Connecting with God through the Shekinah

The concept of Shekinah plays a crucial role in how Jews connect with God in their daily lives. Why is Shekhinah important? It provides a framework for experiencing the divine presence through various religious practices.

Study is one of the primary ways Jews believe they can connect with the Shekinah. This can take place in various settings:

• A Yeshiva (a school for Jewish study)
• A synagogue
• At home

Worship, which originally centered around the Tabernacle, now focuses on the synagogue. A perpetual light, known as the ner tamid, burns in the synagogue to symbolize God's constant presence.

Vocabulary: Ner tamid - An eternal light that hangs above the ark in a synagogue, symbolizing God's eternal presence.

Prayer is another significant way to experience the Shekinah. The Talmud states that when ten or more Jews are gathered in prayer, God is present. Jews refer to this gathering as a minyan.

Definition: Minyan - A quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations, particularly communal prayer.

Orthodox Jews believe that God's presence can be felt most strongly at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, which is the remaining wall of the ancient Temple. Many Jews travel there to pray.

Highlight: The Western Wall is considered one of the holiest sites in Judaism due to its proximity to the former Holy of Holies in the Temple.

Reform Jews have a more flexible interpretation, believing that they can experience God's presence through prayer anywhere.

Example: Shekinah in Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism, is often associated with the feminine aspects of God and is seen as the motherly, nurturing presence of the divine.

Understanding the Shekinah in Judaism

The Shekinah is a fundamental concept in Judaism, representing the divine presence of God in the world. Although the term "Shekinah" does not appear directly in the Hebrew scriptures, it is derived from several descriptions of God's presence among humans in the Torah.

Definition: Shekinah refers to the divine presence or manifestation of God in the physical world.

Jews believe that God continues to work in the world today through His divine presence, known as the Shekinah. This concept is deeply rooted in Jewish history and scriptures.

Example: The Book of Chronicles teaches that when King Solomon dedicated the temple, God's presence (Shekinah) came to dwell there.

There are several ways in which Jews experience the Shekinah:

1. Prayer
2. Study
3. Worship

The Torah provides multiple instances of God's presence:

• In Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) when Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Life
• God's presence guiding Moses through the wilderness to the Promised Land
• God instructing Moses to build a Tabernacle, a portable temple, where He could "dwell among them" (Exodus 25:8)

Highlight: The concept of Shekinah evolved from the portable Tabernacle to the permanent Temple in Jerusalem, as described in the Book of Chronicles.

Different Jewish denominations interpret the Shekinah differently:

• Orthodox Jews refer to Shekinah as a physical presence
• Reform Jews believe the term Shekinah refers to feminine attributes of God, such as caring and loving

Quote: "Whenever ten are gathered for prayer, there the Shekhinah rests" - This Talmudic teaching emphasizes the importance of communal prayer in experiencing the divine presence.