It's the arrival of the Imma Ila’ah, the Higher Mother, gracing us with her presence.
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, delves deep into this idea in its 90th section. It all starts with a verse from Psalms: "Eim (Ps. 68:14) – mother, if you will lie down…" The Tikkunei Zohar interprets this not just as any mother, but as the Higher Mother – Imma in Aramaic. And this Imma? She’s intimately connected with the Shabbat prayer.
Think about it: that moment as Shabbat begins, when we recite the evening prayers. The Tikkunei Zohar tells us that our "lips" are required to receive her then. Why? Because she is nishmat kol ḥaiy – "the soul of all life." It’s a powerful image, isn’t it? This divine feminine energy, this life force, descending upon the "head of the righteous," which is a symbolic reference to the seventh day itself.
But where does she reside? The text continues, referencing Isaiah (50:4): "...a tongue of studies they call it, and She resides upon it 'between the two lips', which are Netzaḥ and Hod." Netzaḥ and Hod are two of the sefirot, the emanations of the divine, representing endurance and splendor, respectively. So, Imma dwells in that space between these two divine attributes, manifesting through our words, our learning, our very expression.
And Shabbat itself? The Tikkunei Zohar calls it the pataḥ (or petaḥ) – the opening. This opening is specifically on Shabbat eve, to welcome and receive Her with the Shabbat prayer. It’s as if the entire week builds to this moment, this sacred space where we can connect with the divine feminine.
What a beautiful way to understand the arrival of Shabbat! It's not just a day off, but an active invitation to connect with a profound source of life and spirituality. It's an opening, a pataḥ, to something far greater than ourselves. It makes you think about how you approach Shabbat, doesn't it? Are we actively opening ourselves to receive this divine presence? And if so, what might we experience?