Jewish mysticism often grapples with this feeling, this sense of lack. And nowhere is it more poignant than in the image of the lone Hei.
What's a Hei? It's the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet – ה. But in Kabbalah, the Hei is so much more than just a letter. It represents divine presence, the Shekhinah (שְׁכִינָה). The Shekhinah is often described as the feminine aspect of God, the immanent presence that dwells within creation, within us.
The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a profound work of Kabbalistic literature, delves into this very idea. Specifically, Tikkunei Zohar 83 explores a verse from Lamentations (1:1): "How she dwells alone…" The Zohar sees in this verse an echo of a cosmic separation, a painful solitude.
Initially, we're told, there were two Heis, representing a connection, a partnership. As the Book of Ruth (1:19) says, "And they went, the two of them…" The Tikkunei Zohar interprets this as Hei and Hei, a harmonious pairing. But something shifted.
According to the Tikkunei Zohar, the "higher Hei" was removed, leaving the lower, final Hei isolated. Why? Because good and evil became intertwined. As Genesis (1:4) tells us, "And Elohim (God) divided between the light and the darkness…" This separation, though necessary, introduced a fracture, a sense of incompleteness.
Imagine the weight of that lone Hei, the Shekhinah, left to navigate a world where good and bad are constantly vying for dominance. It’s a powerful image of exile, not just of a people, but of the divine presence itself.
The text goes on to say that the "mixed multitude" caused the Shekhinah to be exiled. This "mixed multitude" often refers to those who joined the Israelites during the Exodus from Egypt, a group whose intentions and loyalty were…well, mixed. They, in a way, represent the constant tension between the sacred and the profane.
And so, the Shekhinah becomes "mixed" among the nations of the world, with her children. Yet, even in this state of exile, she watches over them. What a bittersweet image! Even in separation, even in the midst of chaos, divine care persists. It's a reassurance, a whisper of hope amid the darkness.
Think about that for a moment. The Shekhinah, the divine presence, is not some distant, untouchable force. Instead, she's right here, amidst the messiness of our lives, watching over us, even when we feel most alone. Perhaps that feeling of something missing isn't a void at all, but a reminder of the Shekhinah's presence, waiting to be revealed, waiting to be reunited.