Jewish mystical tradition certainly sees it that way. Let's dive into a fascinating, and perhaps a little strange, passage from the Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar that paints just such a picture.
The Tikkunei Zohar, a later and more expansive companion to the Zohar, the central text of Kabbalah, is known for its intricate interpretations of the Torah. Tikkun (plural: tikkunei) means "repair" or "restoration," and this book aims to offer pathways towards mending the world and ourselves.
So, what's this passage about?
It speaks of a state where the nefesh, ruach, and neshamah – the soul, spirit, and animating-soul, respectively – are in exile. They’re not where they should be. Specifically, they're said to be exiled in the liver, the gallbladder, and the spleen. Ouch.
Why those organs? Well, these are seen as the seat of our physical and emotional being. And when these aspects of our being are out of alignment, the text tells us, all the limbs of the body – which it poetically calls "the holy People" – are distressed and bitter. It's a powerful image, isn't it? The whole body suffering because the soul is displaced.
The soul, the neshamah, should be in the brain, where it's described as a “holy dove,” or yonah in Hebrew. Now, why a dove? The dove is often a symbol of peace, purity, and divine presence. But this dove needs support.
The text continues, saying the soul is like an eagle that sustains the dove "with many prayers and services." The eagle, a powerful and soaring creature, represents the higher aspects of the soul, the part that connects us to the divine. It needs constant nurturing through prayer and good deeds to keep the dove, our inner peace and connection to God, alive and well.
But here’s where it gets even more intriguing.
The passage then draws a parallel to the story of Jonah. Remember Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale? Here, the "boat of Jonah," also yonah – remember, yonah means both "dove" and Jonah – is likened to the cranium, the skull. And inside this "ship," there are "appointed-ones" who direct it: the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. Seven in total.
According to Midrash Tanchuma, Vayikra Ch.8, these seven appointed-ones correspond to the "seventy languages that were in the ship of Jonah." What does that mean? Well, seventy is a number often used to represent the totality of humanity, all the different ways of expressing and understanding the world. Our senses, our ability to communicate, are all part of navigating this "ship" of our being.
So, what’s the takeaway? This passage from Tikkunei Zohar 105 offers a powerful metaphor for the internal struggle we all face. When our soul is out of place, when we're disconnected from our spiritual center, our whole being suffers. It requires constant effort, prayer, and mindful use of our senses and communication to navigate the "ship" of our lives and bring our soul back to its rightful place. It's a call to tend to our inner landscape, to ensure that the nefesh, ruach, and neshamah are aligned and that the dove within us can soar. It's a lifelong journey of tikkun, of repair and restoration.