From: Root & Branch Association, Ltd
To: heb_roots_chr@heboots.org
Subject: THE REVELATION OF THE SHECHINAH
(DIVINE PRESENCE)/PART ONE by Yosef Ben Shlomo HaKohen

Divine Presence/Commentary: THE REVELATION OF THE SHECHINAH (DIVINE
PRESENCE)/PART ONE

by Yosef Ben Shlomo HaKohen

YERUSHALIYIM, D.C. (David's Capital), Yom Shlishi (Third Day -- "Tuesday"),
24 Nisan, 5761 (Gregorian Date: April 17, 2001)

Root & Branch: Our tradition teaches that at the dawn of the
Messianic Age, when the People of Israel return to their Covenant with
HaShem -- the Compassionate One -- they will experience open miracles just
as they did when they were redeemed from Egypt, as it is written:

"As in the days when you left the land of Egypt, I will show him (Israel)
wonders. The nations will see and be ashamed of all their power".
[Micah 7:15-16].

The commentators explain that at the beginning of this new age, we will
once again experience open miracles just like we did when we were redeemed
from the oppression and slavery of Egypt. The Divine power will be revealed
to all the nations, as the Compassionate One will openly intervene on
behalf of the People of Israel, who will be in great danger just before the
coming of the Messiah.

For example, the Prophet Zechariah (chapter 14) describes how at the dawn
of the Messianic Age, the nations will gather to make war against the newly
established Jewish community in Jerusalem. The people will be in great
danger, says the Prophet, but they will experience deliverance through
great miracles.

The open intervention of the Compassionate One in human history is known in
Jewish tradition as "the revelation of the Shechinah". This idea is
expressed in the following passage from the Passover Hagaddah:

"(It is written): 'HaShem brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and
with an outstretched arm, with great awesome power, and with signs and with
wonders' [Devarim/Deuteronomy 26:8]. "With awesome power" -- this alludes
to the revelation of the Shechinah".
[Passover Haggadah and the Sifri to Deut.26:8]

The commentators on the Haggadah point out that through the miraculous ten
plagues and the splitting of the sea, the power of the Shechinah was
revealed to the world. This idea is also expressed in the following
statement of Moshe to the people when they arrived at the sea and
discovered that the Egyptian army was pursuing them:

"HaShem shall do battle for you, and you shall remain silent".
[Shemot/Exodus 14:14]

The ancient midrashic translation and commentary known as "Targum
Yerushalmi" interprets this verse in the following manner:

"Do not be afraid, for HaShem -- through the glory of His Shechinah -- will
cause you to have victory in your battles".

The Compassionate One will fight for Israel through His Shechinah!

The Shechinah is associated with awesome power. The Shechinah even battles
on behalf of Israel. How are we to understand this connection?

The Shechinah represents those attributes of the Divine that we understand
as "feminine". At first, it may seem difficult to understand how this
"feminine" side of the Creator should be associated with "might" and
"war". However, if we consider the nature of the female among various
species of living creatures and how the female reacts when her young are in
danger, we may gain some insight into the nature of the Shechinah.

For example, I was once taught that the most dangerous animal in the world
is a mother bear defending her young. She intensely cares for her young
over a long period, and her love and concern for them is therefore very
powerful. In general, the female of various species of living creatures
has awesome power and an amazing ability to fight for the life that comes
from her womb.

The physical world is a reflection of the spiritual world. We can begin to
understand that the Shechinah -- the "feminine" aspect of the Compassionate
One -- has awesome power to use on behalf of Her "children". In fact,
there are verses in our Holy Scriptures which compare the Compassionate
One's relationship to Israel to the relationship of a mother to her child.

For example, in the Book of Isaiah, the Compassionate One proclaims to
Israel:

"Like a person whose mother comforts him, so will I comfort you, and in
Jerusalem you will be comforted".
[Yeshiyahu/Isaiah 66:13]

The following dialogue between the Compassionate One and Israel can serve
as another example:

"And Zion said, "HaShem has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me'".
[Yeshiyahu/Isaiah 49:14]

The noted 12th century biblical commentator, Ibn Ezra, explains that "Zion"
in this verse is a poetic reference to the Community of Israel. According
to the midrashic commentary "Targum Yonasan", the Community of Israel is
lamenting: "The Shechinah has left me; HaShem is distant from me".

What is the Divine response to the Community of Israel?

The Compassionate One answers:

"Can a woman forget her baby, or not feel compassion for the child of her
womb? Even these may forget, but I would not forget you".
[Yeshiyahu/Isaiah 49:15]

In this statement we find Divine reassurance that the Shechinah has not
abandoned Israel. Even if in rare situations a human mother may forget her
child, this is not the case with the eternal and loyal love of the "Divine
Mother" for Her children.

Rabbi Moshe Alshich -- known as "the Alshich" -- was a leading 16th century
sage and biblical commentator who lived in Safed, a city in the Land of
Israel. He was also known for his great knowledge and understanding of
Kabbalah. In his commentary on the above verses from Isaiah, he offers
another interpretation which states that Zion refers to the city of
Jerusalem.

Alshich offers the following explanation of the dialogue between Zion and
HaShem:

Before the destruction of Jerusalem -- when the Temple still stood -- Zion
is compared to a baby within the womb. Just as the baby is surrounded by
the stomach of the mother, so too Zion was surrounded by the
Shechinah. After the destruction of the Temple, however, Zion feels like a
baby that left the womb and is no longer surrounded by its mother, for the
Shechinah no longer surrounds her. She therefore feels that the Shechinah
has forgotten her, and she proclaims: "My Lord has forgotten Me".

(The Alschich cites the mystical teaching that the term "my Lord" refers to
the Shechinah).

To this concern, the Compassionate One responds that just as a mother is
still attached to her child even after it leaves the womb -- nursing it
from her breasts -- so too Zion is still connected to the Shechinah. For
the Shechinah never left the Western Wall, explains the Alshich, and in the
above dialogue, She is telling Zion:

"You are still at My bosom and at My side".

In the following verses, the Compassionate One continues to offer words of
hope and consolation to the city and the land of Zion:

"Behold, I have engraved you upon My palms; your walls are before Me
always. Your children will hasten (to return), and your ruiners and your
destroyers will leave you. Raise your eyes all around and see: They have
all gathered, they have come to you. As I live, says HaShem, you will
surely clothe yourself with all of them like jewelry and adorn yourself
like a bride. As for your ruins and desolations and your devastated land --
you will now become crowded with inhabitants, and those who would devour
you will be distanced. The children from whom you had been bereaved will
yet say in your ears, 'The place is too crowded for me; move aside for me
that I may dwell'. And you will say in your heart, 'Who has begotten me
these? For I have been bereaved and alone, an exile and a wanderer -- so
who has reared these? Behold, I had been left by myself; where are these
from?' For thus said My Lord, HaShem: Behold I will raise My hand toward
nations, and I will hoist My banner towards peoples, and they will bring
your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their
shoulders".
[Yeshiyahu/Isaiah 49:16-22]

Each Shabbos morning, we read a portion from one of the books of the
Prophets, and in the spirit of the above prophecy from Isaiah, the
following blessing is said after the reading:

"Blessed are You, HaShem, Who causes Zion to rejoice with her children".

Shalom from Yerushaliyim,

Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen

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NOTE FROM EDDIE:

From an Orthodox Jewish perspective, when the two houses of Israel
were exiled the SHECHINAH went into exile with them. However, at the
dawn of the Messianic Era when BOTH houses of Israel (house of Joseph
/ Ephraim AND the house of Judah) are reunited (Ezekiel 37:15-28)
that the reunification will be linked with the prophecy of Micah
7:15 and the return of the Shechinah.

END OF NOTE

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