Specifically, Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, one of the core texts of Kabbalah, offers a fascinating, and perhaps a little unsettling, perspective.
It all starts with the idea that God will rebuild Jerusalem, as Psalm 147:2 tells us: "The builder of Jerusalem is Y”Y..." But what does that have to do with our insides?
The Tikkunei Zohar connects the dots in a surprising way. It suggests that whoever keeps the "candle of Ha-Shem," meaning the human soul, burning bright through fulfilling both positive and negative commandments, is shielded from the fires of hell. This "candle of Ha-Shem" is a reference to Proverbs 20:27, "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord." But what about those internal roadblocks we mentioned earlier?
Here's where things get interesting. According to the Tikkunei Zohar, the gall bladder, spleen, and liver are like an "exile" for the nefesh, ruach, and neshamah – the soul, spirit, and animating-soul. These three parts of the soul are often seen as different levels of consciousness and spiritual connection. So, when these organs are "out of whack," they can actually hinder our spiritual growth!
Think of it this way: the Shekhinah, the divine feminine presence, is sometimes seen as being in exile. And when the Shekhinah is exiled in the liver, the Tikkunei Zohar tells us that it's like the Israelites in Egypt, where "Make heavier the labour upon the people" (Exodus 5:9) becomes the decree. The liver, associated with burdens, can symbolize feeling weighed down by life's demands, hindering the Shekhinah's light from shining through.
And when the Shekhinah is exiled in the gall bladder, which in Hebrew is marah (מרָה), the text connects it to the bitterness, mare-ru (מָרְרוּ), of the Israelite's suffering in Egypt: "And they embittered their lives" (Exodus 1:14). The gall bladder, linked to bitterness and resentment, can reflect a state of being stuck in negativity, obscuring the divine presence.
Finally, when the Shekhinah is exiled in the spleen, the Tikkunei Zohar cites Exodus 6:9: "...and they did not listen to Moses from vexation of spirit." (for it was in her belly, and from harsh servitude which was in the spleen). The spleen, potentially connected to melancholy or frustration, mirrors a spirit crushed by hardship, preventing one from hearing the call of redemption.
And what's the result of all this "internal exile"? According to the text, the Israelites cried out to God. "…from the belly of hell I cried out, You heard my voice," (Jonah 2:3) it says. And "their crying out rose to ELQYM from the servitude" (Exodus 2:23).
So, what does all this mean for us? It's a reminder that our physical and spiritual well-being are deeply intertwined. Our bodies aren't just vessels; they're reflections of our inner state, and vice versa. The challenges we face internally can mirror larger spiritual struggles.
The Tikkunei Zohar isn't suggesting we become medical experts, but it is inviting us to pay attention. To listen to our bodies, to acknowledge our bitterness, our burdens, and our frustrations. And perhaps, by doing so, we can begin to liberate the Shekhinah within, and contribute to the rebuilding of our own inner Jerusalem. Perhaps, by tending to our inner landscape, we answer the call of rebuilding a better world, one soul at a time.