The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a central text of Kabbalah, certainly thinks so. It delves into the profound mysteries of Shabbat, revealing its hidden connections to the divine.

The passage we're looking at from Tikkunei Zohar 76 speaks about adding to the Sabbath. What does that even mean? It means going above and beyond in our observance, in our joy, in our connection. And when we do that, something incredible happens.

The text quotes Isaiah 61:11: "…and like a garden, it shall cause its plants to flourish…" The Tikkunei Zohar connects this to our own good fortune, saying that our "good shall flourish" when we add to the Sabbath. It’s as if by embracing the holiness of the day, we unlock a hidden potential within ourselves.

But what are these "plants" that flourish? Here, the text gets even more mystical. They are, it says, “the extra souls which seed from” the Shekhinah. Shekhinah? That's the divine presence, the feminine aspect of God. These "extra souls" aren’t brand new creations, but rather, sparks of the divine that are nourished and revealed through our enhanced observance of Shabbat. It's a beautiful image, isn't it? We, in our observance, help to bring forth these divine sparks, and "Israel below rejoice from the splendour of Her glory."

Now, things get even more intriguing. The text mentions a "closed Mem ם" that "becomes open." The Hebrew letter Mem (ם in its final form) has a closed form and an open form. In Kabbalah, letters are not just symbols, they are containers of divine energy. The closed Mem, the text implies, represents a kind of blockage or limitation.

How does it open? "It is only opened with appeasement," the text says. And then it quotes the Song of Songs 5:2: "...open for me my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is filled with dew..."

This verse, a plea for intimacy and connection, hints at the key. Opening the closed Mem, unlocking that divine potential, requires a gentle, loving approach. It's not about force or demanding, but about creating a space for connection, a space for the divine to enter. It's about appeasement, not in the sense of giving in, but in the sense of creating harmony.

The "dew" mentioned in the verse is also significant. Dew, in Kabbalistic thought, often represents divine sustenance, a gentle blessing that nourishes the soul. So, the plea to open is also a recognition of our need for divine grace.

What does it all mean for us, here and now? Perhaps it's a reminder that the Sabbath is not just about what we refrain from doing, but about what we actively add to our lives: joy, connection, presence, and a yearning for the divine. By doing so, we not only enrich our own lives, but we also participate in a cosmic process, helping to bring forth the hidden sparks of divinity and opening ourselves to receive the dew of divine blessing.

So, how can we add to the Sabbath this week? What small act of kindness, what moment of presence, what intentional connection can we cultivate to unlock a little more of that divine potential? It's worth pondering, isn't it?