Jewish mysticism, particularly through the lens of the Tikkunei Zohar, offers a breathtakingly beautiful answer.
The Tikkunei Zohar, a later expansion on the core teachings of the Zohar, is a profound exploration of the secrets of the Torah. Here, in section 289, we get a glimpse into the cosmic dance of divine attributes.
Imagine the Divine, if you will, clothing itself in chesed, in loving-kindness. This isn't just any act of kindness, mind you. It’s a deliberate dressing, a conscious choice to embody pure, radiant white light. Why? Because this act tempers the anger of the sun. Think of the sun's intensity, its potential for scorching heat. By dressing in white, in loving-kindness, that intensity is balanced, made bearable.
And then, green extends from the central pillar. Green, the color of mercy, of growth, of life itself. When the Divine is clothed in this white light of loving-kindness, something amazing happens: He is able to light up the moon. The moon, often associated with the feminine, with the Shechinah, the Divine Presence in the world.
This imagery is so rich, isn't it?
Now, let's turn to the Book of Psalms, chapter 19, verse 7: "His rising-place is at one end of heaven..." The Tikkunei Zohar interprets this as a reference to that central pillar, the very axis upon which everything turns. One end of this pillar is known as 'the Righteous' – a concept laden with meaning in Jewish thought, representing integrity, justice, and the foundation of the world. And the verse continues, "...his circuit reaches the others..." referring to the two pillars of truth. These pillars, in turn, connect to the concepts of chesed and gevurah – loving-kindness and strength/judgment. It’s all interconnected.
And here’s where it gets really interesting. "Nothing escapes his heat." The text tells us that this refers to the upper Shechinah, who is the Heat. From there, the Divine is colored in shades of green, that is, mercy. At this time, the sun and the moon look at each other, because "nothing escapes his heat," since she [the upper Shechinah] is the canopy of her [the lower Shechinah]. Think of the Upper and Lower Shechinot as two levels of divine presence; the Upper Shechinah acting as a shield or canopy for the Lower, protecting it with warmth and compassion.
So, what does it all mean?
This passage from the Tikkunei Zohar paints a picture of a dynamic, interconnected cosmos. It's a world where divine attributes interact, where loving-kindness tempers judgment, and where mercy flows from the very source of being. It’s a reminder that even in the face of intense energies – the "anger of the sun" – there is always the possibility of balance, of light, and of compassion.
Perhaps, in our own lives, we can strive to embody these same principles. To temper our own judgments with loving-kindness, to seek out the green shoots of mercy, and to remember that even in the darkest of times, the light of the Divine Presence is always there, waiting to be revealed.