It’s a question that has captivated mystics and scholars for centuries. 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 (Jewish mysticism), offers us some breathtakingly intimate imagery. And in Tikkunei Zohar 91, we find a particularly fascinating glimpse into this relationship.
Here, the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence, often understood as the feminine aspect of God, is portrayed in a dynamic and ever-changing relationship with the King, representing the masculine Divine.
The text tells us that the Shekhinah is the halakhah of the King. Halakhah? That's the "going," the way, the Jewish legal tradition. So, the Divine Presence is the path we walk, the laws we follow. It’s when “She goes toward Him with two thighs, which are ‘the two pillars of truth.’” These thighs, these pillars, they ground the Divine Presence, making it real and accessible.
And when She ascends, rising up to embrace the King? Then, the text says, “She is called qabalah.” Qabalah, or "acceptance," suggests a moment of profound union, of receiving Divine wisdom and insight. It's about that deep connection, that intimate knowing.
But it gets even more intense.
When She kisses Him on His mouth – wow! – She becomes the Oral Torah. This isn't just dry law; it's the living, breathing, interpreted word of God, passed down through generations. And at that moment, when She ascends to the mouth of the King, the Tikkunei Zohar evokes the image of Moses, our faithful shepherd, and quotes Numbers 12:8: “Mouth to mouth I will speak with him…” What an image of intimacy and direct communication with the Divine! for a second. The Oral Torah, that ongoing interpretation and application of God's word, is born from this Divine kiss. It's a powerful idea.
But the Tikkunei Zohar doesn’t stop there. It also speaks of the Shekhinah in exile. “When She stands upon Her feet in the final exile, She is called ‘the law to Moses from Sinai.’” As the Talmud tells us in BT Sukkah 5b, even in the darkest times, the law, the connection to Moses and Sinai, remains. Even in exile, the Shekhinah persists, a testament to the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people.
And finally, the text states that when She resides in the arms... Well, that's where the passage ends. It leaves us hanging, perhaps intentionally. Maybe it's inviting us to contemplate the ultimate embrace, the complete union of the Divine Presence with the King. What does it mean for the Shekhinah to reside in the arms? It suggests safety, comfort, and a deep and abiding love.
So, what do we make of all this? It’s a profound and poetic exploration of the relationship between the Divine and the world. It’s a dance of law, acceptance, and intimate connection. And it reminds us that even in exile, the Divine Presence is with us, guiding us, and waiting to be embraced. It's a beautiful, complex, and ultimately hopeful vision, isn't it?