (in a unique way) but they are in two forms of the male and the female – as a new Adam and a new Eve.
In
Jewish mystical and Hasidic tradition King David and his Queen Mother
Bathsheba was also seen as types of this new Adam and new Eve. The Zohar
links the Cherubim as ends in Exodus 25:19 with ‘the end of heaven’ in
Deuteronomy 4:32 and with ‘running from end to end’ in Exodus 26:28.
This is also linked to the concept of the Chariot in Ezekiel which is
perceived by the mystics as ‘a running to and fro’.
“They (the cherubim) look at each other and the Name was between them”
states Rabbi Abulafia. He then writes that “all this was like a Tree on
the Ark cover, and because of the Rainbow it had to be forged”. Thus we
see that the Tree represents the male Divinity and the Rainbow
represents the female. Their hearts are forged so that they beat as one
in the Divine Will. The Name is the 42 mentioned in the Zohar. Rabbi
Abulafia associates this Name with the phrase ‘Be- yad YHVH’ (in or with
the hand of YHVH) which adds up to the number 42 and is found in 2
Samuel 24:14. The hand with its five fingers can also be seen as a rose.
The clenched fist is the rosebud and the unclenched hand is the
blossoming or unfolding of the Rose. Rabbi Abulafia explains further the
mystery of this number 42.
“Their mystery is :That Rabbi Abulafia associated the mystical path with the Rose is demonstrated in that one of his works on the mystical encounter with the Divine man or Form was called ‘ShoshanSodot’ (Rose of Mysteries).
God eloh (alef lamed vav hay) =42
My only One Yakhidi (yod chet yod dalet yod) =42
In Them bem (beit mem) =42
My Heart lebi (lamed beit yod) =42
Will be worthy yezokah (yod zayin caf hay) =42
And this mystery is
Enough! Enough! Enough! dai dai dai (daletyod) =42”
The opening words of Shemot (Exodus) mystically reveals the concept of the Rose.
“Ve-elleh shemot beni Yisael ha –ba –im Mitzrayim” (“And these are the names of the children of Israel that came out of Egypt).”
The
words ‘ve-elleh’ (and these) are linked to the two cherubic ones. Elleh
representing the female as mentioned above and ‘ve’ representing the
male. The ‘vav’ represents the Son as ZerAnpin and it is also the
number six that alludes to the six days of Creation and the Rose
(Shoshan) as the six petalled one. The holy names (shemot) are Yeshuah
and Miriam. Yeshuah is further referred to as ‘My Son’ (beni) and
‘Yisrael’ refers to his Mother as Kneset Yisrael who is also called
Miriam. These two would come out of Egypt (Mitzrayim). Hidden within the
name of Mitzrayim is the holy name of Miriam (mem resh yod mem). The
Zohar (1:6a) associates Miriam (“His sister stood afar off ” Exodus 2:4) with the feminine aspect of Shekhinah also called Matronita.
The next phrase in Exodus 1 is ‘et
yacov ish’. The ‘et’ refers to the the Alef and Tav who is the Divine
Man (Ish) that wrestled with Jacob and also appeared to Jacob at Bethel
(ve-beit-ba-u). Bethel means the House of God. Jacob represents the
divine attribute of Tiferet (beauty) and compassion (rachamim) this can
be seen as the beauty of the Rose of Compassion. It is the Sacred Heart
of the Blessed Holy One. Mary is known in Catholic devotion as the Rose
of compassion. In Kay McDonald’s 1959 poem entitled “Mystical Rose” Mary
is called Rose of Compassion.
“Mystical Rose
Silvered with dew from Heaven's Graces,
Sun drenched tendrils, purely fashioned,
Resplendent from all sinful traces
Art thou Mary, rose of compassion.
The wretched have faith renewed
By thy nectar enriching their souls,
Replenished with love so golden-hewed
That eagerly they seek their heavenly goals.
Our blossom of youthful innocence,
Perfuming the air with lasting peace
May we always know thy presence,
And may your love for us never cease.”
The Magen David (the Shield or
Star of David) is a symbol of the Rose with its six points representing
the six petals of the Rose (shoshan). The two triangles are the two mems
of the name of Miriam. It is the union of the Divine Wisdom (the mem
pointing downwards-mem sofit) with the Mother of Understanding and
Wisdom (Sophia) (the mem pointing upwards). The Magen David is seen as a
Key – it is the Key of David. This key is the key to the Tower of David
and the key to the Rose Garden. These triangular mems also represent
the Triune God and the three fiats of the Divine Will – the Fiat of the
Creation, the Fiat of the Redemption and the Fiat of the Kingdom of the
Divine Will. These three fiats represent the unfolding or blossoming of
the Universal Rose (Rosa Mundi).
Each
of the triangular ‘mems’ represent the Two Hearts – the Sacred and
Immaculate Hearts which are the two cherubim (male and female) on the
Ark of the Covenant. The Creation is seen as a Rose that is unfolding or
blossoming over the six days of Creation. This is the Rosa Mundi – the
rose of the world or the Universal Rose. This Rose represents the model
and image of the Creation. Mary united with her Son’s Heart is the
Mother of the Universe and the model of the Universe.
Our Lady in Eternity (represented
by ‘mi’), as the Mother of Wisdom or Sophia, descends and becomes the
Daughter of Elohim (God) and the Daughter of the Church
(Kneset/Kehilla). The concept of the Mother in eternity is her adornment
(title) as the Mother of the Creation. When she descends she puts off
her adornments and comes with her garments (the 10 created Sefirot) in a
humble and hidden way. She is the lowly handmaiden and daughter of God.
At the Annunciation she becomes the living Ark of the Covenant (see
Luke 1 and Revelations 11) who bears Elohim in her womb.
Here in the Zohar (1:2a) it speaks of the mystery of Mary’s coronation. “Behold, the Ark of the Covenant, Sovereign of the Earth” (Joshua 3:11). The Zohar applies this phrase to the Celestial Mother/Daughter who as the Mother and Daughter of Elohim is the image of the House of Elohim (Temple). Mary adorns male garments as the Sovereign and Warrior of the sons of Elohim. She leads her warriors to become like Elohim. This is the mystery of Divinisation. The mission of the humble daughter of Elohim is then achieved and she enters into her joy or triumph. This is the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart. This is the fulfilment of Zephaniah 3:14.
"Rejoice, O fair Daughter of Zion, all Israel cry aloud: here is joy and triumph for thy Royal Heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem".
This humble daughter of Zion is the Heavenly Ark of the Covenant, Sovereign Queen of all the Earth. The Zohar says in regard to her:
“ ‘Then I conduct them from above to the house of Elohim, to be Elohim, like him’. With what? With joyous shouts of praise, the festive throng.”
This whole section of Zohar is trying to explain how souls become incarnated to their bodies. The ‘from above’ represents the place from which the souls descend from the Mind of the Son (mah) in the world of Beriyah to the lower worlds where each soul is connected to the Female (mi) who is the living Ark of the Covenant, Sovereign of all the Earth. In Zohar 1:3b the Zohar discusses the Rose as a Palace and a key. It is the key that opens and closes- the key of David. This is the Key of the Kingdom (Malchut) which is associated with King David and given by Jesus the Son of David and Davidic Messiah to Shimon Kepha. This is the ‘Magen David’. It is associated with the point of Wisdom (Hokhmah). Hokhmah has 50 gates. This is the mystery or secret of the Bera (Son) concealed in Bereshit. Bereshit is the key and it has six gates (the Magen David and the Rose).
“As long as the world was locked within the word BRA (Son and Creation), it was not, did not exist.”
This is explaining the Mystery of the Son (Bera) containing the whole plan of Creation within his Divine Mind, until then everything was hidden. The Son through the point of Wisdom opened and the Creation flowed forth as a rose unfolding and blossoming. Everything was concealed in the Bera (Son) and he opened due to the divine Love and Mercy symbolised by Abraham. The name BRA (beit resh alef) was transposed and became fruitful through the Divine Phallus of ABR (Ever/ organ). These three letters in this order are the beginning of the name Abraham as well as the word for the sexual organ.
This
is a deep ‘theology of the body’. This ‘ever’ (organ) is the Yesod
(foundation) of the world. It is the Ultimate Tzaddik. This is linked
with the verse: “The Tzaddik is the foundation of the world”. This
‘ever’ which is connected with ‘Bera’ is called the ‘divine concealed
one’. We are led back to the phrase ‘mibara elleh’ (who created these).
In the word ABR was engraved ‘H’ (hay) and in the word ELH was engraved
‘Y’ (yod). Then the mystery of the two mems is mentioned that complete
the names Abraham and Elohim. Here the two names are referring to the
concepts of Mercy and Judgement.
The two mems represent ‘mayim’ the
spiritual water and ‘Miriam’ the heavenly Mother (imma) who is Rosa
Mystica - the white Rose or Flower. The uniting of the two mems produced
the rose that is the shield or star of David. They are the two hearts
which are seen as triangular shaped mems. The Mother united with her Son
(Ben Avraham) are the two roses (red and white) that become one as the
Rosa Mundi.
The Zohar here also speaks of the ‘Holy Lamp” which also represents the Divine Heart. St Gertrude states that Jesus gave her “his divine Heart in the form of a lighted lamp.” Jesus
also spoke to St Gertrude about ‘the eyes of the heart’. The eyes
represent the divine attributes of ‘mercy’ and ‘judgement’ and the heart
the attribute of compassion. This is linked to 1 Kings 9:3 “and my eyes and my heart will dwell there perpetually”. Jesus also said to St Gertrude “Here is My Heart”.
‘My Heart’ in Hebrew gematria is 42. Rabbi Hiyya (in Zohar 1:4a) refers
to this ‘Holy Lamp” as the Light of the world, the Majestic Ruler and
Prince.
In Zohar 1:4a-b it reveals that
the Rose also called Heaven has 390 firmaments. It reveals that there
are two higher academies or yeshivahs. One in the higher regions of what
Catholics would call Purgatory close to the gates of Heaven is a Garden
of Eden or a Rosarium where there is an Academy where the souls learn
Torah. They are taught by the great teachers who descend from the
Academy in Heaven and the Messiah himself visits these Academies on
occasion.
“Meanwhile he heard a voice proclaiming, ‘Make way, make way – for the King Messiah is coming to the Academy of Rabbi Shimon!’… The Messiah visits all those academies, setting his seal on the Torah issuing from the mouths of the rabbis. At that moment the Messiah arrived, adorned by the heads of the academies with celestial crowns.”
The Zohar also reveals that these two represented by the golden cherubim are also the feminine and masculine aspects of Sabbath and of Torah. The written Torah is seen as the male and the oral Torah as the female. The written Torah represents the giving of wisdom and the oral Torah the understanding of that given wisdom. It is the female or Mother that understands the Torah fully. It is the Mother understanding the wisdom of the heart of her Son. This is the two mems of the name Miriam.
The
open mem is the sea or vessel of Understanding that receives the wisdom
of the closed or final (sofit) mem who is the Head (rosh) of Creation.
The ‘resh’ in Miriam represents the word ‘head’ (rosh) and the ‘yod’
represents the word ‘hand’ (yad). The head and the hand represent the
Divine Man who is encompassed by the concept of the two mems which is
Miriam. This is associated with Oral Torah as the way through the Sea
(yam) (Isaiah 43:16). This way of the sea (Zohar 1:48b) is the Way of
the prophetess Miriam who saw the Mysteries of the Rose as an opening of
the Divine Sea. The earthly Miriam is a type of the Heavenly Miriam who
is to be the Mother of the Messiah.
Zohar 1:5b reveals the Female, who
we have seen is the RosaMystica, as the Sabbath Queen. She is
associated with the Sabbath Eve and her Son with the Sabbath Day. “She
said before Him, ‘Master of the Universe, since the day you created me, I
have been called Sabbath - and there can be no ‘Day’ without ‘Night’’.”
This alludes to Genesis 1:5:
“And God called the Light ‘Day”, and the darkness [the Female concealed in darkness (glow light/zohar)] ‘Night’ [the Sabbath Night], And there was Evening [Sabbath Eve] and there was Morning [Sabbath Morning or Day] – day one.”
The
day one (yom echad) represents the unity of the Lord of the Sabbath and
the Sabbath Queen. The word ‘yom’ (yod vavmem) represents the unity of
YHVH and his mother. The ‘yod’ is the ‘Son of the Father’ who descends
or bursts into Creation (Tzimtzum) as ‘Light’ (Or) and the ‘vav’
represents the Son as a ‘rose’ that unfolds and blossoms united to the
‘mem’ which is associated with the Mother who is Miriam. The ‘yam’ (sea)
that is Miriam (Mir-yam) is found in the word ‘yom’ (day) as it
surrounds the ‘vav’ as the Sea of wisdom and Mercy. The ‘vav’ is the Son
(Zer Anpin) who is the male aspect of Wisdom.
Zohar 1:5b discusses further the Sabbath Queen:
“My daughter you are Sabbath – I call you Sabbath – but I am about to crown you with a higher crown.”
Here it reveals in veiled form that this perfect mirror of the Lord is to receive a higher honour. She is to become the Sanctuary or Temple of the Lord YHVH himself. She is to bear God in her womb as the Living Ark of the Covenant.
“He issued a proclamation: My sanctuary you are to hold in ‘Awe’ (Reverence). This is the Sabbath of Sabbath Eve, who is ‘Awe’ and in whom ‘Divine Awe’ dwells. Who is that? (mizeh?) The one included by the Blessed Holy One when he said ‘I am YHVH’.”(Zohar 1:5b).
Thus Mary (Miriam) as the perfect mirror of ‘Divine Awe’ becomes the Sanctuary (mother) for the “Divine Awe’ himself who is the Blessed Holy One (the Divine Heart) and YHVH – the I AM. The Zohar in this section also reveals that these two Sabbaths are also called ‘Heaven’ (i.e the Son) and the ‘Earth’ (i.e. the Mother). They are represented by a circle and a square – the square inside the circle. These two are associated with the Kiddush of Sabbath Eve. The 70 names of God associated with this Sabbath Eve Kiddush adorns the Sabbath Queen.
The Lady of the Sabbath is connected with the word ‘observe’ (shamor) in Deuteronomy 5:12 and the Lord of the Sabbath is linked with ‘remember’ (zakhor). The Lord of the Sabbath is called Supreme King and the ‘King who possesses Peace’. Zakhor (remember) alludes to Zakhar (male). This circle and square represent the unity of the Two Hearts that beat as One. These mysteries are revealed by Elijah disguised as an old donkey driver which alludes to his role in preparing the way for the Messiah who comes humbly riding on a donkey.
Zohar 1:6 b describes the Divine
Presence as the ‘Image of the Lion’. This is the Lion of the Tribe of
Judah who descends on the Altar to consume the Sacrifices. It describes
the destruction of the two Temples and the slaying of the Lion of God
(Ariel) who is the Light of God (Uriel). This slaying of the Lion
alludes to the Lion of the Apocalypse who is the ‘Lamb that was slain’.
The evil Dog that tries to consume the sacrifices represents the
Antichrist that would attempt to abolish the Sacrifice of the Mass
(Eucharist). The Lady or Woman of Israel with her children (companions)
are covered with crimson (i.e. the blood of Jesus) and can endure the
persecution of this evil one.
Zohar 1:8a speaks of the Two Roses as the bride (kallah) and groom (hatan) mentioned in the Song of Songs. The Jewish tradition states that the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies of Scripture. Here we see the bride as Mother of the Community (Kneset Yisrael) united under the Huppah (marriage canopy) with her Son in his role as Body of Mashiach. The adornments and wedding finery of the Bride is the whole Torah – Written and Oral.
Zohar
1:8a speaks of the righteous singing the Song of Torah. The ‘Heaven’
who is the Son and the male cherub (‘end of heaven’) is revealed as the
Groom. The Bride is called ‘El’ (God) referring to her as Elleh or Elah
(Goddess). She is ‘god’ or ‘goddess’ (El or Elleh) by adoption and
divinisation. She becomes as or like God (El) and she attains to the
Glory (Kavod) of God. This is why Jacob Frank refers to Our Lady
at Czestochowa as the ‘Goddess’. This is the mystery of divinisation and
the total living in the Divine Will. Our Lady and all her companions
(chaverim) become gods and goddesses by adoption not by nature. Jesus is
the only Son by nature or essence. Zohar states that this Bride ascends
from ‘glory to glory’.
“She is called Glory as well as God, glory upon glory, radiance upon radiance, dominion upon dominion.”
This
is the coronation of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth and Queen of
the Angels and Saints. She is specially associated with those who are ‘masters of the oath of the covenant of the bride’.
These are those who have mastered sexual purity in body, mind and
heart. Sins of impurity may lead one to Hell and to the Prince of Hell
called Dumah (Silence) unless one repents as David did.
Zohar 1:9a refers to this Groom as the Sun.
“Dwelling in those skies, crowned in them, he is like a groom coming forth from his chamber.”
This
Sun is then linked to ‘the end of Heaven above’ which earlier was
revealed as the male cherub on the Ark of the Covenant. Bereshit in
Genesis 1:1 is made up of six letters (shoshan- the six petalled rose).
It is followed by 6 words (baraElohim et ha-Shamayim ve-et
ha-aretz). This is linked to the six times that YHVH appears in Psalm
19:8-10. The mystery of the circuit of the sun (as male and female) is
revealed in Psalm 19. ‘His circuit’ is the ‘end of heaven below’ who
alludes to the female cherub.
Zohar 1:10b asks the companions to
sing songs of Praise to the bride as this is what pleases the Groom.
Jacob Frank and his followers used to sing parts of the Zohar in honour
of the Virgin Bride and they were accused by their enemies of engaging
in sex with a naked woman. Zohar 1:10b is linked with Revelations 12
where the Woman of Israel (Mary) is in the wilderness. The “Shema
Yisrael” also is made up of six words linking it to the concept of
Shoshan – the six petalled Rose.
Zohar 1:14a associated the head Teffilin with the verse “Your head upon you is like Carmel”. The
male is the Head Tefillin associated with the word ‘zakhar’ (male) and
zakhor’ (remember). The female is the Hand Tefillin associated with
‘shamor’ (observe). The Tefillin boxes represent the Two Hearts that
are the Two Roses. Wearing them both unites symbolically the Two Hearts
as the One Rosa Mundi. The Hebrew phrase head and year (rosh ve-shanah)
connected with Rosh ha Shanah can be rearranged to mean ‘riahshoshan’
(to see a Rose). The Rose Bush is also associated symbolically with the
burning bush of Moses.
The new Adam and the new Eve
represent these feminine and masculine mysteries that are at the heart
of the Jewish mystical theology. This is the mystical forerunner of the
‘theology of the body’ that has recently been unveiled by Pope John Paul
II and is starting to be unfolded by Catholic theologians and writers
such as Christopher West and Professor Janet Smith. The Hebrew Catholic
Frankists are also forerunners of this theology of the body through
their deep study of the Zohar which led Jacob Frank and his followers to
embrace the Catholic Church. The Frankists remained influential in
Polish Catholicism and many of the Polish sources that influenced the
insights of Pope John Paul II come from Polish Catholic thinkers who are
influenced by the Frankist ideas.
The Frankists have been misrepresented by their enemies and critics but I think that their teachings need to be reassessed in the light of the present Papal theology and teachings of John Paul II. The Frankists’ symbol was the red Magen David which is also the red Rose. Jacob Frank spent 13 years at Czestochowa where Our Lady appeared to him as a beautiful Virgin. Jacob Frank was a devotee of the Zohar and Our Lady. He saw her connection with the concepts of Kneset Yisrael, Matronita and Sabbath Queen as revealed in the Zohar. He stated:
“If you had caught on to that Maiden (The Virgin Matronita) in whom rests all the power of the world then you would have come in to the power to do works. But since you are not worthy of this, to cling to her, I know not to whom she will reveal her secret, and I am sworn and wait to do and fulfill whatever she orders done. And I bless you, for she has commanded me to receive you, and I rejoice. I told you that I am only a messenger, and whatever she says to me, I do.”
Jacob Frank here humbly claims to be only a servant and messenger of Our Lady. He also stated:
“You were not worthy to understand when I said to you, ‘I will show you God’, for first you must meet the Virgin because she is the Gate to God, and through her one enters in to God.”
He also referred to her as the Redemptress . The Jewish tradition also calls Esther a Redemptress. This has significance for the Catholic belief in Mary as the Co-Redemptrix. Jacob Frank and his teaching have been distorted by his enemies and also by occultists to their own ends. Even some of his own followers did not fully understand what he had taught them. Zohar 1:11b refers to Rabbi Shimon as a precious pearl. This pearl shines forth as a great light. Jacob Frank describes the light or aspect of God that he had and its growth as a pearl.
As Rabbi Shimon was in a cave for 13 years so Jacob Frank was in a ‘cave’/prison for 13 years at Czestochowa. He predicted a wonderful era of living in the Divine Will when the Jewish people would enter the Catholic Church. He associated this era with miraculous Roses that would bloom every day for 110 years. These Roses are the wonderful mystical insights that would find their full blossoming when the Jewish mystical tradition would be united with the Catholic mystical tradition leading to a wonderful era of peace.
He also predicted the coming Holocaust of the Jews in Europe if they didn’t enter into Rome (whom he called Edom/Seir). The Jesuits had strongly supported Jacob Frank and his followers and both the Frankists and Jesuits were hated by certain groups within the Church that worked with the anti-Frankist Jewish authorities in order to slander and persecute both groups. The Frankists were also called Zoharists and they brought great riches into the Catholic Church that is bearing fruit in the pontificate of the Polish Slavic Pope which had been predicted by Frank. This prediction had been passed down by the families of Frankist origin in Poland.
He
also saw a future important spiritual role for Poland, France and the
Jews which was passed down by the Frankist families. Our Lady of
Czestochowa who appeared to Frank is close to the heart of Pope John
Paul II and the whole Polish nation. John Paul presented the shrine of
Czestochowa with a Golden Rose to signify the importance of this shrine
of Our Lady. The Lady of the Zohar who is the Jewish Rosa Mystica is
revealed to Frank as Our Lady of Czestochowa of Catholic devotion. The
Frankists were the first fruits of the future ingrafting of the Jews to
the Catholic faith followed by Our Lady’s apparition to the Jew Alphonse
Ratisbonne in 1842.
Cardinal Newman also spoke about Mary as the Rosa Mystica. He said:
“Mary is the most beautiful flower that ever was seen in the spiritual world. It is by the power of God's grace that from this barren and desolate earth there have ever sprung up at all flowers of holiness and glory. And Mary is the Queen of them. She is the Queen of spiritual flowers; and therefore she is called the Rose, for the rose is fitly called of all flowers the most beautiful. But moreover, she is the Mystical, or hidden Rose; for mystical means hidden. How is she now "hidden" from us more than are other saints? What means this singular appellation, which we apply to her specially? The answer to this question introduces us to a third reason for believing in the reunion of her sacred body to her soul, and its assumption into heaven soon after her death, instead of its lingering in the grave until the General Resurrection at the last day…Why then do we hear nothing of the Blessed Virgin's body and its separate relics? Why is she thus the hidden Rose? Is it conceivable that they who had been so reverent and careful of the bodies of the Saints and Martyrs should neglect her—her who was the Queen of Martyrs and the Queen of Saints, who was the very Mother of our Lord? It is impossible. Why then is she thus the hidden Rose? Plainly because that sacred body is in heaven, not on earth.”St Bernard of Clairvaux also calls Mary a Rose:
"Eve was a thorn, wounding, bringing death to all; in Mary we see a rose, soothing everybody's hurts, giving the destiny of salvation back to all. Mary was a rose, white for maidenhood, red for love; white in body, red in soul; white in her seeking after virtue, red in treading down vice; white in cleansing her affections, red in mortifying her flesh; white in her love of God, red in compassion for her neighbour"The famous Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins seems to have been refecting on the opening verses of the Zohar when he wrote his poem entitled “Rosa Mystica”.
ROSA MYSTICA
by Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.
`The Rose is a mystery'- where is it found?
Is it anything true? Does it grow on the ground?
It was made of the earth's mould, but it went from men's eyes,
And its place is a secret, and shut in the skies.
In the Gardens of God, in the daylight divine
Find me a place by thee, Mother of mine.
But where was it formerly? Which is the spot
That was blest in it once, though now it is not?
It is Galilee's growth; it grew at God's will
and broke into bloom upon Nazareth Hill.
In the Gardens of God, in the daylight divine
I shall look on thy loveliness, Mother of mine.
What was its season, then? How long ago?
When was the summer that saw the Bud blow?
Two thousands of years are near upon past
Since its birth, and its bloom, and its breathing its last.
In the Gardens of God, in the daylight divine
I shall keep time with thee, Mother of mine.
Tell me the name now, tell me its name:
The heart guesses easily, is it the same?
Mary, the Virgin, well the heart knows,
She is the Mystery, she is that Rose.
In the Gardens of God, in the daylight divine
I shall come home to thee, Mother of mine.
Is Mary that Rose, then? Mary, the Tree?
But the Blossom, the Blossom there, who can it be?
Who can her Rose be? It could be but One:
Christ Jesus, our Lord - her God and her Son.
In the Gardens of God, in the daylight divine
Shew me thy son, Mother, Mother of mine.
What was the colour of that Blossom bright?
White to begin with, immaculate white.
But what a wild flush on the flakes of it stood,
When the Rose ran in crimsonings down the Cross-wood.
In the Gardens of God, in the daylight divine
I shall worship the Wounds with thee, Mother of mine.
How many leaves had it? Five they were then,
Five like the senses, and members of men;
Five is the number by nature, but now
They multiply, multiply, who can tell how.
In the Gardens of God, in the daylight divine
Make me a leaf in thee, Mother of mine.
Does it smell sweet, too, in that holy place?
Sweet unto God, and the sweetness is grace;
The breath of it bathes the great heaven above,
In grace that is charity, grace that is love.
To thy breast, to thy rest, to thy glory divine
Draw me by charity, Mother of mine.
The Star of David and the Shalshelet
The orginal Magen David was in this form with the two letters dalet of the ancient Hebrew Phoenician alphabet. The entwined dalets (D's) orginally represented the word dudaim (mandrakes or Madonna Lily) and the word dodi
(beloved) and later the Beloved of the Song of Songs was associated
with the name David which developed from the word dodi (beloved).
This
form was originally seen as the key or seal of David and later was
known as the Shield of David. It was also known as the seal of Solomon
due to the double dalets in Solomon's original name Yedidiah. Abraham was known to the Egyptians as Dudu (Thoth) and Moses was Dudimose.
This second form was orginally known as the Magen or
Star of Miriam (Mary) based on the two entwined mems of the Ashurit
(Aramaic) Holy Script. These triangular mems were associated with the
two faces of Genesis 1:1-2 and the double mems of the word mayim (waters). In Jewish mysticism the upper waters were seen as 13 triangular mems representing Divine Mercy (Chesed).
These are represented by the 13 Hebrew words between the first and the
second Elohims of Genesis 1 and are called the 13 petalled Mystical Rose
in the Zohar. Counting 26 Hebrew letters (2x13- the doubling of the
letter mem which is the 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet) from the final mem of the first mayim (waters) three times (for four hebrew letters) spells out the Hebrew word Miriam (מרים). This is the concept of Miriam's Well.
The mysteries of the double mem is often discussed in Jewish mystical works. Since the Middle Ages the Magen Miriam has been confused with the Magen David. In the Hebrew Phoenician script the mem originally was similiar to a shalshelet/zig zag (see below) in the horizontal position representing the waves of water (mayim). This zig zag letter also represents water in the Egyptian hieratic script. Our letter M descends from this origin.
There are also two other faces mentioned in Genesis 1 in the second half. The face over the rakia shamayim (firmament of heaven) of Genesis 1:20 and the face over all the earth of Genesis 1:29. The face over the Rakia
alludes to Joseph who is the revealer of the secrets of the faces. Thus
the six petalled Rose was also associated with Joseph. In Christian art
St Joseph of the House of David is always pictured with the six
petalled Rose-Lily.
These four faces of Genesis 1 are the four minds found in the Temple represented by the four chambers in the head tefillin. Rebbe Nachman associates the concept of Joseph with one of these four minds. The two boxes of the tefillin also represent the double mem
as two square final mems in the Ashurit alphabet. The four shalshelets
represent these four faces as four lightning flashes. The four cherubim in the Holy of Holies of the Temple also represent these four faces- two male and two female.
The name Miriam and the double mems represent the Mystical
Rose Garden. At the Western Gate of the Temple was a Rose Garden which
may have been set out in the form of the double mems. This Gate was
called the Kiphonus Gate (in Second Temple times) as Kiphonus means 'rose garden' or 'garden work' in Greek. In Latin it is called Rosarium. In the first Temple it was called Shaar ha Shalshelet (The Chain Gate) in Hebrew (also see 1 Chronicles 26:16).
The word 'Shalshelet' represents the links of a chain and the entwined mems or dalets are a visual image of these links. This word shalshelet also represents one of the musical cantillations which is only used four times in the Torah (five books of Moses). It alludes to a meditative lingering on the divine mysteries.
This is the origin of the chain of the Catholic Rosary beads (Rosarium)
in which one meditates on the Rose mysteries of the life of Jesus and
Mary. Many different kinds of roses were grown in this garden and used
in the incense used in the ceremonies of the Temple. The Garden was also
used as a place for meditation and contemplative prayer.
The Virgin in the Enclosed Garden
This Rose Garden is also referred to as the Enclosed Garden in the Song of Songs 4:12:
"A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed."
2 Maccabees 3:19 alludes to the Virgins of the House of David who were known as the 'enclosed Virgins' due to their use of the enclosed Rose Garden for their spiritual devotions. It would seem that they lived in a structure near the Western Wall that had an entry into the Rose Garden.
It may be that the Star of David (Magen Miriam) became associated with David due to these Virgins of the House of David praying in the double mem shaped Rose Garden. The apocryphal third book of the Maccabees [considered canonical by the Orthodox Church but not the Catholic] also mentions these enclosed virgins and their special chambers and it also mentions the Temple mothers or Mother superiors of the Virgins. 3 Maccabees 1:18 states:
"The Virgins who had been enclosed in their chambers rushed out with their Mothers, sprinkled their hair with dust, and filled the streets with groans and lamentations."
This connects with the shalshelet as the groaning and wailing notes of the teruah blasts of the Shofar representing the tears of the Mother.
In some Jewish traditions Miriam is considered an important ancestress of King David, the Davidic Kings and of the Davidic Messiah. She is also said to be the grandmother of Betzalel who fashioned the vessels of the Tabernacle. Other traditions refer to Miriam as a virgin. It would seem that there were at least two women called Miriam that the legends combined into one.
Firstly there was Miriam the virginal sister of Moses and secondly her much younger relative Miriam who married Caleb or Hur Princes of the Tribe of Judah. Jewish tradition also calls Miriam 'Zohar' because her face was as radiantly beautiful as the noon. The Jewish mystical book called 'Zohar' reveals the mysteries of this mystical Miriam who is the sorrowing Lady of Israel. The Doubling of the mem is also the doubling of the person of Miriam as two Miriams remembered as one.
Miriam
as the Chantress and Beloved of Amon (the architect Joseph) is a title
which is why so many women in the Judahite genealogies are referred to
as Miriam. Amon according to the Jewish mystical tradition was also the
name of the Torah. It would seem that the Miriams were given the role of
chanting the Torah (Amon) using the ten cantillations.
The Kiphonus Gate today also known as Warren's Gate
The Douai-Rheims Bible translates 2 Maccabees 3:19b-20 as:
"...And the virgins also that were shut up, came forth, some to Onias, and some to the walls, and others looked out of the windows. And all holding up their hands towards heaven made supplication."
Other versions in English translate Onias as 'gates'. The confusion here is that the text is actually referring to the Kiphonus Gate. Thus the text would be better read as:
"the enclosed Virgins came forth and some ran to the Kiphonus (rose garden) Gates, some to the Kotel (Western Wall) and others looked out the windows (of their enclosed structure)."
It would seem obvious that Heliodorus sought to enter into the heart of the Temple through the tunnel that led to the Kiphonus Gate from the King's Palace.
According
to Blessed Anne Emmerich the quarters of the women and virgins
belonging to the Temple were against the Walls in the north western
section of the Temple Mount and Mary's cell the closest to the Holy of
Holies and high in the Western Wall. Most of the cells were further to
the north but a long passage led to Mary's cell. Thus it would seem that
the Enclosed Chambers of the Virgins were north of the Rose Garden on
the Western and Northern Walls.
It
is possible that the confusion about which gate is the Kiphonus Gate is
because there were more than one Kiphonus or Rose Garden gate. The
Eastern gate of the Rose Garden was built on the site of Shalshelet Gate
of the First Temple that led into the Temple proper. West of this gate
was the Rose Garden and the other Rose Garden gates in the Second Temple
were the three gates on the new extended Western Wall known today as
Warren's Gate, Wilson's Arch and Barclay's Gate.
Many
writers today refer to the Kiphonus Gate as the Coponius Gate as they
accept the theory that the Gate was named for the Roman Procuator
Coponius. I think this passage from Maccabees demonstates that this
theory is incorrect as the gate was known as Kiphonus even in the days
of the Maccabees long before the arrival of Coponius.
The Presentation of the Virgin Miriam at the Temple
Catholic
and Orthodox traditions speak of Chanah (Anne), the mother of the
Virgin Miriam (Mary), praying in a garden watching the birds nest when
she received a divine message to meet her husband Joachim (Eliakim/Heli)
at the Eastern or Beautiful Gate (also called Golden Gate).
It would seem that Joachim and Chanah were staying at Chanah's House in Jerusalem at this time. After Joachim had a negative experience with a priest at the Temple he went into the hills to pray and Chanah (St. Anne) went to pray at the Mystical Rose Garden at the Kiphonus Gate. From there it would seem that Chanah went via underground tunnels beginning at the Kiphonus Gate to one that came out near the Beautiful Gate (Shushan or Golden Gate) where she met St. Joachim. They then went back into the tunnel that ran under the Gate to a special place in the tunnel where the Immaculate Conception occurred.
Later the child of this union the Virgin Miriam of the House of David was taken to live in the Virgin Chambers near the Western Wall reserved for the Virgins of the House of David and she spent much time in prayer and contemplation in the Rose Garden (kiphonus). The whole concept of the Garden and the Bird's Nest is also to be found in Jewish mystical tradition.
The
gate today called by the Muslims the Golden Gate is not the place of
the original Golden Gate (Shushan or Beautiful Gate) according to the
Catholic mystic Blessed Anne Emmerich. She identifies the present Golden
Gate with the Gate of Moriah which was a new gate at the time of Jesus
built by Nicodemus (Nakdimon).
The Shushan Gate was further South of the Gate of Moriah and most likely in line with the Nicanor Gate. Blessed Anne Emmerich states:
"The first gate which stood on the eastern side of Jerusalem, to the south of the south-east angle of the Temple, was the one leading to the suburb of Ophel. The gate of the sheep was to the north of the north-east angle of the Temple. Between these two gates there was a third, leading to some streets situated to the east of the Temple, and inhabited for the most part by stonemasons and other workmen. The houses in these streets were supported by the foundations of the Temple; and almost all belonged to Nicodemus, who had caused them to be built, and who employed nearly all the workmen living there. Nicodemus had not long before built a beautiful gate as an entrance to these streets, called the Gate of Moriah. It was but just finished, and through it Jesus had entered the town on Palm Sunday. Thus he entered by the new gate of Nicodemus, through which no one had yet passed, and was buried in the new monument of Joseph of Arimathea, in which no one had yet been laid. This gate was afterwards walled up, and there was a tradition that the Christians were once again to enter the town through it. Even in the present day, a walled-up gate, called by the Turks the Golden Gate, stands on this spot."
The Lightning Flash of the SefirotThe Golden Gate is also associated with the sefirah of Tiferet (Beauty) and Rachamim (compassion). I believe that this is because it was the gate used to reach an underground chamber under the heart of the Temple known as the Chamber of Rachamim or the Heart Chamber. The tunnel from the Kiphonus gate also led to this chamber.
Today
the Kiphonus Gate is sealed and there is a Shul (synagogue) known as
the Kiphonus Shul or the Cave at the gateway. I believe this gate leads
to a zigzag shalshelet-like series of tunnels under the Temple which is
part of the mystery of the Divine Man and the Sefirot. This is also why
the zig zag pattern is often found on ancient Jewish ossuaries. This
zigzag chain-like pattern also represents the lightning flash, the Nehushtan and Jacob's ladder as well as the double helix dna strand and the Seder Hishtalshelut.
The
Mishna also speaks of the mesibbahs which some consider to be mystical
rooms approached by winding or zigzag passageways. This is thus a kind
of mystical labyrinth deep under the Temple in which the passageways or
tunnels lead to 10 hidden mystical worship rooms where each of the
Sefirot were contemplated by the mystics and musicians.
Csanady Gabor writes:
"This word 'mesibbah' means by the lexicon 'party' or 'banquet' and the Jews use this word in this sense till today, but in this case it must be a room. In the most part of the reconstructions it is simple a long corridor or a long passage way with zigzag line. A few of researcher's think that it was a stepped passageway, but I do not think so."
At
the centre of the Jewish contemplative discipline is these concepts
concerned with circles, spiral and winding staircases, ladders and
passageways, Mystical rounds (galgalim), mesibbah (originally meant 'to curl up'), teli, shalshelet, circled locks of hair, the wheel (Galgal) and many more. It is a Jewish spirituality based on doing spiritual mystical rounds with the purpose (takhlit) of making tikkun
(reparation) for the whole of Creation including all nations and
individuals and returning all to its source in the Divine Will and Light
of the Divinity.
Thus the Shalshelet with its mesibbahs represents a Jewish meditative way with 10 (or 14) stations similiar to the Catholic Via Dolorosa that winds through the old city of Jerusalem with its 14 stations. The Jewish 14 stations are the 10 mesibbah rooms plus the three gates of the Western Wall representing the letter shin and the three tzachtzachlot (sparkling lights) above the Crown (keter) of the Divine Man.
The 14th station was the Golden or Shushan Gate itself. The number 14 represents David and the Davidic Messiah. The Kiphonus Gate represents the female mystical Rose called 'Shoshana' and the Shushan gate the male mystical Rose called 'Shoshan'.
It may be that the above ground Temple is in the image of the Divine Man and his sefirot (Adam Kadmon) who is the Davidic Messiah and the subterranean mysteries of the sefirot are those of the Mirror who is the Shekhinah
and Lady of Sorrows called Miriam and Zohar. Or it may be the reverse
with the surface Temple representing the Mother and the subterranean the
Divine Man her Son. The shalshelet can be seen as six vavs representing this Divine Man and the six petalled Shoshan (male Rose).
On
the Hasidic website chabad.org it mentions that an underground hidden
chamber was built by King Solomon to hide the Ark in times of Trouble.
The article states:
"I am asleep, but my heart is awake (Song of Songs 5:2). Our sages tell us that “When King Solomon built the Holy Temple, knowing that it was destined to be destroyed, he built a place in which to hide the Ark, [at the end of] hidden, deep, winding passageways.”[Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Holy Temple, 4:1; Talmud, Yoma 53b.]It was there that King Josiah placed the Ark twenty-two years before the Temple’s destruction, as related in the Book of Chronicles.[II Chronicles 35:3; Mishneh Torah, loc. cit.]...Thus, the underground chamber built by Solomon is much more than another “part” of the Holy Temple. The fact that it was constructed for the express purpose of containing the Ark means that it is of a piece with the “Holy of Holies”—the very heart of the Temple and its raison d’être...In other words, the Holy Temple was initially designed and built to exist in two states: a revealed state and a concealed state. Accordingly, there were two designated places for the Ark in the Holy Temple—the above-ground portion of the Holy of Holies, and the chamber hidden at the end of “deep, winding passageways.” ...The paths to this chamber are hidden, deep and winding..."
This seems to confirm that these deep and winding passageways or tunnels are in the form of the shalshelet. It would seem that the tunnel with the chamber recounted in Catholic tradition as the place of the conception of the Virgin is this very Chamber where the Ark of the New Covenant was conceived.
The
Chabad article seems to think that the Ark from the First Temple may be
hidden there whereas 2 Maccabees 2 reveals that this Ark is Hidden in a
cave on Mount Sinai. However the second Ark built for the Second Temple
may have been hidden here which is why the Romans only saw an empty
Holy of Holies.
Blessed Anne Catharine Emmerich states:
"...Joachim was afterward conducted by the priests to the entrance of the subterranean passage that ran under the Temple and under the Golden Gate. This was a passage set aside for special purposes. Under certain circumstances, penitents were conducted by it for purification, reconciliation, and absolution. The priests parted from Joachim at the entrance, and he went alone into the narrow, gradually widening, and almost imperceptibly descending passage. In it stood pillars twined with foliage. They looked like trees and vines, and the green and gold decorations of the walls sparkled in the rosy light that fell from above. Joachim had accomplished a third part of the way when Anne met him in the center of the passage directly under the Golden Gate, where stood a pillar like a palm tree with hanging leaves and fruit. Anne had been conducted into the subterranean passage through an entrance at the opposite end by the priest to whom she and her maid had brought the offering of doves in baskets, and to whom also she had told what the angel had revealed to her. She was also accompanied by some women, among them the Prophetess Anna...After this, Joachim and Anne, praising God, turned toward the outer gate of the passage. They went under an arch into a space like a chapel where numerous lights were burning. Thence they passed to the gate where they were received by the priests who accompanied them back..."
Thus
we see from Emmerich that Joachim entered the subterranean tunnel
system near the Golden Shushan Gate and that Chanah (Anne) entered at
the opposite end at the Kiphonus Gate we now know as Warren's Gate.
Some
scholars of the Temple believe that that the Wood Chambers of the First
and the Second Temples were in different places. The Wood Chamber of
the First Temple is believed to be under the Chamber of Stone and Jewish
sources state that the subterranean Chamber where the Ark was hidden is
under this wood chamber. This places the Shaar ha Delek (Gate of the Wood) and the Wood Chamber much closer together in the south western corner of the Temple.
Some speak of the prophet Jeremiah (who took with him King Zedekiah's daughters) taking the Ark of the Covenant and the Stone of Jacob via these subterranean tunnels into the Cave of Zedekiah (also called Solomon's Quarries) which also led to tunnels elsewhere. Legend states that one such tunnel came out near Jericho (which is 13 miles from Jerusalem).
It is said that King Zedekiah tried to flee through this tunnel but God sent a deer on the surface to follow him and the Babylonians were able to catch him at the Jericho end of the Tunnel. Jeremiah and the Royal Princesses Sukkota (called Istnofret by the Egyptians) and Tamar Taphah (also called by the Egyptians Tia) escaped with the Ark on a tunnel leading to the south west towards Egypt. This tunnel of the cave system was said to go for 18 miles.
On
the way to Egypt Jeremiah detoured to the South to hide the Ark at Mt
Sinai. Jeremiah and the princesses received a palace from Pharoah in
Tahpanhes. They were the daughters of the Egyptian Princess (who was
part Jewish) who married Zedekiah and was called Tzaddah or Tzadikah.
Her mother was Queen Bint-Anath (Bat Osnat) of Egypt the Jewish daughter
of Pharoah by his Jewish Queen Istnofret (Asenath).
Joachim and Chanah meeting at the Golden Gate
The Jewish mystical term 'hishtalshelut' comes from the word 'shalshelet' and means a chain of events beginning with the first Act of Creation until its many varied forms in the physical world. This is known in Hebrew as 'Seder Hishtalshelut'. Both Hasidic Jewish and Luisan (Divine Will) Catholic spirituality teaches a way to ascend (or descend) into the inner reality/intelligence (sekhel) in each created thing and contemplating via the order of the chain (seder hishtalshelut) leading one back to the First Act which is the the single and unifying Act of All which flows forth from the Divine Will.
This is part of the mysteries of doing "the Rounds in the Divine Will" (galgalim/gilgulim). This process leads to a great reparation (tikkun) that unites the traces (reshimu) of the Divine Will in all created things back to its source in the divinity. This gives back to the Divinity all the glory (kavod) he is due. This is connected to the mystery of the crown (keter) of Adam Kadmon (the Divine Man) from which the process of hishtalshelus originates.
The shalshelet's first use is in Genesis 19:16 and the shalshelet is above the second of the double mems in the word vayitmahmah (and he lingered). In Genesis 24:12 the shalshelet is above the mem of the word vayomer (and he said) and in Genesis 39:8 it is above the aleph of of the word yitmaen.
Thus, the mem mem aleph is 40+40+1=81 and 8+1=9 and the fourth shalshelet in Leviticus 8:23 is above the chet in the Hebrew for 'he slaughtered it'. The chet is the number 8 in gematria and the word chai (life) is the number 18 which is 2x9. Thus the mystery of the shalshelet also alludes to the mystery that is the tripled nines (999). In Jewish tradition the footsteps leading to the coming of the Messiah son of Joseph are 999 footsteps (also see the 'Kol ha Tor').
The 'Zohar' discusses the mystical understanding of the 10 Hebrew cantillations and it associates shalshelet with the teruah blast of the Shofar. The teruah is a series of nine notes divided into 3 groups of 3. The shofar is a ram's horn and leads us back to the Ram slaughtered in Leviticus 8:23 where the 4th shalshelet appears. The mystery of the 101 blowings of the Shofar connected with the mystery of the teruah and Yom Teruah is connected in Jewish tradition with the 101 tears of the Mother on the sacrifice of her Son.
Jewish
traditions on the 101 blasts of the shofar link it to the tears of the
mother of Sisera who Yael slaughtered and also to Sarah's tears on
hearing of the binding of Isaac. The Archangel Michael's name also adds
up to 101 in gematria and thus alludes to the messianic blowing of the
Shofar. Also the Hebrew word for the Divine Face 'Anpin' is 101 in gematria.
Our Lady's statue in Akita Japan wept 101 timesThe cantillation of shalshelet is written as a zigzag line or lightning flash over the word in the Hebrew text. The concept of the lightning flash is also linked to the two lameds (L) of the word Shalshelet as lameds are also a form of the lightning flash. This also represents the lightning flash of the Sefirot also representing the process of seder hishtalshelut like the links of a chain.
The four letters mem mem aleph chet also refer to the four faces of Genesis 1. The first mem represents the ultimate son of Abraham who is the Messiah, the second mem represents the daughter of Sarah who is the sorrowing Lady of Israel and mother of the Messiah, the aleph represent the aluph (prince or Chief) Joseph, and the chet represents the woman Tzadikah
who comes teaching about Divine Life and the total self giving and
nullification (the concept of mystically slaughtering one's own will and
embracing the Divine Will).
The
mystical book "Zohar" reveals the mysteries of Miriam who is also
called Zohar. Hidden within a mystical study of Jewish mysticism and the
Hebrew musical cantillations is revealed cryptically the mysteries of
the concealed subterranean part of the Jewish temple. Zohar Bereshit discusses the cantillations marks and shalshalet as part of the mysteries of the Shekhinah who is called Miriam and Zohar among her many names and titles:
"The Shekhinah is an offering for the Holy One, blessed be He, which he receives with both the right and the left arm, and with the body. So when she ascends to him, she should be joined with him with all ten Sefirot, because there can be no holiness with fewer than ten, which is his own holiness. Therefore, when a person wishes his prayer to ascend, he should raise it with all the vowels. If the Serpent plans on disrupting the prayer, one should prepare a slingshot against it, and the secret behind its issue lies in Zarka Makef Shofar Holech Segolta." (Zohar Bereshit)
Mystically David's slingshot represents the rosary and the five smooth stones the groups of five mysteries. It is with this mystical slingshot we do spiritual battle and defeat any giant obstacles in our way.
The circle path of the slingshot represents the circle or cycle of the Rosary mysteries as well as mystical prayer rounds in the Divine Will. A Jewish tradition also states that the five stones merged into one stone (thus the sixth) which they then connect with the recitation of the six word Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloyahnu Adonai echad.
The Shin on the highest level/ World of Atzilut represents the uncreated Shekhinah who is the Holy Spirit and linked to the Elohaynu of the Shema prayer as the unifying principle between the Father (Y-H who is Adonai echad) and the Son (V-H who is Yisrael Adonai). The word in the Shema that partners the Elohaynu of the Holy Spirit is the Shema which represents the created Shekhinah who is Our Lady who is is the Bat Khol (Voice) that cries Shema and unites with the Holy Spirit in Eternity.
On the level of Beriyah of understanding the Divine Name the Holy Spirit unites the four chayot- Yud (Joseph), upper Hay (Our Lady), Vav (The Messiah in his humanity) and lower Hay (Luisa). Or one could see this on the level of Yetzirah as the Mano Poderosa (the Big Hand) or Las Cinco Personas (the Five Persons) of Yud (Joseph); Hay (Mary); Shin (Luisa); Vav (Joachim); Hay (Anne). The Zohar Bereshit continues:
"Rabbi Simeon opened saying: Listen, all you celestial beings. Gather, all you earthly beings, the masters of the Yeshivah above and below. Elijah, upon an oath, ask permission from the Holy One, blessed be He, to come down here because a great battle awaits you. Come down, Chanoch M'mana, you and all the masters of the Yeshivot under your charge. I did not do this for my glory, but for the glory (kavod) of the Shekhinah.
He began again saying: Assuredly by the cantillation mark, Zarka, the prayer should be elevated to that known place, just as one aims the stone in a slingshot. Just as one aims the stone carefully, so as not to miss the target, so should thought be elevated with devotional prayer, which is the crowned and all-inclusive stone. Of Her it is said that whoever stands upright should stand upright with the mention of the Name.
In that place, where he elevates her to her husband, one should not stop praying, even though a snake is wound around his feet and even though it is written: "And you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15). Nevertheless, the stone is hinted at by the letter Yud in Ya'akov, as it is written: "From thence from the shepherd, the stone of Yisrael" (Genesis 49:24). One should not stop at that place from where she was taken. One should elevate her from the Middle Pillar to the Ain Sof. When he brings her down, it is said of him: Whoever kneels, kneels with the mention of 'Baruch' (May he be blessed), because he should bring her up to the Infinite Purpose (takhlit), and not cause any separation between her above or below.
Sometimes he is her husband the letter Vav, the Tzadik, who includes six parts of the two legs. Then she descends toward him the two legs. But at other times, he is her husband the letter Vav, which includes six parts of the two arms. Then she ascends through the two arms. At other times, he is her husband between Abba and Imma, the son of Yud-Hay, and she should be elevated there to him. At other times the letter Vav is inserted between the two letters Yud, like this: Aleph. Then she should be elevated to him. When she ascends, it is written of her, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the head stone of the corner" (Psalm 118:22).
The letter Aleph is made up of a middle diagonal vav with two yuds on either sideWhen she rises up to the Head of all Heads the angels ask, 'Where is the place of His Glory to admire Him?' And when she rises in the form of Aleph, she becomes Keter, a crown on the head of the Aleph. When she descends to a point below. So when she rises, she is called a crown according to the secret of the intonations, and when she descends, she is called a point. When she joins with him, it is in the form of the vowel Shuruk. When she is a crown on the head, she is named after the letter Zayin. The sign of the covenant, consists of this, because it is the seventh letter in all.The Yud is called a small, or short, world. The Vav is the long world. Whomever wishes that his desires be fulfilled by the long world should pray at length, and whoever prays to the short world should pray quickly. Therefore, it has been explained that in a place where they are told to make it short a person should not pray at length...One should pray at length as in 'to fall down, "And I fell down (Va'etnapal) before Hashem, as at the first..." (Deut. 9:18). Everything is in the two Mems,(one open and one closed mem) with Yud as a point in the middle, which forms the word Mayim (waters). From the aspect of Chesed, one should pray at length.
Indeed, this stone is the construction for all the worlds. Because of this, "But you shall have a perfect and just weight (lit. 'stone')..." (Deut. 25:15). She is a measurement between each and every Sefirah, and every Sefirah amounts with her to ten. Her size is the letter Vav. Through her, every cubit (amah) between each and every Sefirah becomes ten cubits. This is the secret of the verse: "Ten cubits shall be the length of a board" (Exodus 26:16) and between them all. She is ten between every Sefirah and ten multiplied by ten totals one hundred, and when Me'ah ('one hundred') is reversed, amah (one cubit).[note 100+1=101]
Each and every measurement is called a World. Every one is a Yud and a Vav a size and a measurement. The Vav is the weight and the Yud is the measurement of it. The size of the measurement is five cubits long and five cubits wide. This corresponds to the size of every firmament, which is 500 parasangs long and five hundred parasangs wide. This is the two Hays.
So here you have the stature of Zeir Anpin in the letters Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay, because the letter Vav is Tiferet of the heavens. Its five firmaments are called "the heavens." The five firmaments included in 'the heavens.' The upper five are the 'heavens of the heavens.' These are Hay-Hay. The letter Vav is their sixth. Yud is the seventh, and seven plus seven total fourteen. Here are those lands, seven upon seven lands that cover each other like rings of an onion. And the two eyes are their hints.
Adam Kadmon -the Divine Man in the form of the Yod-Hay-Vav-HayIn the holy name, Yud-Hay-Vav-Hay ascends to the revia. And one should prolong this intonation, which is the secret of the Teki'ah (long blowing of the Shofar). To make it short is at the aspect of Shevarim (short blowings of the Shofar). The middle, which is neither prolonged nor shortened, is Teru'ah (a succession of tremulous notes of the Shofar). This is the Middle Pillar and Shalshelet, which chains both to the holy Shekel.
Corresponding to the revia, which ascends, there is the Cholam. The Shevarim, is equivalent to the Sheva. In this one should raise his voice and in the other, one should lower his voice. Because of this, it is Shevarim. This is done in secret, as it is written of the Shekhinah in the lower world: "But her voice was not heard" (I Samuel 1:13). Teru'ah is Shalshelet. This is the Yud. This is Segolta.
He said: Zarka, Makaf, Shofar Holech, Segolta. The Point of the right, is 'Hashem reigns.' The point of the left, is 'Hashem reigned.' The point of the middle, is 'Hashem shall reign.' Rabbi Acha said: 'Hashem reigns' is the supernal world, 'Hashem reigned' is Tiferet and 'Hashem shall reign' is the Ark of the Covenant.
The Revia is for raising the voice, the Tevir of the cantillation marks is for lowering the pitch. Shalshelet holds to the two columns like a chain. It is like the Revi'i, with which one prolongs the word. It is a point like the Cholam. There is no point that does not have a corresponding cantillation mark. For example, the vowel Segol corresponds to the Segolta intonation, the vowel Sheva corresponds to the intonation Zakef gadol. There is always a vowel corresponding to a cantillation mark for all those who know the hidden secrets."[Zohar Bereshit]
In order to fully understand this part of the Zohar one needs to have an understanding of the Hebrew vowel points and the Hebrew cantillation marks as well as an understanding of the Jewish mystical teachings and the Temple. Even though this passage does allude to the Hebrew musical teachings and the secrets of the concealed Temple- these are only tools or signposts to the mysteries of the Jewish meditation and contemplative modes of worship that led one in to the Divine Song.
This
is a joining or cleaving of the soul to the Divinity in spiritual and
mystical union. This is the dying to the self and the human selfish will
in order to unite and cleave to the Divine Will. Yeshua said :"I came
not to abolish the Torah and the Prophets but to fulfill them ...not one
yud or one tag will pass away from the Torah until all is fulfilled..."
In
order to understand the above passage of the Zohar it helps to know
that the two yuds mentioned above are considered to represent two
stones. These are the marble stones in the story of the ascent of Rabbi
Akiva connected to the word 'mayim' (waters- mystery of the double mem) and shysh (marble- mystery of the double shin). Marble (shysh- shin yud shin) is white and thus alludes to the sefirah of Chesed (mercy/loving kindness) which shine forth as 13 dazzling white mems.
The slingshot refers to King David fighting Goliath (who represents the Serpent). Jewish tradition says that the five stones of David's slingshot miraculously merged and became one just as the 12 stones gathered by Jacob miraculously became one stone. The five stones of David represent the first five words of the 'Shema Yisrael' and the sixth word Ekhad (One/Unity) represented the new merged stone.
The sixth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet is the 'vav'. Just as the number 13 and mem the
13th letter of the alphabet is associated with the merged stone of
Jacob's Pillow. Thus the stone of David's slingshot represents the male
six petalled Rose (shoshan) as the Lily of David/Joseph and the Stone of Jacob transformed into the Rose of Jacob is the 13 petalled female Rose (shoshanah).
The word Ekhad (One/Unity) is 13 in gematria aleph= 1, chet=8 and dalet=4. Interestingly Ekhad is mentioned three times in Genesis 1-2 and each time it is in a 13 word verse. The first mention of ekhad is in Genesis 1:5 "And there was evening and there was morning one day (ekhad yom)". This passage represents the mystery of the Incarnation.
The Evening represents the female Sabbath Queen and the morning the Lord of the Sabbath. The day (yom- yud vav mem) refers to the dimension of time which is called Galgal (wheel or circle representing the Womb) by the Jewish mystical tradition (see Bahir and Rabbi Abulafia). This is the mystery of the womb and Incarnation.
The three letters of yom represent yud-Yeshua, vav-Joseph and mem- Miriam. The second mention of ekhad is Genesis 1:9 "Let the waters (mayim) under the heavens (shamayim) gather into one place (ekhad makom)". Mayim refers to the Mother and Shamayim to the Son and the makom to Joseph. This is the dimension of space associated with the Teli (Axis/Yesod).
The word makom has the double mem with the kav (Ray of Light) in its midst. The third mention of ekhad is in Genesis 2:25 "So a man shall leave his father and his mother and cling to his wife and they shall become one flesh (ekhad basar)." This is the dimension of human souls and the heart of flesh (basar leb). [for more on this see Rabbi Ginsburg's article ] These passages refer to the virginal nuptial unions of Yeshuah, Miriam and Yosef.
The
12 stones also allude to the twelve stones set up by the Joshua and the
Israelites at Gilgul as one stone circle. The mystery of the
cantillations is also alluded to here. The 10 commandments
(words/statements) are divided into 12 when using the lower cantillation
(known as tama kadma or taam tahton). This lower cantillation represents the concept of lowliness of the female who observes (shamor) them. The upper cantillation (known as tamatenina or taam elyon) which divides them in to 10 is the male concept of zachor (remember).
This also refers further to the the six word Shema Yisrael seen as yichud ha-elyon and the six word response as yichud ha-tahton. Chabad Hasidism associates these terms with the concept of yesh (yud-shin) meaning 'being' and ayin meaning nothing. When we use the phrase yesh v'ayin (yesh and ayin united (yichud)) it alludes to the concept of Yeshua (yud shin vav ayin). Yichud ha Elyon refers to lifting our worship up to God through becoming nothing and Yichud ha tahton receiving from God.
In "the Paradoxical Ascent to God " by Rachel Elior and Jeffrey Green they state:
" Habad distinguishes between a dual unification: upper unity (yihud ha-elyon) and lower unity (yihud ha-tahton). The higher unification is the focus of spiritual worship, and it means the annihilation of the world and its inclusion within the godhead by the deliberate effort to transcend the boundaries of existence and break through the confinement of the Yesh, time and place. This unification is called 'the transformation of the Yesh into the Ayin,''annihilation of the Yesh,' the 'stripping away of corpeality', 'communion with God' and 'ecstasy', and it refers to the divine will to annihilate itself. The lower unification means the influx of divinity from upper realms to lower realms, from Ayin to Yesh, and its infusion in to the world, in 'the details of the Yesh', in the material and corporeal dimensions by means of the Torah and the commandments. The purpose of the lower unification is to impart the essential meaning to divine worship in reality as an expression of the divine will to be realised and revealed in the opposite of its essence..."
The Lady of Israel: A Hebrew Catholic Reflection
BeREShYT [In the beginning]...l'eiynei kol-yisrael [before the eyes of all Israel].At the end of the feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) is the holy day called Simchat Torah (Rejoicing in the Torah) which is celebrated also as Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly) in Israel. In the Diaspora Simchat Torah is celebrated on the ninth day. On Simchat Torah the yearly cycle of the liturgical readings of the Chumash (Five Books of Moses) is completed with the last words of Deuteronomy'l'eiynei kol-Yisrael'(before the eyes of all Israel) and the readings start again with the first word of Genesis 'Bereshit'('In the Beginning' or 'With the Beginning'). This contains a great mystery which both Nachmanides (Ramban) and Rebbe Nachman of Breslov allude to in their writings.
The Ramban writes in his commentary on Genesis:
"...Now Israel, which is called reshit as mentioned above, is the "Kneset Yisrael", which is compared in the Song of Songs to a bride and whom Scripture in turn calls daughter, sister and mother. The Rabbis have already expressed this in a homiletic interpretation of the verse, 'Upon the crown wherewith his mother has crowned Him [Song of Songs 3:11]', and in other places." Similarly, the verse concerning Moses, 'And he chose a first part for himself' [Deut. 33;21], which they interpret to mean that Moses our teacher contemplated through a Isparklarya (lucid speculum/ clear crystal mirror or looking glass), and he saw that which is reshit (the first) for himself, and therefore merited the Torah. Thus all the Midrashim above have one meaning...."
The Ramban reveals that this Bat Reshit (Daughter of Beginning/Wisdom) is the feminine blueprint (uman/amon) of Torah in which Moses gazed and beheld the divine mysteries of the Torah.
The Bahir also alludes to this mystery of the Divine Heart and the Mother. Bahir 63 states:
"What is His heart? He said: Mother (Imma), Ben Zoma is out side, and you are with him. The heart (Lev) [in gematria] is thirty-two. These are concealed, and with them the world was created. What are these 32? He said: These are the 32 Paths. This is like a king who was in the innermost of many chambers. The number of such chambers was 32, and to each one there was a path. Should the king bring everyone to his chamber through these paths? You will agree that he should not. Should he reveal his jewels, his tapestries, his hidden and concealed secrets? You will again agree that he should not. What then does he do? He touches the Daughter, and includes all the paths in her and in her garments. One who wants to go inside should gaze there. He married her to a king, and also gave her to him as a gift. Because of his love for her, he sometimes calls her “my sister,” since they are both from one place. Sometimes he calls her his daughter, since she is actually his daughter. And sometimes he calls her “my mother.”..."The Rabbis teach that the first letter of the Torah is bet[B ב] (Bereshit) and the last letter is lamed [L ל] (Yisrael) thus making the word LB or Lev in Hebrew which means Heart in English. It also adds up in gematria to the number 32. This they link to the 32 mentions of the name Elohim (God) in Genesis 1. This Heart is also called Kavod (Glory) which also adds up to the number 32. The mystical Book of Bahir links these concepts of Heart and Glory with the Mother hidden in the opening verses of Genesis on the first day of Creation.
"130. What is the meaning of, “the whole earth is filled with His glory”? This is the earth that was created on the first day. It is on high, filled with God’s glory and paralleling the Land of Israel. And what is [this glory]? It is Wisdom, as it is written (Proverbs 3:35), “The wise shall inherit glory.”Rebbe Nachman also writes of the mystery of the Bat Kol (Daughter of All) who is a mystical Daughter of Abraham. The phrase kol-Yisrael alludes to this Celestial Daughter of Wisdom (Bat Reshit). The kol refers to Bat Kol (Daughter of All) who is the amon (nursling mother) who is also uman (the blueprint or prototype of All). The 'Yisrael' refers on one level to her Son (ben/bar/ bera) the Blessed Holy One of Israel (Messiah of Israel) and on another level to the Mother as Kneset Yisrael (Assembly of Israel). The Aramaic word bera for son is also hidden in the word Bereshit as Bera shit (Son of the Six) alluding to the concept of the male Mystical Rose which has 6 petals. The second word of Genesis 1 'bara' is bera in Aramaic and the Aramiac 'Bekadmin bera' (In the beginning created) could be read as 'With/In the Primordial Son'.
131. What is “God’s glory”? What is this like? A king had a matron in his chamber, and all his troops delighted in her. She had sons, and each day they came to see the king and to bless him. They asked him, “Where is our mother?” He replied, “You cannot see her now.” They said, “Let her be blessed wherever she is.”
132. What is the meaning of “from His place”? This indicates that none know his place. This is like a royal princess who came from a far place. People did not know her origin, but they saw that she was a woman of valour, beautiful and refined in all her ways. They said, “She certainly originates from the side of light, for she illuminates the world through her deeds.” They asked her, “From where are you?” She replied, “From my place.” They said, “Mother, the people of your place are great. May you be blessed, and may your place be blessed.”
133. Is this “glory of God” then not one of His hosts? Is it not inferior? Why then do they bless it? But what is this like? A man had a beautiful garden. Outside the garden but close to it, he had a nice section of field. On this section, he planted a beautiful flower garden. The first thing that he would water would be his garden. The water would spread over the entire garden. It would not reach the section of field however, since it was not attached, even though it was all one. He therefore opened a place for it and watered it separately.
134. Rabbi Rahumai said:
Glory(Kavod) and Heart (Lev) both have the same [gematria of 32]. They are both one, but Glory refers to its function on high, and Heart refers to its function below. “God’s glory” and the "heart of heaven” are therefore both identical."
The word Rosh is also hidden in the word Bereshit read as 'Rosh Beit'"Head of the House/Home" according to the Likutey Moharan of Rebbe Nachman. This alludes to the Hidden Tzadik who is associated with the concept of Joseph. Yeshua ha Mashiach is called the Head of Creation, Head of the Church (K'neset) and the First born (reshit/bikkurim) of Creation. The Ramban states:
"...For the merit aquired by... three things has the world been created: for the merit of challah (Dough), for the merit of Tithes and for the merit of the first fruits (bikkurim)...Reshit surely signifies the Dough-offering, as it is said, 'The first of your dough' [Numbers 15:20]. Reshit surely signifies the Tithes, as it is said, 'the first of thy grain' [Deut.18;4]. Reshit surely signifies the first-fruits, as it is said, 'the first-friuts of thy land' [Exodus 23:19]..."
Rebbe Nachman also reads Bereshit as Rashei (Heads) and Bat (Daughter/Lady) which he links to "l'eynei" (the eyes). The Rashei are perceived as three Heads and are symbolised by the white /sclera, red/ muscle and colour/iris of the eye. The fourth 'bat' is the black Bat Ayin (Pupil of the eye) this alludes to the Bat Kol (the Daughter/Lady of All) who is also the Bat Ayin (Daughter of Nothingness). Her son is the All (Kol) and the Nothingness (Ain Sof).
The three Heads are also linked to the three boxes that make up the Ark
of the Covenant and the dark space in the centre represents this dark Bat (Daughter/Lady) who is surrounded and dwells within the Three Heads. This is the Woman with Eagle Wings in the Wilderness (Shekhinah/ Matronita) which alludes to the vacated or empty space or land- the Arabah
(dry thirsty land) - the place of total self -nullification -becoming
nothing and dwelling in the Divine Will through the Dark Night. This is
the place (makom) of the Mother mentioned in Sefer Bahir.
This black Bat Ayin is that Dark or Black Light of the
Mother/Lady/Woman who in the Song of Songs is called Dark but comely.
She is the immaculate dark mirror who perfectly mirrors the Divine Glory
back to its source through which Moses received the Torah. She is the Zohar (Dark Light) of Genesis 1 called Night (Lilah) and the Darkness (ha Hoshek).
She is the dark feminine waters of the Well of Miriam hidden in the
text of Genesis. She is the dark face over/of the Waters who the Spirit
of God hovered (or overshadowed) in Genesis 1 just as the Power of God
overshadowed the Ark of the Covenant and as the Holy Spirit overshadowed
the Virgin at the Annunciation.
The words Miriam (Mary), mayim (waters) and makom (place) are part of the mystery of the double mems (open and closed) that are the Mystical Rose Garden. The open mem represents the womb of the Mother (Binah-female Wisdom) who surrounds her Son-the concealed closed mem (Hokhmah- male Wisdom). The open mem is Matronita and the closed mem is the Mashiach (the concealed or Hidden Messiah). The Book of Proverbs (Mishlei) starts with an enlarged mem to demonstrate that the Wisdom spoken of by Solomon was the female wisdom of the open mem rather than that of the male Wisdom of the Messiah.
The word Bereshit can also be read as brit (covenant/phallus) ish (man/ husband). This alludes to the mystery of the Divine Seed (Zera)
who will become a man and who is the bridegroom/husband of the Bride in
the Song of Songs. Eve mistakenly believes she has gotten this God-man
with the birth of Cain. However one day the New Eve (Mother of all the
living) who is the Ishah (Woman) will give birth to this God-man. The concept of the 'brit' also alludes to the yesod (foundation) which is the pillar of the Earth. Yesod in Kabbalah is also associated with Joseph and the Messiah son of Joseph as well as with the concept of the humble Tzadik (riding on a donkey) and the hidden Tzadik.
These Mysteries of Yeshua (Jesus), Miriam (Mary) and Joseph hidden in the word Bereshit
is known in mystical Judaism as the hidden or Concealed Saying. Just as
the Chumash readings are seen as a Divine Cycle or Round (Galgal) so this Concealed Saying of Bereshit unites Keter (the Crown) with the Kingdom (Malkhut). Keter is the interface between Divine Will (ratzon) and Divine Knowledge (da'at). This cycle or round from Keter to Malkhut is called the Kingdom of the Divine Will or the Kingdom of Holiness (Sanctification/ Malkhut d'Kadishah).
The word Chumash alludes to Chamsa or the Hand of Miriam - the five books of Moses are the five fingers of the hand of Miriam (Chamsa) which allude to the five gates of salvation (yeshuot)
which are the five sacred wounds of Yeshua. The five fingers also
allude to the five leaves surrounding the Mystical Rose and the fingers
of the priests of the Mother (the 13 petalled Rose) who lift the Cup of
Blessing.
“Rabbi Hezekiah opened, ‘Like a rose among thorns, so is my darling among the maidens’ (Song of Songs 2:2). Who is Rosa Mystica? Our Lady of Israel (Kneset Yisrael/ Matronita/ Sabbath Queen). For there is a Rose and then there is Rosa Mystica. Just as a rose among the thorns is coloured red and white, so Our Lady of Israel includes judgement and mercy. Just as a Rose has 13 petals, so Our Lady of Israel has 13 attributes of mercy surrounding her on every side. Similarly from the moment Elohim (God) is mentioned (in Genesis 1) he generates 13 words to surround Our Lady (in Eternity) and protect her. Then Elohim is mentioned again. Why again? To produce 5 sturdy leaves surrounding Rosa Mystica. These 5 are called Salvation (Yeshuot/Yeshuah), they are 5 gates. Concerning this mystery (raza) it is written: I shall raise the Cup of Salvation (Psalm 116:13). This is the cup of Blessing, which should rest on 5 fingers and no more – like the Rose sitting on 5 sturdy leaves, paradigm of 5 fingers. This Rosa Mystica is the Cup of Blessing” Zohar 1:1aThis Lady Chamsa (Chumash) associated with the Eighth Day of Assembly and Simchat Torah alludes to the Sefirot (Attribute) of Binah (Understanding) who is known as Mother and Heart- for the joyful prayer of the heart is the prayer of the Mother. Her hands are hands of prayer and praise. The uncreated feminine Binah is the Holy Spirit and the created female icon of Binah is Our Lady Miriam. Simchah (joy) is associated in Kabbalah with Binah. This also alludes to the joyful song Rinah which is also called the Song of Creation, the song of the Future and the Song of Miriam.
The Eighth Day also alludes to the Groom (chatan) who is circumcised on the Eighth Day and to the Eighth Day as the New Creation and as the Day of the Eucharist (Sunday is both the first day and the Eighth Day). The Eighth Day is also associated with King Solomon as the King of Peace who is also Yedidiah (God's beloved). This alludes to the Song of Songs (also called Song of Solomon) which is the Song of the Groom (chatan) and the Bride (kallah). This Bride is the Dark or Black Lady (Madonna) of the Song. This concept of an Eighth Day Solemn Assembly and Solomon is linked also to the mystery of the Ark of the Covenant as the Daughter of Zion and the concept of joy of heart.
"2 Chronicles 5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.
2 Chronicles 7:8 Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.
9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people."
Our Lady, the Zohar and the Rosa Mystica: A Hebrew Catholic Insight
The "Sefer Zohar" is a book that records many of the Jewish mystical insights and traditions that I believe have their source in the mystical teachings of the early Jewish Christians that founded the Church (Kehilla). These mystical teachings were passed on in secrecy in the Jewish community by certain schools of mystics. They were veiled in order to preserve these mysteries and disguise their Jewish Christian meaning.
The beginning of the Sefer Zohar reveals that the book is concerned with the mysteries connected with Rosa Mystica (the Mystical Rose) which is identified in a veiled manner with Our Lady and her Son the Jewish Mashiach. The feminine Rosa Mystica is Our Lady also called Kneset Yisrael, Matronita and Sabbath Queen. This spouse of the Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) mirrors the mysteries of the Godhead as the Moon mirrors the Sun. She is the Woman (Isha) clothed with the Sun standing on the Moon of Apocalypse 12. Jewish traditions link Miriam the virginal sister of Moses with the name Zohar which alludes to the splendour of the noon-day sun. This Miriam is a template or icon of the ultimate Miriam who is more splendorous than the sun at noon-tide and the central figure of Sefer Zohar.
The "Sefer Zohar" opens quoting the verse from the "Song of Songs" about one who is a ‘shoshanah’ among the thorns. Shoshanah is translated as a Lily or as a Rose. In Ladino it is translated as ‘roza’. The Zohar considers it to be a rose as well. Since ancient times the Rose has been the sign of Mystery. In Aramaic ‘mystery’ is ‘raza’ and the European word ‘roza’ derives from the Aramaic word Raza symbolised by the Rose. The rose was also a symbol of paradise for the early Christians coming from the Jewish concept of the Mystical world called Pardes to which the mystics ascend and descend.
“Rabbi Hezekiah opened, ‘Like a rose among thorns, so is my darling among the maidens’ (Song of Songs 2:2). Who is Rosa Mystica? Our Lady of Israel (Kneset Yisrael/ Matronita/ Sabbath Queen). For there is a Rose and then there is Rosa Mystica. Just as a rose among the thorns is coloured red and white, so Our Lady of Israel includes judgement and mercy. Just as a Rose has 13 petals, so Our Lady of Israel has 13 attributes of mercy surrounding her on every side. Similarly from the moment Elohim(God) is mentioned (in Genesis 1) he generates 13 words to surround Our Lady (in Eternity) and protect her. Then Elohim is mentioned again. Why again? To produce 5 sturdy leaves surrounding Rosa Mystica. These 5 are called Salvation (Yeshuot/Yeshua), they are 5 gates. Concerning this mystery (raza) it is written: I shall raise the Cup of Salvation (Psalm 116:13). This is the cup of Blessing, which should rest on 5 fingers and no more – like the Rose sitting on 5 sturdy leaves, paradigm of 5 fingers. This Rosa Mystica is the Cup of Blessing” Zohar 1:1a.
The "Sefer Zohar" then discusses this feminine Rosa Mystica who is the woman of Israel called Kneset Yisrael. Other traditions call her Matronita, the Heavenly warrior Queen of Israel. In the Catholic understanding this is Our Lady under her title of Rosa Mystica. This title is intricately linked with Our Lady’s title of Immaculate Conception.
The Zohar refers to this Rosa Mystica as connected with the 13 qualities or attributes of Mercy or loving-kindness (chesed). She is the mirror or created light that mirrors clearly and perfectly the 13 qualities of Mercy of the Divinity himself (seen as Divine Mercy). This is Our Lady of Fatima (as Our Lady of Mercy) who is connected with the number 13. This mystical Rose is red and white mirroring the Divine attributes of Judgement and Mercy. As a Rose has 13 petals so the Rosa Mystica has 13 qualities or paths of Mercy.
“Like a rose (shoshanah) among thorns, so is my darling among the maidens” (Song of Songs 2:2).This first section of the Zohar speaks of the Immaculate Conception using this verse from the Song of Songs to show that Our Lady the Rosa Mystica is saved, by Yeshua through his 5 wounds (gates), from the demonic forces that have ruled men since the Fall. The thorns represent sin and the demons. The 5 leaves that surround the rose are connected here with Salvation. Salvation is Yeshua (Jesus) in Hebrew. Salvation’s five gates (y'shuot) are the five wounds of Yeshua in his hands, feet and heart. These five gates are also linked to the five books of the Torah.
As we dance and rejoice at Simchat Torah so Our Lady Miriam ha Kedosha the rejoicing Daughter of Zion danced at Cana when the living waters of the Torah were transformed into the the new wine of the kingdom. This new wine is the full blossoming of the Rosa Mystica that was first revealed (eyes opened) in Bereshit (read at the Marian level as Bat Reshit/ First Daughter or Daughter of the Beginning) who as the Mediatrix of all Graces will, in union with St Joseph and the servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, usher in the era of the Divine Will reigning on earth as it is in Heaven.
Rosa Mystica Devotion: A Hebrew Catholic Perspective
In 1947 in Italy the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared to Pierina Gilli and called herself Rosa Mystica (Mystical Rose). Her second apparition was on July 13 1947 and the 13th of each month was to be a Day of Rosa Mystica and the annual day of celebration for Rosa Mystica was to be July 13th. This modern Rosa Mystica devotion stresses the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th in which a special hour of mercy or grace is kept. It is as if the Virgin Mary has come to confirm the insights about Rosa Mystica and the Immaculate Conception found in the opening verses of the Sefer Zohar.
These alleged apparitions have a theological richness and mystical depth which enriches our understanding of the Divine Revelation itself and has drawn modern Catholics back to an awareness of the already rich tradition of Rosa Mystica in both Christianity and Judaism. Its spiritual and theological fruits have been immense even though like many genuine apparitions they go through a time of struggle to be accepted by a clergy that like the Saduccees of old are skeptical of any mystical or supernatural events. The devout and simple believers all over the world often intuit the importance of such apparitions long before they are "approved" by the Church authorities.
This title of Rosa Mystica is found in the Litany of Loreto and has a rich history in Catholic devotion. However devotion to Mary as Rosa Mystica is much more ancient. Since at least the 5th century Christian writers have written that Mary is the ‘rose among the thorns’ of Song of Songs 2:2. Both Jesus and Mary have been referred to as the Mystical Rose throughout Christian history. This mystical rose is also associated with the Holy Grail (the Cup of the Last Supper). They are both seen as vessels that contain the divinity. At Lucca in Italy (a centre of Kabbalah) from earlier times has kept the feast of Our Lady of the Rose on January 30th. Since 1947 many statues of Mary as Rosa Mystica have wept in many places around the world including New York and Russia. She weeps that her Son is left abandoned in so many tabernacles with no one to adore him.
This Mystical Rose is linked to the opening verses of the Torah as mentioned above. The first verses are seen as a mystical Rose. The phrase ‘et ha shamayim’ is especially seen as the concept of the Mystical Rose. Paradise is seen as the Mystical Rose Garden (Rosarium) mirrored on the earth by the Rose Garden between the Kotel (Wailing or Western Wall of the Temple) and the Temple itself. Shamayim is the Hebrew for Heavens, which is linked to the concept of Paradise or Pardes. In the Celestial Mother her attributes (that mirrors the Divine attributes perfectly) are seen as the enclosed Rose Garden. In her son the Beloved they are seen as an Apple Orchard linked to Song of Songs 2:3 “Like an apple tree among the trees of the orchard, so is my beloved among the sons of men.”
The Catholic devotion of the rosary is also called the Rosarium or Rose Garden and each prayer in it is seen as a rose to offer Mary in her role as Intercessor and prayer warrior for her children. Each of the 20 mysteries of the Rosary is linked to the Divine Attributes of God. A white and a red rose are conceptually seen on the left and on the right of each attribute in the figure of the Divine Man who is perfectly mirrored in the mother. The rose has been associated with many of the famous apparitions of Mary through the ages such as Guadalupe in Mexico.
The Rosa Mystica, Genesis 1 and the Number 42: A Hebrew Catholic Insight
As discussed in previous posts I believe that the Jewish mystical book of the Zohar is Jewish Christian in its origins and when read at its deeper levels reveals a text that is a Eucharistic, Marian, Messianic and Josephine penetration of the Biblical text of the Torah. Even the name of the book Zohar alludes to the concept of Miriam who is Our Lady in Eternity as the Dark Waters and Light who is the Mother of Sorrows as the weeping Shekhinah and the feminine Mystical Rose. Many Jews believe that after the Bible and Talmud the Zohar comes next in authority in Judaism.
Song of Songs 2:2 refers to Our Lady and her Immaculate Conception and the following verse to her Son the Beloved (dodi) who is the Messiah. The Zohar asks “Who is Shoshanah (Roza)?” The answer is Kneset Israel or the Woman of Israel. “For there is a rose and then there is Rosa Mystica.” Daniel Matt states: “A rose blossom can have thirteen petals in its second tier.” The Zohar states : “Just as a rose has thirteen petals, so Kneset Yisrael (Our Lady) has thirteen qualities of mercy surrounding Her on every side.” It is this Celestial Mother that fully understands the concept of God as ‘Elohim’ (God). She does this through her spousal relationship with the Holy Spirit of Understanding (Binah). This Holy Spirit is called ‘Ruach Elohim’ in Genesis 1. Between the first and second mentions of ‘Elohim’ in Genesis 1, there are thirteen Hebrew words symbolising the 13 qualities of Mercy. These 13 qualities are in a deep way connected with the Spirit of God and his spouse the Celestial Mother. These 13 qualities of Mercy are linked to the 13 rivers of balsam that await the righteous (Tzadikim) in the World to Come.
Daniel Matt states: “The leaves of rose plants grow in clusters of five, nine and thirteen leaves.” Also between the second and third mentions of 'Elohim' are five words that are connected in the Zohar with the five gates of Salvation (yeshuot). This Salvation (yeshuot) is directly connected to the raising of the cup of Salvation also called the cup of Blessing. This in veiled terms is directing us to a meditation on the five wounds of the crucified Messiah made present in the Eucharist in the raising of the Eucharistic Cup of Blessing and Salvation which is Yeshuah (Jesus) himself. Thus this opening section of the Sefer Zohar is in veiled form revealing the mysteries of the Immaculate Conception of Mary and then moves on to the Virginal Incarnation of Jesus (Yeshuah).
“From the second ‘Elohim’ till the third, five words appear. From here on the creative Light, that is concealed and contained in the covenant, enters the Rosa Mystica and emits seed into her.” The Zohar then associates this process with the number 42 which is a veiled reference to the word ‘imma’ (alef mem alef) and 'My heart' (lamed bet yod). Imma means Mummy or Mother in Aramaic and Hebrew. This is connected to Genesis 3:15 where the Woman (isha) is the mother (imma) of the Divine Seed (the future Mashiach). The mysteries of the Spirit and of the Mother are closely connected at the level of Understanding (Binah). The 42 are connected to the first 42 letters of the Torah from the first ‘beit’ in ‘Bereshit’ to the ‘beit’ in ‘bohu’. The 42 is also the 22 letters or paths and the ten Sefirot plus the ten creative Sefirot mirrored in the heavenly Mother or Woman.
It is interesting that “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” author Douglas Adams says that the answer to Life, the Universe and everything is 42 in his novel. In a sense the Sefer Zohar says the same thing. The Zohar calls it “the 42 letters of the act of Creation”. The Universe is made in the image of this Imma (Mother). The number 42 is also the gematria for ‘My Heart’. This alludes to both the Sacred Heart of Yeshua ha Mashiach and the Immaculate Heart of Miriam ha Kedosha as well as the Pure Fatherly Hidden Heart of Yosef ha Tzadik (which is hidden or eclipsed in the heart of his wife) as three hearts that beat as one.
Rosa Mystica and the Hidden Hebrew Goddess and Her Son: A Hebrew Catholic Reflection
The Jewish mystical commentary on the five books of the Torah, the Zohar, reveals deep spiritual meanings hidden in the text of the Bible in regards to the Mystical Rose (Rosa Mystica) which alludes to this mysterious feminine Presence in Judaism who Raphael Patai calls the Hebrew Goddess. However this Goddess is not like the pagan Goddesses who do their own will but she is the one who perfectly mirrors the Divine Will. There are seventy faces to this mystical diamond or sapphire and Rosa Mystica can be understood on many levels and layers of meaning that complement but not contradict each other or the other elements of Jewish and Catholic faith.
On one level of understanding the Rosa Mystica is the mystery of the Two Hearts that beat as one. These are the two children symbolised by the cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant mentioned in the introduction to the Zohar. They are the "blossoms". The Mother or female is the rose bush with its blossoms and the male is the apple Tree with its blossoms (see the Song of Songs chapter 2). The blossoms are the ten attributes (sefirot). The Hebrew words of sapphire (safir) and sefirot share the same root ספר. The term of ‘created these’ (‘bara elleh’) refers mystically to these two with child-like hearts that beat as one. The heart of the feminine Rosa Mystica is united to the heart of her Divine Son (the male Mystical Rose) who is the image and likeness of the Infinite One.
Who created these (mi bara elleh) two hearts? The Infinite One through the power, light and love of the Holy Spirit. The Son in his divinity was not created but in his humanity he was created through the flesh of his Mother. These two Cherubic Hearts united by the Divine Mercy (chesed) adore the Infinite Abba (Father) in spirit and in truth. The mystery (Raza) of the Temple is the Rose that is the two hearts. It is two Roses that are united as One Rose. It is the Rosa Mundi. The white rose of the female and the red rose of the suffering male are united to form this Universal and Mystical Rose. O mystery of mysteries (Raza de Razin) is the holy rosarium. Rosarium is Latin for the Rose Garden. The rose Garden is the Garden of Pardes- it is the spiritual journey to the divine heart of the Mystical Rose. It is the number 13. 13 is for Love (ahavah). 13 is for oneness and unity (echad) of the hearts filled with the 13 qualities or attributes of mercy (Chesed).
The Zohar asks “Who created these?” ‘Who’ (‘mi’ in Hebrew) and ‘what’ (‘mah’ in Hebrew) refers to the cherubs of the Ark – the Holy children- one male and the other female. Metatron and Matronita. Yeshuah and Miriam. The ‘mem’ מ of ‘who’ (mi) is the female enclosed with two mems as a Rose Garden. This is part of the mystery (raza) of the name ‘Miriam’ מרים who is Rosa Mystica. The letter ‘yod’ י of ‘who’ (miמי) is the male- the Divine Yesod (foundation) and Holy Tzaddik (righteous one). The memמ of ‘mi’ is at the level of Binah (Understanding) and the yod of ‘mi’ is at the level of Hokmah (Wisdom).
The mem of ‘mah’ is the Mother as Kneset Yisrael– Mother of the Church. The ‘hay’ ה of ‘what’ (‘mah’ מה) is the radiance of the Shekhinah – it is the Holy Spirit and the Son as the Body of Christ. He is the Head (rosh) and Beginning (reshit) of Creation. Shekhinah is the manifestation of the love of the triune god through the mirror of the Mother united with the human and divine Heart of her Son. For its humanity is heart of her heart. It is the Mystical Rose for all time – the very beauty of God.
‘Bara Elleh’ (‘created these’ ברא אלה) alludes to the mystery of these two pure and holy ones. Bara can be also read as Bera (Son) and represents the male cherub while Elleh represents the female cherub on the Ark of the Covenant. Elleh or Elahאלה also means Goddess in Hebrew. It is the female that unites the two for the Son (bera) is flesh of her flesh, heart of her heart and blood of her blood. ‘mi bara elleh’ also mystically reveals that this Son is Elohim (God). The ‘mi’ מי is united with ‘elleh’ אלה in order to reveal that the Son (bera) is Elohimאלהים. This uniting of the words ‘mi’ and ‘Elleh’ makes the word Elohim אלהים.
The Bera (ַas Divine Son) is the ‘concealed of the concealed’ according to Yehuda Liebes (a leading Israeli Jewish scholar) in his book on Zohar. He is the great secret of the Zohar. The Son and his Mother is the hidden and Mystical Rose. This is the Son as the Creative Word and Light (see Gospel of John 1). Beriyah is the dimension or World where the Son (Bera) is revealed as Divine Word and Creator God (Elohim). This is also part of the mystical understanding of the first three words of the Torah “Bereshit bara Elohim”. This phrase represents the Triune Deity and the role of the Son as Creator God. Bereshit points to the Father, bara hides the mystery of the Son and Elohim proclaims the role of the Holy Spirit in the act of creation.
The mystery of ‘Bereshit’ בראשית the first word given a triune meaning of Beraברא (Son), Rosh ראש (Head) and Shit שית (six) as revealed in the Zohar also reveals the mystery of the Rosa Mystica. The word ‘shit’ שית refers to the number six alluding to the six days of Creation. It also alludes to the male Rose (shoshan) for Shoshan also derives from the number six as a rose is said to have six petals on one of its tiers. Here we see that the rose refers to both Jesus and Mary as well as to the very Creation itself. The three meanings of the Mystical Rose are intricately linked. The Rose also represents the five gates of salvation united with the sixth sefirah (attribute) of Yesod /Tzaddik (foundation/ righteousness) of the lower attributes that make up the Divine Body of the Son (Zer Anpin / Shorter or Lower Divine Face).
Joseph, the Cup of Blessing and Rosa Mystica: A Hebrew Catholic Insight
The Sefer Zohar states: "The Rose is the Cup of Blessing". This is part of the mystery of the Holy Grail. It is also the Eucharistic Cup of Blessing in the liturgy of the Mass. Thus the Rose in another sense refers to the Eucharist. This is the Cup of Salvation that has messianic significance (see Psalm 116:13). The Zohar associates this cup with the Holy Child who is Son of Joseph and associated with the fish (nuna in Aramaic). Every holy hour of Eucharistic Adoration is an entering into the rose and the Divine Attributes follow forth as a rose unfolding and blossoming. Rav Hamnuna Sava mentioned in the Sefer Zohar is a reference to the Fisherking of this period who is a descendant of Joseph of Arimathea the original guardian of the Holy Grail. This is the Rose as ‘Shoshan’ the male six petalled one. ‘Shoshanah’ is the female thirteen petalled Rose.
The six days of Creation are also the unfolding or blossoming of the Rose. On the first day of Creation the conceptual light of the Two Hearts was hidden in the textual well of Miriam. On the third day of Creation these two beautiful blossoming plants ‘appeared on earth’. This means that the concept of the Two Hearts was revealed to the angelic beings who, under God, ruled the Universe and the Earth. On the fourth day of Creation the imperfect lights (angelic beings who became demons) fell by rejecting the Divine Will and Light for these Two Hearts.
These Two Hearts were the beautiful blossoming Mystical Rose Bush and the Mystical Apple Tree. They are the image and model for the Creation. They are the Eternal Blueprint and the Living Torah. The attributes called the blossoms are mirrored in the patriarchs. Like the Two hearts the Patriarchs and Matriarchs were in the mind of the Creator as a Blueprint before the actual spiritual and physical creation. In the Olam Haba (The World that is Coming) they were hidden with ‘the Two Hearts that beat as One’. The blossoming Mystical Rose Bush is also the Burning Bush of Exodus who Moses encountered and from which the Lord spoke from its midst.This also alludes to the mystery of the Immaculate Conception.
The Patriarch Joseph is a representative of the heavenly Joseph associated with the Divine Attribute of Righteousness. This heavenly Joseph is the Ultimate Tzadik (Righteous One). Joseph is the one who lives in Divine Will through being totally eclipsed or hidden in his spousal bride. The patriarch Joseph is also a type of Joseph, the husband of Our Lady, who is also called a Tzadik (rigteous or just man) in the New Testament. Joseph is the hidden Tzadik and Master of Prayer referred to in the teaching of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (see Likutey Moharan 67). Joseph is also a sign of the Messiah son of Joseph who is to come in the fullness of these attributes that are called the blossoms of the Patriarchs.
The blossoms are the spiritual fruit of the Divinity. The Zohar hints that the coming of the two blossoming ones is connected to a Joseph –like figure with whom they would live in a hidden way in the Holy Land. The Zohar states that they will be revealed when the Rainbow herself appears. The feminine Rainbow is the symbol of Our Lady in Eternity (Olam Haba). When she comes to earth (‘appears on earth’), the full message of the Patriarchs and the Torah will be revealed about these two pure child-like ones (symbolised by the Cherubs on the ends of the Ark of the Covenant). Joseph's coat of many colours represents the male Rainbow or male array of sefirot (attributes). These two pure golden children of Adam and Eve will bring the full blossoming of the Torah to its deepest level of Messianic, Marian and Universal understanding. A level only the humble and child-like ones can fully comprehend. The Zohar is this way of the Rose, revealing the true blossoming of the Torah.
Rosa Mundi, the Divine Name, the Number 42 and the Cup of Salvations: A Hebrew Catholic Meditation
The opening chapter of the Sefer Zohar (the Jewish mystical commentary on the Torah) speaks about the Mystical Rose (Rosa Mystica) of the Song of Songs 2:2 which is encompassed by five leaves. The five leaves or gates of 'Salvations' (yeshuot) are also linked to the five books of Torah which parallel the five wounds of the Messiah Yeshua. This is linked to the lifting of the"Cup of Salvations" in Psalm 116:13 and the mystery of the Divine Name Y-H-V-Hי־ה־ו־ה which has the missing letter 'shin'ש in which yod י hay ה is united by shinש with vav ו hay הY-h-Sh-V-Hי-ה-ש-ו-ה (see Isaiah 45:23, Philippians 2:10 and Romans 14:11). This alludes to the Lord as the God of salvation and mercy. This mysterious shin ש as the hidden 3rd or 5th letter of the Divine Name is alluded to in the shin ש on the head Tefillin and on the Mezuzah. This also alludes to the "Cup of Blessing" as the Eucharistic Cup that is connected to the Jewish concepts of the 3rd and 5th cups of the traditional Jewish Passover Seder.
Bereshit (Genesis) is to be identified with the gate of the Messiah's crucified right hand of Mercy, Shemot (Exodus) with his crucified left hand of power (Gevurah), Vayyikkra (Leviticus) with his pierced and beautiful Heart of compassion, BeMidbar (Numbers) with his crucified right foot of Endurance and Victory and Devarim (Deuteronomy) with his left foot of hidden Majesty and Splendour. The Divine Man is the Living Torah. By his crucifixion the closed gates of Salvation were opened and salvation gushed forth as Divine Love and Mercy which is his precious Blood. Jewish mysticism refers to this as the left red hand or arm of God and the white right hand or arm of God and in the Catholic Divine Mercy devotion as the white and red rays flowing from the Divine Heart.
The Sefer Zohar refers to the two ends of Heaven in regard to the two Cherubim on the ends of the Ark of the Covenant. The two cherubim are discussed in Exodus 25:17-22. The two ends (of ‘mi’ (who) and ‘mah’ (what)) are the two cherubim. “And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end” (Exodus 25:19). The divine Presence speaks above the Mercy Seat (covering) between the two cherubim. We can say "Who is she?" (mi zot מי זאת or mi hi מי היא) alluding to the Mystical Female in Song of Songs 6:10 and "What is he?" (mah hu מה הוא or man hu מן־הוא) of the Manna of Exodus that alludes to the Eucharistic Bread and Lord. Jewish tradition teaches that these two cherubs are male and female (see Rashi) and are referred to as Metatron and Matronita.
Rabbi Abraham Abulafia in his work “Chay Olam Haba” (Life of the Future World) says that “the two cherubs allude to the Divine Presence (Ha Shekinah = 390).” He then associates the Shekinah with the male and female cherubim as zachar u-nukevah (male and female in Hebrew) which also adds up to 390 in gematria. 390 is also the gematria of Heaven (Shamayim). He also states that “the primeval substance is on the ark cover like the form of the Rainbow”. Each of the three parts of this phrase are 805 in gematria. ‘Chamar rishon’ (primeval substance) = 805, ‘al haKaporet’ (on the Ark Cover) = 805 and ‘ha keshet’ (the Rainbow) = 805 in gematria. “They were forged as a single body with two forms” writes Abulafia in regards to the two golden cherubim on the Ark. This is a veiled understanding of how Yeshua and Miriam are both of the flesh of Miriam ha Kedosha (in unique way) but they are in two forms of the male and the female – as a new Adam and a new Eve.
“They (the cherubim) look at each other and the Name was between them” states Rabbi Abulafia. He then writes that “all this was like a Tree on the Ark cover, and because of the Rainbow it had to be forged”. Thus we see that the Tree represents the male Divinity (see Song of Songs) and the Rainbow represents the female. Their hearts are forged so that they beat as one in the Divine Will. The Name is the 42 mentioned in the Zohar. Rabbi Abulafia associates this Name with the phrase ‘Be- yad Y-H-V-H’ (in or with the hand of Y-H-V-H) which adds up to the number 42 and is found in 2 Samuel 24:14. The hand with its five fingers can also be seen as a rose with its leaves. The clenched fist is the rosebud and the unclenched hand is the blossoming or unfolding of the Rose. Rabbi Abulafia explains further the mystery of this number 42.
“Their mystery is :
God eloh אלוה (alef lamed vav hay) =42
My only One Yakhidiיחידי(yod chet yod dalet yod) =42
In Them bemבם (beit mem) =42
My Heart lebi לבי(lamed beit yod) =42
Will be worthy yezokahיזכה(yod zayin kaf hay) =42
And this mystery is
Enough! Enough! Enough! dai dai daiדי די די(dalet yod) =42”
That Rabbi Abulafia associated the mystical path with the Rose is demonstrated in that one of his works on the mystical encounter with the Divine man or Form was called ‘Shoshan Sodot’ (Rose of Mysteries). This concept of the Mystical Rose which is the Rose of the World or Universe (Rosa Mundi that is both red and white) is known as the Raza de Razin (Mystery of Mysteries) in Jewish mystical thought. Each dai is 14 (the number of David) and three times dai is 42 alluding to the Mystery of the Dayenu of the Passover Seder as alluding to Yeshua (the Rainbow), Miriam (the mirror of the Rainbow) and Yosef (the hidden Rainbow) the three perfect or holy ones of the Davidic House which are enough (dai). Each believer is called to become a miniature or very little Mystical Rose that brings God's salvation and mercy to the souls of others. Each time we pray the Rosary we become more perfected or sanctified when we unite it in Divine Will with the offering of the Queen of the Rosary who is the Lady of the Roses for the glory of Hashem (The Name/ Adonai).
Magen David and the Mystical Rose: A Hebrew Catholic Insight
The Magen David (the Shield or Star of David) is a symbol of the Mystical Rose-Lily with its six points representing the six petals of the Rose (shoshan). The two triangles are the two ancient triangular mems מ of the name of Miriam in the Ashurit script or two triangular dalets ד in the Paleo-Hebrew script. It is the union of the Divine Wisdom (the mem pointing downwards-mem sofit) with the Mother of Understanding and Wisdom (Sophia) (the mem pointing upwards). The Magen David is seen as a Key – it is the Key of David. This key is the key to the Tower of David and the key to the Mystical Rose Garden.
These triangular mems also represent the Triune God and the three fiats of the Divine Will – the Fiat of the Creation, the Fiat of the Redemption and the Fiat of the Kingdom of the Divine Will. These three fiats represent the unfolding or blossoming of the Universal Rose (Rosa Mundi). Each of the triangular ‘mems’ represent the Two Hearts – the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts which are the two cherubim (male and female) on the Ark of the Covenant. The Creation is seen as a Rose that is unfolding or blossoming over the six days of Creation. This is the Rosa Mundi – the rose of the world or the Universal Rose. This Rose represents the model and image of the Creation. Mary united with her Son’s Heart is the Mother of the Universe and the model of the Universe. On the menorah in the Holy Place of the Temple are seven magen david shaped ornamental rose -lilies (shoshanot) which shine seven star-shaped magen davids on the floor of the Holy Place.
Our Lady in Eternity (represented by ‘mi’ who), as the Mother of Wisdom or Sophia, descends and becomes the Daughter of Elohim (God) and the Daughter of the Church (Kneset/Kehilla). The concept of the Mother in eternity is her adornment (title) as the Mother of the Creation. When she descends she puts off her adornments and comes with her garments (the 10 created Sefirot) in a humble and hidden way. She is the lowly handmaiden and daughter of God. At the Annunciation she becomes the living Ark of the Covenant (see Luke 1 and Revelations 11) who bears Elohim in her womb. Here in the Zohar (1:2a) it speaks of the mystery of Mary’s coronation. “Behold, the Ark of the Covenant, Sovereign of the Earth” (Joshua 3:11). The Zohar applies this phrase to the Celestial Mother/Daughter who as the Mother and Daughter of Elohim is the image of the House of Elohim (Temple).
Mary (Miriam ha Kedosha) adorns male garments as the Sovereign and Warrior of the sons of Elohim. She leads her warriors to become like Elohim. This is the mystery of Divinisation. The mission of the humble daughter of Elohim is then achieved and she enters into her joy or triumph. This is the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart. This is the fulfilment of Zephaniah 3:14. “Rejoice, O fair Daughter of Zion, all Israel cry aloud: here is joy and triumph for thy Royal Heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem”. This humble daughter of Zion is the Heavenly Ark of the Covenant, Sovereign Queen of all the Earth. The Zohar says in regard to her: “ ‘Then I conduct them from above to the house of Elohim, to be Elohim, like him’. With what? With joyous shouts of praise, the festive throng.”
This whole section of Zohar is trying to explain how souls become incarnated to their bodies. The ‘from above’ represents the place from which the souls descend from the Mind of the Son (mi) in the world of Beriyah to the lower worlds where each soul is connected to the Female (mah) who is the living Ark of the Covenant, Sovereign of all the Earth. In Zohar 1:3b the Zohar discusses the Rose as a Palace and a key. It is the key that opens and closes- the key of David. This is the Key of the Kingdom (Malchut) which is associated with King David and given by Jesus the Son of David and Davidic Messiah to Shimon Kepha. This is the ‘Magen David’. It is associated with the point of Wisdom (Hokhmah). Hokhmah has 50 gates. This is the mystery or secret of the Bera (ברא Son) concealed in Bereshit. Bereshit is the key and it has six gates (the Magen David and the Rose). “As long as the world was locked within the word BRAברא (Son and Creation), it was not, did not exist.” This is explaining the Mystery of the Son (Bera) containing the whole plan of Creation within his Divine Mind, until then everything was hidden. The Son through the point of Wisdom opened and the Creation flowed forth as a rose unfolding and blossoming. Everything was concealed in the Bera (Son) and he opened due to the divine Love and Mercy symbolised by Abraham.
The name BRAברא (beit resh alef) was transposed and became fruitful through the Divine Phallus of ABRאבר (Ever/ organ). These three letters in this order are the beginning of the name Abraham as well as the word for the sexual organ. This is a deep ‘theology of the body’. This ‘ever’אבר (organ) is the Yesod (foundation or pillar) of the world. It is the Ultimate Tzaddik. This is linked with the verse: “The Tzaddik is the foundation of the world”. This ‘ever’ אבר which is connected with ‘Bera’ברא is called the ‘divine concealed one’. We are led back to the phrase ‘mi bara elleh’ (who created these). In the word ABR אברwas engraved ‘H’ה (hay) and in the word ELHאלה was engraved ‘Y’ י (yod). Then the mystery of the two mems מ is mentioned that complete the names Abraham and Elohim. Here the two names are referring to the concepts of Mercy and Judgement.
The two mems represent ‘mayim’ מים the spiritual water and ‘Miriam’ מרים the heavenly Mother (imma אמא) who is Rosa Mystica- the white Rose or Flower. The uniting of the two mems produced the rose that is the shield or star of David. They are the two hearts which are seen as triangular shaped mems. The Mother united with her Son (Ben Avraham) are the two roses (red and white) that become one as the Rosa Mundi. Miriam the sister of Moses is also associated with the name Zohar.
In this same section of Sefer Zohar it speaks of the ‘Holy Lamp” which also represents the Divine Heart. St Gertrude states that Jesus gave her “his divine Heart in the form of a lighted lamp.” Jesus also spoke to St Gertrude about ‘the eyes of the heart’. The eyes represent the divine attributes of ‘mercy’ and ‘judgement’ and the heart the attribute of compassion. This is linked to 1 Kings 9:3 “and my eyes and my heart will dwell there perpetually”. Jesus also said to St Gertrude “Here is My Heart”. ‘My Heart’ in Hebrew gematria is 42. Rabbi Hiyya (in Zohar 1:4a) refers to this ‘Holy Lamp” as the Light of the world, the Majestic Ruler and Prince.
The Rosa Mystica and the Sabbath: A Hebrew Catholic Reflection
In Zohar 1:4a-b it reveals that the Mystical Rose also called Heaven (Shamayim) has 390 firmaments. This is the mystical Rose garden (Rosarium in Latin). It reveals that there are two higher academies or yeshivahs. One in the higher regions of what Catholics would call Purgatory close to the gates of Heaven is a Garden of Eden or a Rosarium where there is an Academy where the souls learn Torah. They are taught by the great teachers who descend from the Academy in Heaven and the Messiah himself visits these Academies on occasion. “Meanwhile he heard a voice proclaiming, ‘Make way, make way – for the King Messiah is coming to the Academy of Rabbi Shimon!’… The Messiah visits all those academies, setting his seal on the Torah issuing from the mouths of the rabbis. At that moment the Messiah arrived, adorned by the heads of the academies with celestial crowns.”
The Zohar also reveals that the two beings or minds represented by the golden cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant are also the feminine and masculine aspects of Sabbath and of Torah. The written Torah is seen as the male six-petalled mystical rose and the oral Torah as the female thirteen-petalled mystical rose. The written Torah represents the giving of wisdom and the oral Torah the understanding of that given wisdom.
It is the female or Mother that understands the Torah fully. It is the Mother understanding the wisdom of the heart of her Son. This is the two mems of the name Miriam מרים. The open mem מ is the sea or vessel of Understanding that receives the wisdom of the closed or final (sofit) mem ם who is the Head (rosh) of Creation. The ‘resh’ ר in Miriam represents the word ‘head’ (rosh) and the ‘yod’ י represents the word ‘hand’ (yad).
The head and the hand represent the Divine Man who is encompassed by the concept of the two mems which is Miriam. This is associated with Oral Torah as the way through the Sea (yam) (Isaiah 43:16). This way of the sea (Zohar 1:48b) is the Way of the prophetess Miriam who saw the Mysteries of the Rose as an opening of the Divine Sea. The earthly Miriam is a type of the Heavenly Miriam who is to be the Mother of the Messiah.
Zohar 1:5b reveals the Female, who we have seen is the Rosa Mystica, as the Sabbath Queen (the 13 petalled rose). She is associated with the Sabbath Eve and her Son with the Sabbath Day (the 6 petalled rose). “She said before Him, ‘Master of the Universe, since the day you created me, I have been called Sabbath - and there can be no ‘Day’ without ‘Night’’.” This alludes to Genesis 1:5 “And God called the Light ‘Day”, and the darkness [the Female concealed in darkness (glow light/zohar)] ‘Night’ [the Sabbath Night], And there was Evening [Sabbath Eve] and there was Morning [Sabbath Morning or Day] – day one.” The day one (yom echad) represents the unity of the Lord of the Sabbath and the Sabbath Queen. The word ‘yom’ יום (yod vav mem) represents the unity of Y־H־V־H and his mother. The ‘yod’ י is the ‘Son of the Father’ who descends or bursts into Creation (Tzimtzum) as ‘Light’ (Or) and the ‘vav’ ו represents the Son as a ‘rose’ that unfolds and blossoms united to the ‘mem’ מ which is associated with the Mother who is Miriam. The ‘yam’ ים(sea) that is Miriam (Mir-yam מרים) is found in the word ‘yom’ יום (day) as it surrounds the ‘vav’ as the Sea of wisdom and Mercy. The ‘vav’ ו is the Son (Zer Anpin) who is the male aspect of Wisdom.
Zohar 1:5b discusses further the Sabbath Queen: “My daughter you are Sabbath – I call you Sabbath – but I am about to crown you with a higher crown.” Here it reveals in veiled form that this perfect mirror of the Lord is to receive a higher honour. She is to become the Sanctuary or Temple of the Lord YHVH himself. She is to bear God in her womb as the Living Ark of the Covenant. “He issued a proclamation: My sanctuary you are to hold in ‘Awe’ (Reverence). This is the Sabbath of Sabbath Eve, who is ‘Awe’ and in whom ‘Divine Awe’ dwells. Who is that? (mi zeh?) The one included by the Blessed Holy One when he said ‘I am YHVH’.” (Zohar 1:5b). Thus Mary (Miriam) as the perfect mirror of ‘Divine Awe’ becomes the Sanctuary (mother) for the “Divine Awe’ himself who is the Blessed Holy One (the Divine Heart) and Y-H-V-H – the I AM. The Zohar in this section also reveals that these two Sabbaths are also called ‘Heaven’ (i.e the Son) and the ‘Earth’ (i.e. the Mother). They are represented by a circle and a square – the square inside the circle. These two are associated with the Kiddush of Sabbath Eve.
The 70 names of God associated with this Sabbath Eve Kiddush adorns the Sabbath Queen. The Lady of the Sabbath is connected with the word ‘observe’ (shamor) in Deuteronomy 5:12 and the Lord of the Sabbath is linked with ‘remember’ (zakhor). The Lord of the Sabbath is called Supreme King and the ‘King who possesses Peace’. Zakhor (remember) alludes to Zakhar (male). This circle and square represent the unity of the Two Hearts that beat as One. These mysteries are revealed by Elijah disguised as an old donkey driver which alludes to his role in preparing the way for the Messiah who comes humbly riding on a donkey.
