shekhinah

Shekhinah, transliterated from Hebrew as shekhinah, meaning “dwelling” or “presence,” denotes the divine presence of God in the world and especially among the people of Israel. It is not a separate deity but a description of how God manifestly dwells with creation, often in sanctified or communal settings.

Biblical foundations for the concept appear in the idea of God dwelling with the Israelites in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple, where a visible fire or cloud symbolized divine presence. The term Shekhinah itself is more common in later Jewish literature, where it is used to express God’s closeness to people and places of holiness.

In rabbinic and medieval sources, the Shekhinah is described as resting upon the community during prayer and upon holy spaces, such as the Temple. It is sometimes treated as a feminine aspect of the divine and is linked to the integrity of worship and conduct. A recurring motif is that the Shekhinah can depart from Zion or from the land when the people deviate morally or spiritually, reflecting a dynamic relationship between divine presence and human actions.

In Kabbalah and later Jewish mysticism, the Shekhinah is identified with Malkhut, the tenth sefirah, representing God’s dwelling in the material world and the ongoing tension between exile and restoration. This mystic interpretation emphasizes the process by which divine presence becomes accessible through spiritual practice and ethical living.

In modern usage, the term remains common in liturgy, poetry, and scholarly discussion as a symbol of God’s immanence and the sanctity of spaces and moments where the divine presence is sought or perceived.