Opening of the Zohar
Rabbi Hizkiyah opened,
It is written, as a rose among thorns.
That a rose is the Assembly of Israel. Because there is a rose and there is a rose, just as a rose among thorns is tinged with red and white, the Assembly of Israel consists of judgement and mercy. Just as a rose has thirteen petals, the Assembly of Israel is surrounded on all sides by the thirteen attributes of mercy. However, Elokim, that is here thought to bring out the thirteen words that surround the Assembly of Israel and guard it.
Afterwards, this is mentioned another time. The reason it is mentioned another time is to bring out the five rigid leaves that surround the rose. And these five stand for salvation. These are also the five gates. It is written of this secret, “I will raise the cup of salvation, it is the cup of blessing.” The cup of blessing must rest on five fingers, and no more, just as a rose rests on five rigid leaves that correspond to the five fingers. And this rose is the cup of blessing.
Source: English translation from the Walking Kabbalah: www.walkingkabbalah.com/zohar-pdf/
