The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a cornerstone of Kabbalistic literature, offers a fascinating glimpse into this very question. It paints a picture of the prophet's spirit ascending, reaching a higher realm, and from that vantage point, receiving divine communication. Imagine that – a spiritual elevation allowing one to perceive truths beyond the ordinary.
The book draws our attention to the prophet Ezekiel, specifically to a powerful passage in the Book of Ezekiel. It's where God says to him, "Son of man! Stand upon your feet and I shall speak with you" (Ez. 2:1).
Think about the sheer command in that statement! It's not a gentle request, but a powerful call to attention, a preparation for something profound. The Tikkunei Zohar sees this as the very beginning of the prophet's ascent.
And then, Ezekiel continues, "And there came into me a ru-aḥ, when He spoke to me, and it stood me upon my feet, and I heard it speaking to me..." (Ez. 2:2). What is this ru-aḥ? It's often translated as "spirit" or "wind," but in this context, it's more than just a breeze. It's a divine breath, a surge of spiritual energy that empowers Ezekiel, enabling him to stand firm and receive the divine message. It's the very force that allows him to connect with the divine.
Ezekiel later says, "And a ru-aḥ lifted me and I heard behind me..." (Ez. 3:12). Again, we see the ru-aḥ at work, lifting him, transporting him, shifting his perspective. The Tikkunei Zohar makes a crucial connection here, linking these experiences to the Shekhinah, the divine feminine presence. It's said of the Shekhinah, "...and you shall see My back parts aḥoraiy..." (Ex. 33:23). So, when Ezekiel says, "...and I heard behind me aḥaraiy," the Tikkunei Zohar suggests that he is perceiving the divine from the perspective of the Shekhinah.
It's an incredible image, isn't it? Of the prophet not just hearing, but being lifted, transformed, and positioned to receive divine wisdom through the very essence of the divine feminine. It speaks to a profound intimacy, a closeness to the divine source.
This idea that prophets receive their messages from "behind," from the aḥoraiy, is fascinating. It suggests that prophetic insight isn't always about seeing the future clearly laid out before us. Sometimes, it's about understanding the past, the consequences of actions, the subtle currents that shape our present and future. The prophets, in a sense, are reading the divine "backwards" to understand where we are going.
What can we learn from this? Perhaps it's that true understanding requires a shift in perspective, a willingness to be lifted and moved by a force greater than ourselves. Maybe it’s a reminder that sometimes the most profound truths are found not by looking ahead, but by looking back, by understanding the deeper currents of the past that shape our present. And perhaps, just perhaps, by listening for the whispers of the divine ru-aḥ that surrounds us all.