It’s a question that Kabbalists have pondered for centuries. And the text Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a profound work of Jewish mysticism, offers a fascinating insight.

It all comes down to Daat (דעת), meaning "knowledge," but in Kabbalah it represents a hidden Sefirah (סְפִירָה‎), a divine attribute or emanation, that acts as a bridge. Think of Daat as the control panel, the place where divine will translates into tangible reality. The way things are actually governed depends on this Daat.

And here's the really interesting part: within this governing order, things are balanced. They stand "parallel, one to the right and one to the left." What does that mean? Well, the text explains that the root from which divine influence descends is ordered so that Zeir Anpin (זְעֵיר אַנפִּין), the "Small Face" or the divine masculine principle, with his MaH, stands on the foundation of Kindness. On the other hand, Nukva (נוּקְבָּא), the divine feminine principle, with her BaN, stands on the foundation of Judgment.

This concept, this balance, isn't new. It echoes in ancient rabbinic wisdom. Remember the teaching in Niddah 31a that "the man secretes the white substance and the woman the red?" It's an analogy, of course, a way of understanding the different but complementary roles in creation.

The prophet Isaiah (48:13) also touches upon this idea: “My hand has laid the foundation of the earth and My right hand has spanned the heavens: when I call to them they stand up together.” Bereishit Rabbah (1:15) comments on this verse, noting that these forces are “balanced one against the other.” It's all about equilibrium.

Now, it's true that in the chain of emanation, Nukva, the receiver, is tenth. But when it comes to actually governing the world, God gives man, the receiver, equal partnership. How so? Because humanity's service, the "female waters" (a Kabbalistic term for our actions and prayers that rise upward), are instrumental in eliciting God's influence, the "male waters" (the divine grace and blessings that descend).

So, in the actual order of governing, Zeir Anpin and Nukva are parallel. It’s a powerful image: two forces, seemingly different, working in perfect harmony to sustain the cosmos.

What does this tell us? Perhaps it's a reminder that true strength lies not in dominance, but in balance. Not in rigid hierarchy, but in cooperative partnership. Maybe, just maybe, understanding this divine dynamic can help us create a little more harmony in our own lives and in the world around us.