Matronit

Shekhinah () is the English transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning "dwelling" or "settling" and denotes the presence of God in a place. This concept is found in Judaism from Talmudic literature.

The word "Shekhinah" is found in the Bible only as a "Shechaniah", a masculine proper name. The Hebrew root “shakan” appears in numerous conjugations, it can be found 128 times. (See Strong’s Hebrew dictionary 7931.)

It also appears in the Mishnah, the Talmud, and Midrash.

Etymology

The word ''shekhinah'' is first encountered in the rabbinic literature. S. G. F. Brandon, ed., ''Dictionary of Comparative Religion'' (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1970), p. 573: "Shekhinah".

The Semitic root from which ''shekhinah'' is derived, ''š-k-n'', means "to settle, inhabit, or dwell". In the verb form, it is often used to refer to the dwelling of a person or animal in a place, or to the dwelling of God. Nouns derived from the root included ''shachen'' ("neighbor") and ''mishkan'' (a dwelling-place, whether a secular home or a holy site such as the Tabernacle).

In Judaism

In classic Jewish thought, the shekhinah refers to a dwelling or settling in a special sense, a dwelling or settling of divine presence, to the effect that, while in proximity to the shekhinah, the connection to God is more readily perceivable. While ''shekhinah'' is a feminine word in Hebrew, it primarily seemed to be featured in masculine or androgynous contexts referring to a divine manifestation of the presence of God, based especially on readings of the Talmud. Contemporary interpretations of the term ''shekhinah'' commonly see it as the divine feminine principle in Judaism.

Manifestation

The prophets made numerous references to visions of the presence of God, particularly in the context of the Tabernacle or Temple, with figures such as thrones or robes filling the Sanctuary.

The shekhinah is referred to as manifest in the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem throughout rabbinic literature.

It is also reported as being present in other contexts:
* While a person (or people) study Torah, the Shekhinah is among them.
* "Whenever ten are gathered for prayer, there the Shekhinah rests."
* "When three sit as judges, the Shekhinah is with them."
* Cases of personal need: "The Shekhinah dwells over the headside of the sick man's bed", "Wheresoever they were exiled, the Shekhinah went with them."
* "A man and woman - if they merit, the Shekhinah is between them. If not, fire consumes them." According to one interpretation of this source, the Shekhinah is the highest of six types of holy fire. When a married couple is worthy of this manifestation, all other types of fire are consumed by it.

The Talmud states that "the Shekhinah rests on man neither through gloom, nor through sloth, nor through frivolity, nor through levity, nor through talk, nor through idle chatter, but only through a matter of joy in connection with a mitzvah."

There is no occurrence of the word "shekhinah" in pre-rabbinic literature such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is only afterwards in the targums and rabbinic literature that the Hebrew term ''shekhinah'', or Aramaic equivalent ''shekinta'', is found, and then becomes extremely common. Martin McNamara (see notes) considers that the absence might lead to the conclusion that the term only originated after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, but notes 2 Maccabees 14:35 "a temple for your habitation", where the Greek text () suggests a possible parallel understanding, and where σκήνωσις ''skēnōsis'' "a tent-building", a variation on an early loanword from Phoenician ( ''skēnē'' "tent"), is deliberately used to represent the original Hebrew or Aramaic term.

Targum

In the Targum the addition of the noun term shekhinah paraphrases Hebrew verb phrases such as Exodus 34:9 "let the Lord go among us" (a verbal expression of presence) which Targum paraphrases with God's "shekhinah" (a noun form). In the post-temple era usage of the term shekhinah may provide a solution to the problem of God being omnipresent and thus not dwelling in any one place. In the Hebrew text of Exodus 33:20, as another example, Moses is told "You will not be able to see my face, for no human can see Me and live." Once again, using of the term shekhinah provides a solution to the corporeal idiom, so Targum Onkelos reads: "You will not be able to see the face of my shekhinah...."

Jewish prayers

The 17th blessing of the daily ''Amidah'' prayer concludes with the line " lessed are You, God,who returns His Presence (''shekhinato'') to Zion" ().

The Liberal Jewish prayer-book for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (''Machzor Ruach Chadashah'') contains a creative prayer based on Avinu Malkeinu, in which the feminine noun ''shekhinah'' is used in the interests of gender neutrality.

Relationship to the Holy Spirit

The concept of shekhinah is also associated with the concept of the Holy Spirit in Judaism (''ruach ha-kodesh'').

Kabbalah

Sabbath Bride

The theme of the shekhinah as the Sabbath Bride recurs in the writings and songs of 16th century Kabbalist, Isaac Luria. The ''Azamer Bishvachin'' song, written in Aramaic by Luria (his name appears as an acrostic of each line) and sung at the evening meal of Shabbat is an example of this. The song appears in particular in many siddurs in the section following Friday night prayers and in some Shabbat song books:

Let us invite the Shechinah with a newly-laid table
and with a well-lit menorah that casts light on all heads.

Three preceding days to the right, three succeeding days to the left,
and amid them the Sabbath bride with adornments she goes, vessels and robes
...
May the Shechinah become a crown through the six loaves on each side
through the doubled-six may our table be bound with the profound Temple services

A paragraph in the Zohar starts: "One must prepare a comfortable seat with several cushions and embroidered covers, from all that is found in the house, like one who prepares a canopy for a bride. For the Shabbat is a queen and a bride. This is why the masters of the Mishna used to go out on the eve of Shabbat to receive her on the road, and used to say: "'Come, O bride, come, O bride!' And one must sing and rejoice at the table in her honor ... one must receive the Lady with many lighted candles, many enjoyments, beautiful clothes, and a house embellished with many fine appointments ..."

The tradition of the shekhinah as the Shabbat Bride, the ''Shabbat Kallah'', continues to this day.

As feminine aspect

Kabbalah associates the shekhinah with the female. According to Gershom Scholem, "The introduction of this idea was one of the most important and lasting innovations of Kabbalism. ...no other element of Kabbalism won such a degree of popular approval." The "feminine Jewish divine presence, the shekhinah, distinguishes Kabbalistic literature from earlier Jewish literature."

"In the imagery of the Kabbalah the shekhinah is the most overtly female ''sefirah'', the last of the ten sefirot, referred to imaginatively as 'the daughter of God'. ... The harmonious relationship between the female shekhinah and the six sefirot which precede her causes the world itself to be sustained by the flow of divine energy. She is like the moon reflecting the divine light into the world."

Nativity and life of Moses

The ''Zohar'', a foundation book of kabbalah, presents the shekhinah as playing an essential role in the conception and birth of Moses. Later during the Exodus on the "third new moon" in the desert, "''Shekhinah'' revealed Herself and rested upon him before the eyes of all."

The Tenth ''Sefirah''

In Kabbalah, the shekhinah is identified with the tenth '' sefirah'' ( Malkuth), and the source of life for humans on earth below the sefirotic realm. The Shekhinah is seen as the feminine divine presence of God descended to transform the world, Moses is considered to have risen to shekhinah into the sefirotic realm, and transcended the world as the bridegroom of the shekhinah.

In Christianity

The concept is similar to that in the Gospel of Matthew 18:20, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in their midst." Some Christian theologians have connected the concept of shekhinah to the Greek term ''parousia'', "presence" or "arrival," which is used in the New Testament in a similar way for "divine presence".

Branch Davidians

Lois Roden, whom the original Branch Davidian acknowledged as their teacher/prophet from 1978 to 1986, laid heavy emphasis on women's spirituality and the feminine aspect of God. She published a magazine, ''Shekinah'', often rendered ''SHEkinah'', in which she explored the concept that the shekhinah is the Holy Spirit. Articles from ''Shekinah'' are reprinted online at the Branch Davidian website.

In Islam

In the Quran

'' Sakīnah'' () signifies the "presence or peace of God". As "support and reassurance" it was "sent by God into the hearts" of Muslims and Muhammad, according to John Esposito. "Sakinah The presence or peace of God. As mentioned in the Quran (48:4) and elsewhere, it was sent by God into the hearts of believers and upon His messenger, Muhammad, as support and reassurance. Associated with piety and moments of divine inspiration, sakinah in Islamic mysticism signifies an interior spiritual illumination." A modern translator of the Quran, N. J. Dawood, states that "tranquility" is the English word for the Arabic meaning of ''sakīnah'', yet it could be "an echo of the Hebrew ''shekeenah'' (the Holy Presence)." Another scholar states that the Arabic ''sakīnah'' derives from the Hebrew/Aramaic shekhinah. "Arabic from Hebrew/
Aramaic: spirit of God" "In another sense, also in the Qur'ân, it refers to the spirit of God. This meaning is found in tafsı̂r and isrâ'ı̂liyyât literature, as, for example, when Ibrâhı̂m and Ismâ'ı̂l are looking for the place to build the Ka'bah, the sakı̂nah circles around the right spot, saying, “Build over me; build over me.” It is supposed to be like a wind, but with a face that can talk." In the Quran, the Sakīnah is mentioned six times, in surah ''al-Baqara'', ''at-Tawba'' and ''al-Fath''.

Sakīnah means "tranquility", "peace". "calm", from the Arabic root ''sakana'': "to be quiet", "to abate", "to dwell". In Islam, ''Sakīnah'' "designates a special peace, the "Peace of God". Although related to Hebrew ''shekhinah'', the spiritual state is not an "indwelling of the Divine Presence" The ordinary Arabic use of the word's root is "the sense of abiding or dwelling in a place". A story in Tafsir and Isra'iliyyat literature relates how Ibrahim and Isma'il, when looking for the spot to build the Kaaba found sakīnah. Newby writes that it was like a breeze "with a face that could talk", saying "build over me." "Associated with piety and moments of divine inspiration, ''sakinah'' in Islamic mysticism signifies an interior spiritual illumination."

Comments regarding Sakina

''Sakina'' in the Quran can refer to God's blessing of solace and succour upon both the Children of Israel and Muhammad. Al-Qurtubi mentions in his exegesis, in explanation of the above-mentioned verse :248 that according to Wahb ibn Munabbih, sakinah is a spirit from God that speaks, and, in the case of the Israelites, where people disagreed on some issue, this spirit came to clarify the situation, and used to be a cause of victory for them in wars. According to Ali, "Sakinah is a sweet breeze/wind, whose face is like the face of a human". Mujahid mentions that "when Sakinah glanced at an enemy, they were defeated", and ibn Atiyyah mentions about the Ark of the Covenant (''at-Tabut''), to which the sakina was associated, that souls found therein peace, warmth, companionship and strength.

In Gnosticism

''Shekhinah'', often in plural, is also present in some gnostic writings written in Aramaic, such as the writings of the Manichaeans and the Mandaeans, as well as others. In these writings, ''shekinas'' are described as hidden aspects of God, somewhat resembling the '' Amahrāspandan'' of the Zoroastrians.

In Mandaeism, a ''škina'' () is a celestial dwelling where uthra, or benevolent celestial beings, live in the World of Light (''alma d-nhūra''). In Mandaean priest initiation ceremonies, a ''škina'' refers to an initiation hut where a novice and his initiator stay for seven days without sleeping. The hut is called a ''škina'' since priests are considered to be the earthly manifestations of uthras, and the initiation hut represents the abode of the uthra on earth.

Anthropological views

Raphael Patai

In the work by anthropologist Raphael Patai entitled ''The Hebrew Goddess'', the author argues that the term ''shekhinah'' refers to a goddess by comparing and contrasting scriptural and medieval Jewish Kabbalistic source materials. Patai draws a historic distinction between the ''shekhinah'' and the Matronit. In his book Patai also discusses the Hebrew goddesses Asherah and Anat-Yahu.

Gustav Davidson

American poet Gustav Davidson listed shekhinah as an entry in his reference work ''A Dictionary of Angels, Including the Fallen Angels'' (1967), stating that she is the female incarnation of Metatron.Davidson, Gustav. ''A Dictionary of Angels, Including the Fallen Angels''. New York. 1967. The Free Press, p. 272. "Shekinah".

See also

* Andiruna in Mandaeism
* ''The Hebrew Goddess''
* Holy Spirit in Judaism
* Priestly Blessing
* Shkinta in Mandaeism

References

External links

''Jewish Encyclopedia''
(1906).


Chabad.



The Shekhinah in Judaism

{{Authority control
Hebrew words and phrases
Jewish theology
Kabbalah
Kabbalistic words and phrases