The Zohar, that mystical cornerstone of Kabbalah, gives us a glimpse into their inner world. In Parashat Bereshit, 34a, it speaks of God’s reign in layered terms: "The Lord is King, the Lord is King, the Lord shall reign forever and ever, the Lord shall reign above." It’s not just a simple declaration of sovereignty. The Zohar sees something deeper. "The Lord is King" in the middle, it says. "The Lord shall reign below accordingly." According to the Zohar, "King" refers to divine intentions, and "The Lord is King" also refers to the long countenance of God. Then there's the Father and Mother. And "The Lord shall reign," refers to the small and feminine aspects of the divine.
It's complex, right? But hold on, it gets even more interesting.
In Parashat Beshalach, 64a, we find the Israelites asking, "Is the Lord in our midst or not?" Now, on the surface, it seems like a straightforward question. But the Zohar sees something more profound at play. Were the Israelites really foolish enough to not know if God was with them?
The Zohar suggests they were trying to understand something much more nuanced: the distinction between the Ancient Concealed One, called Ain (nothingness), and the Small Countenance, called Havayah – the sacred, ineffable name of God. They were trying to grasp which aspect of God was leading them.
The Zohar connects this question to the verse "If you follow my teachings or not." The Israelites, it suggests, were essentially asking: "Are we meant to relate to God in this way, or in that way?"
The Maharal of Prague, a renowned 16th-century scholar, further illuminates this. He explains that our ancestors sought to understand who was truly leading them, performing these miracles: was it the Holy One, called Za (Zeir Anpin, the Small Countenance) and Havayah, or was it the Ancient One?
Why does it matter? Because, as the Maharal points out, there’s a difference in how we serve and relate to these different aspects of the Divine. There's a difference between one form of worship and another, between one intention and another.
They were uncertain, wrestling with this profound theological question, until they heard the words, "I am the Lord your God." And then, they knew. They knew that He is Zeir Anpin, as mentioned above.
So, the next time you read that seemingly simple question, "Is the Lord in our midst or not?" remember the depth and complexity that lies beneath the surface. Remember that our ancestors weren't just blindly following; they were actively grappling with the very nature of God, seeking to understand how to best serve and connect with the Divine. And in that struggle, we find a reflection of our own ongoing quest for meaning and connection.