Jewish mysticism speaks to this feeling, especially when it comes to understanding the Shekhinah – the Divine Presence. But what happens when even the Shekhinah seems to be…adrift?
The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a profound and deeply symbolic work of Kabbalah, grapples with this very question. It paints a picture of a Shekhinah that, at times, lacks a permanent dwelling. What does that even mean?
The text uses a fascinating image: eggs without wings. "When they are but ‘eggs,’" the Tikkunei Zohar says, "for they do not have the wings of positive commandments, with which to fly, it is stated of Her: (Deut. 22:6) ... do not take the mother upon the children." It's referencing the mitzvah, the commandment, about not taking a mother bird along with her young. This seemingly simple law becomes a metaphor for something much deeper.
If our actions, our mitzvot, are like wings, then what happens when we don't use them? What happens when we neglect those positive commandments that are meant to lift us up? According to the Tikkunei Zohar, the Shekhinah then has "no ‘place’ in which to reside there permanently." She goes about, it says, “by happenstance.”
Think about that for a moment. The Divine Presence, the very essence of God's immanence in the world, wandering…by chance. It echoes the Talmud's warning in Berakhot 6b: "Anyone who sets a permanent place for his prayer...etc." (implying that not having a regular prayer practice is problematic).
But it's not all doom and gloom. There's hope, and it lies within us.
The Tikkunei Zohar offers a powerful solution: "As souls act, so does the Shekhinah abide with them." Our actions matter. They create a space, a dwelling place, for the Divine. "A soul which is habitual in prayer or in Torah, is a permanent place for the Shekhinah to abide therein." Regularity. Intention. Connection. These are the things that ground the Shekhinah, that give Her a home.
But what if we’re not always consistent? What if we falter? The text acknowledges this reality: "But a soul which is not habitual in prayer or in Torah, unless encountered through happenstance, so, She also, abides upon it through happenstance." Even in our inconsistency, there's the potential for connection, for a chance encounter with the Divine.
It's a beautiful and challenging thought. We have the power to create a space for the Divine Presence in our lives, through our actions, our intentions, and our commitment to Torah and prayer. And even when we fall short, the possibility remains that the Shekhinah might still find us, unexpectedly, in the midst of our wandering.
So, where are we creating a permanent space? And where might the Shekhinah be finding us by chance? Perhaps both are necessary parts of the journey.