Jewish mysticism often points to that very feeling, that inner landscape, as the place where the Divine touches us most intimately. to a passage from the Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, specifically Tikkun 105, and see what it has to tell us about this inner connection.
The Tikkunei Zohar, a later expansion on the core Zohar, is deeply concerned with the inner life, with the interplay between the human and the divine. And here, it describes a "wind," a ruach, that permeates us. This isn't just any wind; it's where both the Higher and Lower Shekhinah – the Divine Presence – reside. Think of the Shekhinah as God's immanent presence in the world, the aspect of the Divine that is closest and most accessible to us.
This ruach, this wind, is symbolized by the Hebrew letter Vav (ו), and it "blows in the wings of the lung, and upon the heart." What does this mean? Well, the passage is drawing a direct connection between breath, life, and the Divine. It's suggesting that the very act of breathing is an act of connection.
And then comes a powerful verse from Proverbs (20:27): "A candle of Y”Y..." (the unpronounceable Name of God, often referred to as Hashem). The text interprets this verse to mean that we have three aspects of the soul within us: neshamah (soul) in the brain, ruach (spirit) in the lungs, and nefesh (animating-soul) in the heart.
These aren't just abstract concepts. They are the forces that drive us, that make us human. And, the Tikkunei Zohar suggests, they are intimately connected to the Divine.
Sometimes, the text continues, these three aspects—neshamah, ruach, and nefesh—are found in the three facets of "intellect." And "thought rides upon them," which is adam, "the human." In other words, our very capacity for thought, for reason, is intertwined with these divine sparks within us. This intimate connection is especially so in the heart where these three divine sparks reside.
Here's where it gets really interesting. The text introduces the acronym NeR (נר), which means "candle." This NeR is an acronym for Neshamah (soul) and Ruach (spirit). The ruach, the wind, blows "N-R" through "the two chambers of the heart," which are Nefesh (animating-soul) and Ruach (spirit). The symbol for this is, again, N-R.
It's a beautiful, circular image: The neshamah and ruach are connected to the nefesh and ruach within the heart, all illuminated by the Divine "candle."
So, what does all of this mean for us? It suggests that we are not just physical beings, but complex spiritual entities, constantly interacting with the Divine Presence. It reminds us that the breath we take, the thoughts we have, and the feelings in our hearts are all pathways to connection. The heart is not just a muscle, but a microcosm of the Divine.
Next time you feel that flutter in your chest, remember this passage. Remember the ruach, the wind, that connects you to something greater. Maybe, just maybe, that flutter is the Shekhinah whispering in your heart.