Lily / Rose

Shoshana (שושנה) is one of the most poetic and beloved words in the Hebrew language, appearing prominently in the Song of Songs: 'I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys' (Shir HaShirim 2:1). While modern Hebrew uses shoshana primarily to mean 'lily,' in biblical Hebrew it referred broadly to beautiful flowers, including roses. The word appears six times in the Song of Songs alone, making it one of the most romantic botanical references in scripture. The famous passage 'As a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters' (2:2) has inspired countless commentaries, both romantic and mystical. The Zohar interprets the shoshana as a symbol of the Knesset Yisrael (the community of Israel), with its thirteen petals representing the thirteen attributes of divine mercy. Shoshana is one of the most popular Hebrew names for girls, both in Israel and in the diaspora (often in its English form, Susan or Susanna). Famous bearers include Shoshana Damari, considered the 'Queen of Israeli Song,' and the biblical figure Shoshana (Susanna) from the Book of Daniel apocrypha. In Israeli gardens and culture, lilies and roses hold special significance. The Madonna lily (shoshan tzachor) grows wild in the Galilee, and the six-petaled lily motif appears in ancient synagogue art and on Israeli pottery. The word shoshana has also given us the number six in Hebrew (shesh), as the lily was associated with its six petals.