101. A Commentary on the Psalm, "For the Leader upon Roses"
For the leader, one who has already won.
Upon Shoshanim (roses), meaning the Holy Shechina (Divinity), which concerns the inversion from mourning to a good day and Sasson (joy). And since there are many states of ascents and descents, called Shoshanim, from the words “blunt its Shinaim (teeth),” the questions of the wicked should not be answered, but rather, blunt its teeth. And from the multiple beatings, meaning from the proliferation of blunting its teeth, we come to roses. Hence there are many discernments of Sasson (Joy) in it, which is why it is spoken of in plural tense, “roses.”
Of the sons of Korah, from the word Karachah (bold), meaning that the hair has gone bold. Se’arot mean Hastarot (concealments), from the word Se’ara (storm). It is known that “reward is according to the effort.” This means that when there are Se’arot, it is a place for work. And when corrected, hair comes over the storm, by way of, “This is the gate of the Lord.” And when one has corrected all the storms, and has no more concealments, then he hasn’t any room for work, and therefore has no place for reward.
It follows that when a person comes to the state of Korah, he can no longer extend faith, called “the gate to the Lord.” This is so because if there is no gate, one cannot enter the King’s palace, since it is the foundation, since the entire structure is built on faith.
“Sons of Korah” comes from the word Bina. They understood that Korah is considered left, from which Hell extends. This is why they wanted to continue their past friendship, from the time they were in the form of “O Lord, I have heard the report of Thee, and am afraid” (Zohar, Beresheet, 4:7). This means that with the strength they had extended from the past, they could endure the states and go from strength to strength. This is the meaning of “the sons of Korah died not.” That is, they understood that if they remained in a state of Korah, they would not be able to continue living, so they did not die.
Maskil (learned) A Song of loves, meaning that they have learned that the measure of friendship with the Creator is complete.
My heart overfloweth. The overflowing in the heart is by way of, “does not reveal from heart to mouth.” This means that there is nothing to elicit off the mouth, which is only reception in the heart, as in, whispered in the lips.
A goodly matter – faith is called “a goodly matter.”
I say: “My work is concerning a king.” When he receives the Light of faith, he says, “My work is concerning a king,” and not for myself. And then he is awarded, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer, when he is awarded the discernment of the written Torah, which is the meaning of the tongue of Moses.
Thou art fairer than the children of men, when he says to the Holy Shechina that her beauty is from people. This means that what people think of her, which is considered insignificant, precisely out of that is beauty born.
Grace is poured upon thy lips. Grace belongs particularly where praise cannot be told, but we still want it. Then we say that it is graceful.
Upon thy Sefataim (lips) means at the Sof (end), meaning that he saw from the end of the world to its end.