| **The *Shekhinah* in the First Gate of the *Gates of Light*** | **השכינה בשער הראשון של שערי אורה** | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 1. Now, there is a very important principle that you must know. Know now, that at the beginning of the creation of the world, the essential root of the Indwelling Presence of _HaShem_ - יהו״ה, the _Ikkar Shechinah -_ עיקר שכינה, was in the lower worlds. (_Midrash Shir HaShirim Rabba 5:1_) For, the arrangement of all the creatures was according to their levels – those that are upper corresponding to those that are upper, and those that are lower corresponding to those that are lower. Thus, the Indwelling Presence of _HaShem_ - יהו״ה (_Shechinah-_שכינה) dwelt in the lower worlds. | א. וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת עִקָּר גָּדוֹל. דַּע, בִּתְחִלַּת בְּרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם עִקַּר שְׁכִינָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים הָיְתָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי מַעֲרֶכֶת כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים עַל סֵדֶר הַמַּעֲלוֹת הָיוּ; עֶלְיוֹנִים כְּנֶגֶד עֶלְיוֹנִים, תַּחְתּוֹנִים כְּנֶגֶד תַּחְתּוֹנִים. וּלְפִיכָךְ הָיְתָה שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים.<br> |