The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a profound work of Kabbalah, offers a glimpse into just that kind of interconnectedness. It speaks of knowing the Divine through "this" – a single Hebrew word, zot (זאת). But what exactly is "this"?
Zot, in this context, refers to Malkhut (מלכות), the tenth Sephirah, often translated as "Kingdom" or "Sovereignty." Malkhut is considered the final, the most tangible, of the ten emanations through which the Divine manifests in the world. But don't let "final" fool you. It's not the end of the line; it's the point of connection.
The Tikkunei Zohar tells us that knowing God through Malkhut is akin to knowing God through all the realms, both higher and lower. Why? Because Malkhut, this seemingly "lower" sphere, is actually comprised of the higher ones. It embodies and connects them all, while simultaneously being enclothed in the lower realms. Think of it like a prism: pure white light enters, but emerges as a spectrum of vibrant colors. Malkhut is the prism.
This concept might seem a bit abstract, but it has profound implications. It means that the Divine isn’t some distant, unreachable entity. It’s present, accessible, and knowable through the world around us, through the very fabric of our reality.
As the prophet Jeremiah says (9:22-23), "Let not the boaster boast… except in ‘this’." What is there to boast about in Malkhut? Perhaps that we have found the Divine in the most accessible place.
But the Tikkunei Zohar doesn't stop there. It also equates Malkhut with both nevuah (prophecy) and ḥokhmah (wisdom). It is called “prophecy” from the aspect of the prophets, and “wisdom” from the aspect of the wise, for all the sephirot are called “wise-ones” (hakhamim).
Why? Because Malkhut, in its receptivity and reflection, allows us to perceive divine wisdom and receive prophetic insight. It’s the lens through which we can glimpse the deeper truths of existence. It is through understanding Malkhut that we can begin to see the world, and our place in it, with new eyes.
So, the next time you're feeling disconnected or lost, remember the concept of zot, of Malkhut. Remember that the Divine is not hidden away in some inaccessible realm. It's right here, right now, waiting to be discovered in the beauty and complexity of the world around us. And maybe, just maybe, that realization is the first step towards a deeper understanding of ourselves, and of the universe we inhabit.