And according to some mystical teachings, what we see here is just a reflection of something far grander: the rainbow of the Shekhinah.
The Shekhinah, often translated as "Divine Presence," is the aspect of God that dwells among us, that's closest to creation. And the rainbow? Genesis 9:13 tells us, "I have set My bow in the clouds." It's God's promise, a reminder of the covenant never to destroy the world by flood again.
But the mystics take it even further. This earthly rainbow, they say, has a heavenly counterpart. A rainbow of the Shekhinah that arches above Aravot, the highest heaven. Can you picture it?
And it doesn't stop there. Think about Ezekiel's famous vision (Ezekiel 1:28): "Like the appearance of the bow which shines in the clouds on a day of rain, such was the appearance of the surrounding radiance." That radiance, that celestial light, is intimately tied to the Merkavah, the Divine Chariot. We find that the clouds of the rainbow surround the very Throne of Glory itself! Above the arches of the rainbow, are the wheels of the Merkavah — known as the wheels of the Ophanim.
Now, here's where it gets really interesting. The rainbow itself, this incredible arc of divine light, rests upon the shoulders of an angel: Kerubiel, the Prince of the Cherubim.
Imagine this being. As we learn, for instance, in 3 Enoch, he's described in almost the same fiery terms as Metatron, another powerful angel. Kerubiel’s mouth is like a lamp of fire, his tongue a consuming fire, eyebrows like lightning, and eyes like sparks of brilliance. On his head sits a crown of holiness, engraved with God's Name. And between his shoulders? The rainbow of the Shekhinah. And the splendor of the Shekhinah shines on his face.
It's a powerful image, isn't it? This gigantic angel, holding the rainbow. The Zohar, that foundational text of Kabbalah, doesn't shy away from these kinds of vivid descriptions.
Why an angel holding the rainbow? Some say Kerubiel represents the sun. Think about it: rainbows often appear after the rain, when the sun breaks through the clouds. The rainbow resting on the angel's shoulders becomes a potent symbol of renewal and hope.
As Ginzberg retells it in Legends of the Jews and as we find in Midrash Rabbah, these images aren't just pretty stories. They’re attempts to grasp the ungraspable, to understand the Divine in ways that resonate with our human experience. They link the earthly and the heavenly, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, the light of the Shekhinah, the promise of the rainbow, is always there.
So, next time you see a rainbow, remember Kerubiel, the Prince of the Cherubim, and the rainbow of the Shekhinah. Remember the promise, the connection, and the ever-present Divine light shining through. What does the rainbow symbolize for you?