Oftentimes, the term Shechina<\/i> is used in the tradition simply as an alternative term for God Himself, as when the Talmud asks about the verse “Follow (the ways of) God your Lord” (Deuteronomy 13:5), “is it possible for a man to follow (the ways of) the\u00a0Shechina<\/i>?” (Sotah<\/i> 14a). Thus, that notion and the statements to the effect that the\u00a0Shechina <\/i>is in all places (Baba Battra<\/i>\u00a025a), and that just as the sun radiates throughout the world so does the\u00a0Shechina<\/i>\u00a0(Sanhedrin<\/i> 39a) seem to indicate that the term Shechina<\/i> was oftentimes used to play-down the idea that God was restricted to any one sphere.<\/p>\n
The term is also used in connection with the experience of God\u2019s presence to an extreme degree as before the thorn bush in which Moses caught sight of Him, at Mount Sinai and the Tabernacle where everyone encountered His presence, and at the first Temple (see Shabbat<\/i> 67a, Sotah<\/i> 5a, Yoma<\/i> 9b, and Shemot<\/i> Rabbah<\/i> 34:1), as well as the Shechina<\/i> being in our midst in exile (Megillah<\/i> 29a) or even in our impure state (Yoma<\/i> 56b). And that, too, seems to align the term Shechina<\/i> with God\u2019s omnipresence.<\/p>\n
But unlike the above rabbinic insights, the early Jewish philosophers were concerned with avoiding any possible anthropomorphic interpretations of the term, and went to great lengths to point out that\u00a0the Shechina<\/i>\u00a0doesn\u2019t refer to God Himself but rather to an independent entity that He\u2019d created.<\/p>\n
According to Saadiah Gaon, the term Shechina<\/i>\u00a0is identical with\u00a0God\u2019s \u201cglory”, which served as an intermediary between God and man during the prophetic experience. Thus, he maintained that when Moses asked to see God\u2019s glory, he was shown the\u00a0Shechina<\/i>, and when the prophets \u201csaw\u201d God they actually saw the Shechina<\/i>\u00a0(Emunot v\u2019De\u2019ot<\/i> 2:10).<\/p>\n
According to R\u2019 Yehuda Halevi there are two<\/i> aspects of the\u00a0Shechina<\/i>: the visible one, that ceased to appear in our midst with the destruction of the Holy Temple and the cessation of prophecy, but which will return with the coming of the Moshiach<\/i> (Kuzari<\/i>, 2:20, 23; 3:23); and the invisible Shechina<\/i>,\u00a0which has never disappeared and is instead “with every virtuous Jew with a pure heart and an upright mind” (ibid.<\/i>, 5:23). He thus managed to equate the Shechina<\/i> with God and to remove it from Him at one at the same time.<\/p>\n
And like Saadiah, Rambam also identifies the\u00a0Shechina<\/i>\u00a0with God\u2019s glory at a certain point (Moreh Nevuchim <\/i>1:21), yet also identified the\u00a0Shechina<\/i>\u00a0with God Himself at another point (Ibid.<\/i> 1:28).<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s see how the Zohar, the Kabbalists, and Ramchal himself defined the term.<\/p>\n
(c) 2013 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n ———————————————————-<\/p>\n AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> at a discount.<\/p>\n You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here<\/a> at a discount as well.<\/p>\n Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Oftentimes, the term Shechina is used in the tradition simply as an alternative term for God Himself, as when the Talmud asks about the verse “Follow (the ways of) God your Lord” (Deuteronomy 13:5), “is it possible for a man … Continue reading