Friday, May 30, 2014

Sefer haZohar on the Mishkan as the Vessel of Shekhinah

"Mystery of mysteries for those who know Wisdom: When an impulse arose in the will of Secret of Secrets to form glory for Its glory, It blew a spirit from a supernal point extending from above to below, and placed Its array to settle in this world. Why? Because without an essential root of this world, there would be no vessel to pour to this world at all. And without pouring to this world, it would immediately perish, unable to exist for even one moment. But since its arrayal stems from this world, it is filled ─ from one side to pour to this world, and from another side to pour to supernal angels. All are nourished by it as one."

-- Sefer haZohar, 2:146a (transl. Matt)


The "array" is the Mishkan. It is the "vessel" into which the "spirit" from above can be poured. There is a Mishkan in this world, and a Mishkan in the angelic world.  There is a correspondence between the lower Mishkan and the upper Mishkan. When human beings build their lower Mishkan, it motivates the angels to become active at their level, and a conduit of communication is opened between human beings below and the angels above.

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