Editing Shekhinah

{{short description|In Jewish theology, the dwelling or settling of the divine presence of God}}
{{About |the Hebrew word|South African singer|Shekhinah (singer)}}
{{distinguish|shechita}}

'''Shekhinah''' ({{Hebrew Name|{{Script/Hebrew|שְׁכִינָה}}|Šəḵīna|Šeḵīnā}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Khan |first=Geoffrey |title=The Tiberian Pronunciation Tradition of Biblical Hebrew, Volume 1. |publisher=Open Book Publishers |year=2020 |isbn=978-1783746767}}</ref> is the English transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning "dwelling" or "settling" and denotes the [[Divine presence|presence of God]] in a place. This concept is found in [[Judaism]] from Talmudic literature.<ref>{{cite book |last= Dan |first= Joseph |title= Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction |date= 2006 |publisher= Oxford University Press |isbn= 978-0-19530034-5 |page= [https://archive.org/details/kabbalahveryshor00danj_0/page/46 46] |quote= The term "''shekhinah''" ... was formulated in talmudic literature from the biblical verb designating the residence (''shkn'') of God in the temple in Jerusalem and among the Jewish people. "''Shekhinah''" is used in rabbinic literature as one of the many abstract titles or references to God. |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/kabbalahveryshor00danj_0/page/46 }}</ref>

The word "Shekhinah" is found in the Bible only as a "Shechaniah", a masculine proper name. The Hebrew root “shakan” appears in numerous conjugations, it can be found 128 times.  (See Strong’s Hebrew dictionary 7931.)

It also appears in the [[Mishnah]], the [[Talmud]], and [[Midrash]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pirkei Avot 3:2 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.3.2 |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-09-07 |title=Pentateuchal Targumim |url=http://targum.info/targumic-texts/pentateuchal-targumim/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=NTCS - IOTS |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The word ''shekhinah'' is first encountered in the [[rabbinic literature]].  <ref name= "McNamara" >{{cite book|last = McNamara |first = Martin |editor-last= McNamara |editor-first= Martin|title= Targum and Testament Revisited: Aramaic Paraphrases of the Hebrew Bible: A Light on the New Testament|date= 2010|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans |isbn= 978-0-80286275-4 |edition= 2nd |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=nuVfrzcd9xMC&pg=PA148 |quote=Whereas the verb shakan and terms from the root ''š-k-n'' occur in the Hebrew Scriptures, and while the term shekhinah/shekhinta is extremely common in rabbinic literature and the targums, no occurrence of it is attested in pre-rabbinic literature.}}</ref>{{rp |148–49}}<ref name= "Brandon">[[S. G. F. Brandon]], ed., ''Dictionary of Comparative Religion'' (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1970), p. 573: "Shekhinah".</ref>

The [[Semitic root]] from which ''shekhinah'' is derived, ''š-k-n'', means "to settle, inhabit, or dwell".<ref>[http://mg.alhatorah.org/Dictionary/7931.%D7%A9%D6%B8%D7%81%D7%9B%D6%B7%D7%9F AlHaTorah Concordance: שָׁכַן]</ref><ref =EJ440-444>{{Cite book|volume=18|edition=Second| location= Detroit |date= 2007| page=440-444|title=Encyclopaedia Judaica|last1=Berenbaum|first1=Michael|last2=Skolnik|first2=Fred|publisher=Thomson Gale}}</ref> In the verb form, it is often used to refer to the dwelling of a person<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|23:9|HE}}</ref> or animal<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Kamma.92b.13?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Bava Kamma 92b]</ref> in a place, or to the dwelling of God.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Exodus|25:8|HE}}</ref> Nouns derived from the root included ''shachen'' ("neighbor")<ref>{{Bibleverse|Exodus|3:22|HE}}, [https://www.sefaria.org/Ketubot.85b.8?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Ketubot 85b]</ref> and ''mishkan'' (a dwelling-place, whether a secular home<ref>e.g. {{Bibleverse|Numbers|24:5|HE}}</ref> or a holy site such as the [[Tabernacle]]<ref>e.g. {{Bibleverse|Psalms|132:5|HE}}</ref>).

==In Judaism==
In classic Jewish thought, the shekhinah refers to a dwelling or settling in a special sense, a dwelling or settling of [[divine presence]], to the effect that, while in proximity to the shekhinah, the connection to God is more readily perceivable.<ref name=ej>{{cite EJ|last=Unterman|first=Alan|display-authors=etal|title=Shekhinah|volume=18|pages=440–444|quote=Shekhinah ... or Divine Presence, refers most often in rabbinic literature to the numinous immanence of God in the world. The Shekhinah is God viewed in spatio-temporal terms as a presence, particularly in a this-worldly context: when He sanctifies a place, an object, an individual, or a whole people – a revelation of the holy in the midst of the profane. ... In origin Shekhinah was used to refer to a divine manifestation, particularly to indicate God’s presence at a given place. ... The Shekhinah, however, although grammatically feminine, remains male or at the very least androgynous in early rabbinic literature.}}</ref> While ''shekhinah'' is a feminine word in Hebrew, it primarily seemed to be featured in masculine or androgynous contexts referring to a divine manifestation of the presence of God, based especially on readings of the [[Talmud]].<ref name="ej" /><ref name="Mom">{{cite book |last=Ginsburgh |first=Yitzchak |title=The Mystery of Marriage |date=1999 |publisher=Gal Einai |isbn=965-7146-00-3 |author-link=Yitzchak Ginsburgh}}</ref><ref>Eisenberg, Ronald L. ''The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions''. The Jewish Publication Society, 2004. {{ISBN |0-8276-0760-1}}</ref> Contemporary interpretations of the term ''shekhinah'' commonly see it as the divine feminine principle in Judaism.<ref>{{cite book |last=Novick |first=Rabbi Leah |title=On the Wings of Shekhinah: Rediscovering Judaism's Divine Feminine |date=2008 |publisher=Quest Books |isbn=9780835608619 |url=https://www.penguinbookshop.com/book/9780835608619 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Shekhinah: The Divine Feminine |work=My Jewish Learning |url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-divine-feminine-in-kabbalah-an-example-of-jewish-renewal/ |quote=In contemporary Jewish discourse, the term ''shekhinah'' most commonly refers to the divine feminine, or to the feminine aspect of God. }}</ref>

===Manifestation===
The prophets made numerous references to visions of the presence of God, particularly in the context of the Tabernacle or Temple, with figures such as thrones or robes filling the Sanctuary.<ref>For example: {{Bibleref|Isaiah|6:1|HE}}; {{bibleref2 |Jeremiah|14:21}}; {{bibleref2 |Jeremiah|17:12}}; {{Bibleref|Ezekiel|8:4|HE}}</ref>

The shekhinah is referred to as manifest in the Tabernacle and the [[Temple in Jerusalem]] throughout rabbinic literature.

It is also reported as being present in other contexts:
* While a person (or people) study [[Torah]], the Shekhinah is among them.<ref>[https://www.sefaria.org.il/Pirkei_Avot.3.6?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en Pirkei Avot 3:6], [https://www.sefaria.org.il/Pirkei_Avot.3.2?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en 3:3]</ref>
* "Whenever ten are gathered for prayer, there the Shekhinah rests."<ref>[[Talmud Sanhedrin]] 39a</ref>
* "When three sit as judges, the Shekhinah is with them."<ref>Talmud Berachot 6a</ref>
* Cases of personal need: "The Shekhinah dwells over the headside of the sick man's bed",<ref>Talmud Shabbat 12b</ref> "Wheresoever they were exiled, the Shekhinah went with them."<ref>Talmud Megillah 29a</ref>
* "A man and woman - if they merit, the Shekhinah is between them. If not, fire consumes them."<ref>Talmud Sotah 17a</ref> According to one interpretation of this source, the Shekhinah is the highest of six types of holy fire. When a married couple is worthy of this manifestation, all other types of fire are consumed by it.<ref name= "Mom" />{{rp|111, n. 4}}

The Talmud states that "the Shekhinah rests on man neither through gloom, nor through sloth, nor through frivolity, nor through levity, nor through talk, nor through idle chatter, but only through a matter of joy in connection with a [[mitzvah]]."<ref>[[Shabbat (Talmud)|Tractate Shabbat]] 30b</ref>

There is no occurrence of the word "shekhinah" in pre-rabbinic literature such as the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]].  It is only afterwards in the targums and rabbinic literature that the Hebrew term ''shekhinah'', or Aramaic equivalent ''shekinta'', is found, and then becomes extremely common.<ref> Targum Yonatan b. Uzziel on Ezek 3:12: {{quote|Yonatan b. Uzziel said, “blessed is the Glory of the Lord from the place of the House of His Shekhinah.” If the Glory intended by the verse is the true essence of the Creator, as in “please show me Your Glory” (Exod 33:18), which the Master [Maimonides] interprets this way, notice that it mentions “place,” “house,” and “Shekhinah,” and if you say it is a Created Glory, which is [[Maimonides]]’ opinion concerning “the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle” (Exod 40:35) and other verses, how could they proclaim it “blessed”—one who blesses and prays to a Created Glory is like engaging in [[idolatry]]!? In the words of our Rabbis, there are many indications that the noun Shekhinah refers to God|[[Nachmanides]]}} So the sages teach that Shekhinah is God</ref> Martin McNamara (see notes) considers that the absence might lead to the conclusion that the term only originated after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, but notes [[2 Maccabees]] 14:35 "a temple for your habitation", where the Greek text ({{langx|grc-x-koine|ναὸν τῆς σῆς σκηνώσεως}}) suggests a possible parallel understanding, and where σκήνωσις ''skēnōsis'' "a tent-building", a variation on an early [[loanword]] from [[Phoenician language|Phoenician]] ({{langx|grc|ἡ σκηνή}} ''skēnē'' "tent"), is deliberately used to represent the original Hebrew or Aramaic term.<ref name= "McNamara" />{{rp |148}}

===Targum===
In the [[Targum]] the addition of the noun term shekhinah paraphrases Hebrew verb phrases such as Exodus 34:9 "let the Lord go among us" (a verbal expression of presence) which Targum paraphrases with God's "shekhinah" (a noun form).<ref>Paul V.M. Flesher, Bruce D. Chilton ''The Targums: A Critical Introduction'' 900421769X 2011 - Page 45 "The first comprises the use of the term "Shekhinah" (.....) which is usually used to speak of God's presence in Israel's worship. The Hebrew text of Exodus 34:9, for instance, has Moses pray, "let the Lord go among us" which Targum ..."</ref> In the post-temple era usage of the term shekhinah may provide a solution to the problem of God being omnipresent and thus not dwelling in any one place.<ref>Carol A. Dray ''Studies on Translation and Interpretation in the Targum to ...'' 9004146989 2006 - Page 153 "The use of the term Shekhinah, as has been noted previously,61 appears to provide a solution to the problem of God being omnipresent and thus unable to dwell in any one place. This is not the only occasion in TJ Kings when the Targumist ..."</ref>  In the Hebrew text of Exodus 33:20, as another example, Moses is told "You will not be able to see my face, for no human can see Me and live."  Once again, using of the term shekhinah provides a solution to the corporeal idiom, so [[Targum Onkelos]] reads:  "You will not be able to see the face of my shekhinah...."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-09-07 |title=Pentateuchal Targumim |url=http://targum.info/targumic-texts/pentateuchal-targumim/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=NTCS - IOTS |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Jewish prayers===
The 17th blessing of the daily ''[[Amidah]]'' prayer concludes with the line "[Blessed are You, God,] who returns His Presence (''shekhinato'') to Zion" ({{Script/Hebrew|הַמַּחֲזִיר שְׁכִינָתוֹ לְצִיּוֹן}}).

The [[Liberal Judaism (United Kingdom)|Liberal Jewish]] prayer-book for [[Rosh Hashanah]] and Yom Kippur (''Machzor Ruach Chadashah'') contains a creative prayer based on [[Avinu Malkeinu]], in which the feminine noun ''shekhinah'' is used in the interests of gender neutrality.<ref>{{cite book|title=Machzor Ruach Chadashah|editor=Rabbis Drs. Andrew Goldstein & Charles H Middleburgh|publisher=[[Liberal Judaism (United Kingdom)|Liberal Judaism]]|year=2003|pages=137|language=en, he}}</ref>

===Relationship to the Holy Spirit===
The concept of shekhinah is also associated with the concept of the [[Holy Spirit in Judaism]] (''ruach ha-kodesh'').<ref>Ruth Rubin ''Voices of a People: The Story of Yiddish Folksong'' p234</ref>

==Kabbalah==
===Sabbath Bride===
The theme of the shekhinah as the Sabbath Bride recurs in the writings and songs of 16th century [[Kabbalist]], [[Isaac Luria]]. The ''Azamer Bishvachin'' song, written in [[Aramaic]] by Luria (his name appears as an acrostic of each line) and sung at the evening meal of [[Shabbat]] is an example of this. The song appears in particular in many [[siddur]]s in the section following Friday night prayers and in some [[Zemirot|Shabbat song]] books:
<blockquote><poem>
Let us invite the Shechinah with a newly-laid table
and with a well-lit menorah that casts light on all heads.

Three preceding days to the right, three succeeding days to the left,
and amid them the Sabbath bride with adornments she goes, vessels and robes
...
May the Shechinah become a crown through the six loaves on each side
through the doubled-six may our table be bound with the profound Temple services<ref>{{cite book|title=The Family Zemiros|date=1987|publisher=Mesorah Publications, Ltd.|location=USA|isbn=0-89906-182-6|page=38|edition=Second, Fifth Impression}}</ref>
</poem></blockquote>

A paragraph in the [[Zohar]] starts: "One must prepare a comfortable seat with several cushions and embroidered covers, from all that is found in the house, like one who prepares a canopy for a bride. For the Shabbat is a queen and a bride. This is why the masters of the Mishna used to go out on the eve of Shabbat to receive her on the road, and used to say: "'Come, O bride, come, O bride!' And one must sing and rejoice at the table in her honor&nbsp;... one must receive the Lady with many lighted candles, many enjoyments, beautiful clothes, and a house embellished with many fine appointments&nbsp;..."{{Request quotation|date=September 2016}}

The tradition of the shekhinah as the Shabbat Bride, the ''Shabbat Kallah'', continues to this day.{{Request quotation|date=September 2016}}

===As feminine aspect===
[[Kabbalah]] associates the shekhinah with the female.<ref name="Mom" />{{rp|128, n.51}} According to [[Gershom Scholem]], "The introduction of this idea was one of the most important and lasting innovations of Kabbalism. ...no other element of Kabbalism won such a degree of popular approval."<ref>Gershom G. Scholem, ''Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism'' (Jerusalem: Schocken 1941, 3d rev'd ed: reprint 1961), p. 229 (quote).</ref> The "feminine Jewish divine presence, the shekhinah, distinguishes Kabbalistic literature from earlier Jewish literature."<ref>Tzahi Weiss, "The Worship of the Shekhinah in Early Kabbalah" (Academic 2015), p. 1 (quote), cf. pp. 5–8. [See "External Links" below for text of article].</ref>
<blockquote>"In the imagery of the Kabbalah the shekhinah is the most overtly female ''sefirah'', the last of the ten [[sefirot]], referred to imaginatively as 'the daughter of God'. ... The harmonious relationship between the female shekhinah and the six sefirot which precede her causes the world itself to be sustained by the flow of divine energy. She is like the moon reflecting the divine light into the world."<ref>Alan Unterman, ''Dictionary of Jewish Lore and Legend'' (London: Thames and Hudson 1991), p. 181. Cf. p. 175 re ''sefirot''. The 10th sefirot is [[Malkuth]] 'kingdom' or Shekhinah.</ref></blockquote>

===Nativity and life of Moses===
The ''[[Zohar]]'', a foundation book of kabbalah, presents the shekhinah as playing an essential role in the conception and birth of [[Moses]].<ref>Zohar Shemot, 11a</ref> Later during the [[The Exodus|Exodus]] on the "third new moon" in the desert, "''Shekhinah'' revealed Herself and rested upon him before the eyes of all."<ref>''Zohar. The Book of Enlightenment'', translation and introduction by Daniel Chanan Matt (New York: Paulist Press 1983), pp. 99-101, quote at 101; notes to text at pp. 235–238, 311. Text: standard edition, vol. 2, pp. 11a–b.</ref><ref>Cf. Scholem, ''Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism'' (1941, 1961), pp. 199–200, 226–227.</ref>

===The Tenth ''Sefirah''===
In Kabbalah, the shekhinah is identified with the tenth ''[[sefirah]]'' ([[Malkuth]]), and the source of life for humans on earth below the sefirotic realm. The Shekhinah is seen as the feminine divine presence of God descended to transform the world, Moses is considered to have risen to shekhinah into the sefirotic realm, and transcended the world as the bridegroom of the shekhinah.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Guide to the Zohar|last=Green|first=Arthur|publisher=Stanford University Press|year=2003|pages=51–53}}</ref>

==In Christianity==
The concept is similar to that in the [[Gospel of Matthew]] 18:20, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in their midst."<ref name= "McNamara" />{{rp |149}} Some Christian theologians have connected the concept of shekhinah to the Greek term ''[[parousia]]'', "presence" or "arrival," which is used in the [[New Testament]] in a similar way for "divine presence".<ref>Neal DeRoo, John Panteleimon Manoussakis, ''Phenomenology and Eschatology: Not Yet in the Now By'', Ashgate, 2009, p. 27.</ref>

===Branch Davidians===
[[Lois Roden]], whom the original [[Branch Davidians|Branch Davidian]] acknowledged as their teacher/prophet from 1978 to 1986, laid heavy emphasis on women's spirituality and the feminine aspect of God. She published a magazine, ''Shekinah'', often rendered ''SHEkinah'', in which she explored the concept that the shekhinah is the Holy Spirit. Articles from ''Shekinah'' are reprinted online at the Branch Davidian website.<ref>[http://www.the-branch.org/index.php General Association of Branch Davidian Seventh-Day Adventists], page found 2010-09-14.</ref>

==In Islam==
===In the Quran===
''[[Sakina|Sakīnah]]'' ({{langx|ar|سكينة}}) signifies the "presence or peace of God". As "support and reassurance" it was "sent by God into the hearts" of Muslims and [[Muhammad]], according to [[John Esposito]].<ref name="Esposito">{{cite book|last1=Esposito|first1=John L.|title=The Oxford Dictionary of Islam|date=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199757268|page=274}} "'''Sakinah''' The presence or peace of God. As mentioned in the Quran (48:4) and elsewhere, it was sent by God into the hearts of believers and upon His messenger, Muhammad, as support and reassurance. Associated with piety and moments of divine inspiration, sakinah in Islamic mysticism signifies an interior spiritual illumination."</ref> A modern translator of the [[Quran]], [[N. J. Dawood]], states that "tranquility" is the English word for the Arabic meaning of ''sakīnah'', yet it could be "an echo of the Hebrew ''shekeenah'' (the Holy Presence)."<ref>''The Koran'' (Penguin 1956, 4th rev'd ed. 1976), translated by Dawood, p. 275, note 2 (quote).</ref> Another scholar states that the Arabic ''sakīnah'' derives from the Hebrew/Aramaic shekhinah.<ref name="Newby">{{cite book|last1=Newby|first1=Gordon |title=A Concise Encyclopedia of Islam|date=2013|publisher=Oneworld Publications|isbn=9781780744773|page=189}} "Arabic from Hebrew/
Aramaic: spirit of God" "In another sense, also in the Qur'ân, it refers to the spirit of God. This meaning is found in tafsı̂r and isrâ'ı̂liyyât literature, as, for example, when Ibrâhı̂m and Ismâ'ı̂l are looking for the place to build the Ka'bah, the sakı̂nah circles around the right spot, saying, “Build over me; build over me.” It is supposed to be like a wind, but with a face that can talk."</ref> In the Quran, the Sakīnah is mentioned six times, in [[surah]] ''al-Baqara'', ''at-Tawba'' and ''al-Fath''.<ref>{{qref|2|248|b=y}}, {{qref|9|26}}, {{qref|9|40}}, {{qref|48|4}}, {{qref|48|18}} and {{qref|48|26}}</ref>
{{quote|Their prophet further told them, “The sign of Saul’s kingship is that the Ark will come to you—containing reassurance from your Lord and relics of the family of Moses and the family of Aaron, which will be carried by the angels. Surely in this is a sign for you, if you ˹truly˺ believe.”.|{{qref|2|248|c=y}}}}

Sakīnah means "tranquility", "peace". "calm", from the Arabic root ''sakana'': "to be quiet", "to abate", "to dwell". In Islam, ''Sakīnah'' "designates a special peace, the "Peace of God". Although related to Hebrew ''shekhinah'', the spiritual state is not an "indwelling of the Divine Presence"<ref>{{cite book|last1=Glassé|first1=Cyril|title=The Concise Encyclopedia of Islam|url=https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000unse_e6y1|url-access=registration|date=1989 |publisher=Harper & Row|isbn=9780060631239|page=[https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000unse_e6y1/page/343 343]}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=June 2016}} The ordinary Arabic use of the word's root is "the sense of abiding or dwelling in a place". A story in [[Tafsir]] and [[Isra'iliyyat]] literature relates how Ibrahim and Isma'il, when looking for the spot to build the [[Kaaba]] found sakīnah. Newby writes that it was like a breeze "with a face that could talk", saying "build over me."<ref name="Newby"/> "Associated with piety and moments of divine inspiration, ''sakinah'' in Islamic mysticism signifies an interior spiritual illumination."<ref name="Esposito"/>

===Comments regarding Sakina===
''Sakina'' in the Quran can refer to God's blessing of solace and succour upon both the Children of Israel and Muhammad.{{Request quotation|date=September 2016}} [[Al-Qurtubi]] mentions in his [[exegesis]], in explanation of the above-mentioned verse [2:248], that according to [[Wahb ibn Munabbih]], sakinah is a spirit from God that speaks, and, in the case of the [[Israelites]], where people disagreed on some issue, this spirit came to clarify the situation, and used to be a cause of victory for them in wars. According to [[Ali]], "Sakinah is a sweet breeze/wind, whose face is like the face of a human". Mujahid mentions that "when Sakinah glanced at an enemy, they were defeated", and ibn Atiyyah mentions about the [[Ark of the Covenant]] (''at-Tabut''), to which the sakina was associated, that souls found therein peace, warmth, companionship and strength.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

==In Gnosticism==
{{see also|Shkinta}}
''Shekhinah'', often in plural, is also present in some [[gnostic]] writings written in Aramaic, such as the writings of the [[Manichaeans]] and the [[Mandaeans]], as well as others. In these writings, ''shekinas'' are described as hidden aspects of God, somewhat resembling the ''[[Amesha Spenta|Amahrāspandan]]'' of the [[Zoroastrians]].<ref>[[Hans Jonas|Jonas, Hans]], ''The Gnostic Religion'', 1958, p. 98.</ref>

In [[Mandaeism]], a ''škina'' ({{langx|myz|ࡔࡊࡉࡍࡀ}}) is a celestial dwelling where [[uthra]], or benevolent celestial beings, live in the [[World of Light]] (''alma d-nhūra'').<ref name="Aldihisi 2008">{{cite thesis|url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1444088/|last=Aldihisi|first=Sabah|year=2008|title=The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba|type=PhD|publisher=University College London}}</ref> In Mandaean [[Tarmida#Ordination|priest initiation ceremonies]], a ''škina'' refers to an initiation hut where a novice and his initiator stay for seven days without sleeping. The hut is called a ''škina'' since priests are considered to be the earthly manifestations of [[uthra]]s, and the initiation hut represents the abode of the uthra on earth.<ref name="Buckley 2002">{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people|publisher=Oxford University Press|publication-place=New York|year=2002|isbn=0-19-515385-5|oclc=65198443}}</ref>

==Anthropological views==
===Raphael Patai===
In the work by anthropologist [[Raphael Patai]] entitled ''[[The Hebrew Goddess]]'', the author argues that the term ''shekhinah'' refers to a goddess by comparing and contrasting scriptural and medieval Jewish Kabbalistic source materials. Patai draws a historic distinction between the ''shekhinah'' and the [[Matronit]]. In his book Patai also discusses the Hebrew goddesses [[Asherah]] and [[Anat|Anat-Yahu]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Patai|first1=Raphael|title=The Hebrew Goddess|url=https://archive.org/details/hebrewgoddess0000pata|url-access=registration|date=1967|publisher=Wayne State University Press |isbn=0-8143-2271-9}}</ref>

===Gustav Davidson===
American poet [[Gustav Davidson]] listed shekhinah as an entry in his reference work ''A Dictionary of Angels, Including the Fallen Angels'' (1967), stating that she is the female incarnation of [[Metatron]].<ref>Davidson, Gustav. ''A Dictionary of Angels, Including the Fallen Angels''. New York. 1967. The Free Press, p. 272. "Shekinah".</ref>

==See also==
* [[Andiruna]] in Mandaeism
* ''[[The Hebrew Goddess]]''
* [[Holy Spirit in Judaism]]
* [[Priestly Blessing]]
* [[Shkinta]] in Mandaeism

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13537-shekinah ''Jewish Encyclopedia''] (1906).
* [http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2438527/jewish/The-Shechina.htm "Who Is Shechinah and What Does She Want From My Life?"], Chabad.
* [https://www.psyche.com/psyche/lex/shekinah.html Autiot of the Shekinah]
* [http://www.chabad.org/k2473 The Shekhinah in Judaism]
* [http://www.wheeloftheyear.com/reference/matronit.htm Article about the Matronit/Maggid as an aspect of the Shekinah]

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