That letter is Dalet (ד). Think of it as a door, a humble right angle. In gematria, the Jewish mystical system of assigning numerical values to Hebrew letters, Dalet represents the number four. In this particular passage from Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar 112, the Dalet represents the Shekhinah. Now, the Shekhinah is a concept that’s hard to pin down with a single word, but we can think of it as the Divine Presence, the feminine aspect of God, the indwelling glory that fills the world.
And hanging from this Divine Presence, this Dalet? It’s the tzadiq (צדיק), the Righteous One. More specifically, Yesod (יסוד), the Sefirah, or divine attribute, often associated with the reproductive power and the channel through which divine energy flows into the world. The tzadiq, we're told, is called through the Shekhinah four times, with the word ḥaiy (חי). Ḥaiy means "life." Each ḥaiy has a numerical value of 18. Four times 18? That gives us 72.
So, why 72? The text connects this number to the three Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – and the Shekhinah herself, who partners with them. Together, they encompass different aspects: 18 parts of the right arm, 18 of the left, 18 of the body in relation to the spine, and 18 in the covenant of circumcision (the brit milah). It's a holistic vision, connecting the divine and the human, the spiritual and the physical.
But the text doesn’t stop there. It goes on to describe these four aspects as six sides. We have two arms of the King (the right and left), which are also seen as Netzaḥ (נצח) and Hod (הוד), "the two Prophets of Truth" – Endurance and Splendor, two more of the Sefirot. Then we have two thighs of the King – metaphorically speaking of course – the body itself, and the covenant. These six sides create a whole, a complete picture.
What does it all mean? Well, it's a complex and layered image, but at its heart is a vision of interconnectedness. Everything is connected to the Shekhinah, to the Divine Presence. Everything is sustained by the flow of life, represented by that repeated "ḥaiy". And everything, from the Patriarchs to the physical body, plays a part in the grand, unfolding story of creation.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What are we suspended from? What unseen forces are shaping our lives? And how can we become more aware of the Divine Presence that surrounds us, sustains us, and connects us all? Perhaps, by contemplating these ancient images, we can begin to find our own answers.