Today is the birthday of the World, and it is Shekhina, the Divine Feminine, who birthed it. She brought forth from her Rechem shel Rachamim - the womb of compassion, two words which share a root and yet do not always feel rooted together. She gave birth to the World before becoming our Sabbath Bride; does that make her a deadbeat teen mom? 

 

Our tradition tells us that Shekhina descended upon the Earth as the lowest of the sefirot, the Presence closest to us, at the exact moment the Israelites were exiled. She came to us as the Sabbath Bride when we most needed that sanctuary of time, when we had no physical sanctuary. 

 

The Divine Sovereign gave us this world to adopt, to care for, to raise in love. As a busy Royal Parent, Shekhina shows her glorious presence from time to time - this is the main presence of God the Kabbalists tell us we are able to experience while in our earthly bodies - but still mostly looks to us to do the day-to-day work, and all we can do is hope our labors measure up. 

 

Boi Kallah, enter our Bride, into this holy space with us this Shabbat. Divine Maternal Spirit, show us compassion this new year. Ruler of the Universe, guide us toward a redeemed world within our lifetimes.


Booklet Section: Meditations