The Light of Judaism

The seven astrological planets revolve within the circumference of the zodiacal circle of Malchut.

The astrological planets are expressions of the seven Double letter sefirot that are stationed above Malchut on the Tree of Life. In other words, the seven sefirot send down their influences into Malchut wherein they manifest as the seven planetary spheres. 

The sefirah Malchut itself however, represents the twelve-fold environment that the seven planetary sefirot interact with. This interaction between the seven sefirot and the twelve-fold circle of Malchut is in the manner of a relationship between a man and a woman and is symbolized as such in the writings of the Zohar.

Thus, what occurs in the sphere of Malchut is actually a reflection within the physical realm of a ‘higher’ interaction that is occurring between the seven male Double letter sefirot and the twelve female Simple letter pathways (that extend between those sefirot).

The female (Malchut) is called in the Zohar the Shekinah (dwelling) while the male aspect is termed Israel (as personified by the patriarch Jacob). Israel represents the ‘consciousness’ aspect of Humanity, while the Shekinah (Malchut) represents the materially-based environment in which he dwells. 

The male personage Israel (or Jacob) is identified with the sefirah Tiferet, but embodies within himself the totality of the seven sefirot above Malchut on the Tree of Life, while the Shekinah with whom Israel seeks to form a special relationship is represented by the sefirah Malchut.

In actuality, the Shekinah principle has two basic expressions and these are represented on the Tree of Life diagram by the sefirot Binah and Malchut. Binah represents the higher Shekinah, while Malchut represents the lower Shekinah. These two expressions of the Shekinah principle are also called Mother and Daughter, and are represented by the two Hebrew letter Heh’s of the divine Name YHVH. 

In terms of divine Reality however, the Shekinah principle is One, and its two apparently separate expressions are only experienced as such by the Consciousness principle (or Zeir Anpin, which is the Son principle). 

The Son (or Jacob/Israel) is represented by the Hebrew letter Vav. Vav subjectively separates the two Hehs in the divine Name YHVH. 

Outside the realm of Vav (the field microcosmic Consciousness) the two Hehs are actually one Heh and this supernal state of divine Being is represented by the holy Name YH (Yah). 

It is extremely important to grasp this concept because it explains the greatest challenge of the human condition—that is, to unify within Consciousness (V) the two apparently separated expressions of the Shekinah principle (H and H). 

In order to begin to unify the two Hehs within us, the first thing we need to do is to intelligently recognize (from the perspective of microcosmic Consciousness) the difference between these two expressions of the Shekinah principle. 

The Shekinah is feminine and therefore represents the receptive Form principle. It signifies the container that encapsulates and surrounds the masculine Israel principle. 

The Earth (and everything produced from it) is our container. 

When you look around you what do you see? When the Consciousness principle (the soul) within you peers through your eyes it sees naught but the Shekinah principle. Everything that you can perceive around you is an expression of the Shekinah principle. Your interaction with the World represents an intimate relationship that is occurring between your Consciousness principle (Jacob/Israel) and the Shekinah (although you may not be aware of it). 

If you look at the World around you and see nothing but a relatively random array of material objects then you are looking at the lower Shekinah (the second Heh of YHVH) without (at the same time) being conscious of the higher Shekinah (the first Heh of YHVH). This condition represents a state of darkness and is symbolized in the Zohar by the separation of Israel from the Shekinah. Consider the following quote from the Zohar:

“For as the sun, although his center is in heaven, yet spreads his power and might throughout the earth, so that the whole earth is full of his glory, so, as long as the Temple was in existence, the whole earth, to wit, the Holy Land, was full of God‘s glory; but now that Israel is in exile, the Shekinah is on high, but still her might surrounds Israel so as to shield them, even when they are in a strange land. For the Shekinah is both here below and on high. 

The Shekinah on high [Binah] abides in the twelve holy chariots and the twelve supernal Hayyoth; the lower Shekinah [Malchut] is among the twelve holy tribes, and thus the upper Shekinah and the lower Shekinah are intertwined, and both operate together and simultaneously. Now, when Israel is in exile, the upper Shekinah [Binah] is not complete because the lower Shekinah [Malchut] is not complete, and that is what is meant by the Shekinah being in exile when Israel is in exile.” (Zohar Parshat Vayetze)

The higher Shekinah represents the divine blueprint of meaning (or Understanding, “Binah”) that underlies and supports the physical surface appearance of our World. When we unify within our consciousness the higher and lower expressions of the Shekinah principle then our involvement in the World acquires a vastly deeper significance. That significance is based on the special intimate relationship that exists between our own Consciousness principle (the male aspect, Vav) and the Shekinah principle (the female aspect, Heh). The specific nature of this relationship is different for each individual human soul. It is something that must be discovered by each of us individually.