![[Torah Studio logo.png]] <h1 p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"> Return To The Hebrew Goddess <br> At the Torah Studio</p> # Contents - [[#Course Description|Course Description]] - [[#Learning Objectives|Learning Objectives]] - [[#Guidelines for *Hevruta*|Guidelines for *Hevruta*]] - [[#Class One: The Hebrew Goddess in Psalm 68|Class One: The Hebrew Goddess in Psalm 68]] - [[#Class One: The Hebrew Goddess in Psalm 68#Introduction|Introduction]] - [[#Class One: The Hebrew Goddess in Psalm 68#Hevruta|Hevruta]] - [[#Hevruta#Source Set 1: Psalm 68|Source Set 1: Psalm 68]] - [[#Hevruta#Source Set 2: Verses 12-14|Source Set 2: Verses 12-14]] - [[#Source Set 2: Verses 12-14#Robert Alter on 12-14|Robert Alter on 12-14]] - [[#Source Set 2: Verses 12-14#What is a Sheepfold?|What is a Sheepfold?]] - [[#Source Set 2: Verses 12-14#Walker's Translation of Ps 68:12–14 [11–13]|Walker's Translation of Ps 68:12–14 [11–13]]] - [[#Hevruta#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation|Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation]] - [[#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation#Composition of Psalm 68|Composition of Psalm 68]] - [[#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation#She who bears the News|She who bears the News]] - [[#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation#The Beauty of the House|The Beauty of the House]] - [[#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation#<…> The Omission of "if you lie down..."|<…> The Omission of "if you lie down..."]] - [[#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation#The Wings of the Dove|The Wings of the Dove]] - [[#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation#Israel as Goddess Lover of YHVH|Israel as Goddess Lover of YHVH]] - [[#Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation#Iconography of the Dove Goddess|Iconography of the Dove Goddess]] - [[#Class Two: The Shekhinah Comprises All|Class Two: The Shekhinah Comprises All]] - [[#Class Three: The Shekhinah's Names are Her Manifestations|Class Three: The Shekhinah's Names are Her Manifestations]] - [[#Class Three: The Shekhinah's Names are Her Manifestations#Source Set 1|Source Set 1]] - [[#Class Three: The Shekhinah's Names are Her Manifestations#Source Set 2|Source Set 2]] - [[#Classes Four and Five The Flying Shekhinah]] - [[#Class Four: The Flying Shekhinah#Introduction|Introduction]] - [[#Class Four: The Flying Shekhinah#Text of Tiqqunim|Text of Tiqqunim]] - [[#Class Four: The Flying Shekhinah#Commentary|Commentary]] ## Course Description In a section of the Holy Zohar called *Tiqqunim*, YHVH manifests as a Hebrew Goddess. While She is empowered and completed through Her loving connection to the divine masculine, it is She who stands center-stage in the text's mystical and religious vision. Not since the ancient Israelites, who worshipped the Hebrew Goddess Asherah in the First Temple period, has the Hebrew Goddess so dominated the Jewish religious mind. In ancient times, currents of supremacism, militarism, patriarchy and intolerance sought to destroy worship of the Hebrew Goddess. In our time, those forces are again in power. I believe returning to the Hebrew Goddess is an avenue of resistance. In this course, we will focus on depictions of the *Shekhinah* in *Tiqqunei Hazohar*, alongside an exploration of Asherah worship during the First Temple period. We will build on previous courses at The Torah Studio but will study all new sources. I hope we will find personal spiritual inspiration and also insight into how we can overcome the current reality of *galut* (exile) and *horban* destruction. ## Learning Objectives 1) To explore parallels between Goddess worship in ancient Israel and in medieval Kabbalah to enrich our religious vocabularies and expand our spiritual vision. 2) To gain skills in learning Zoharic texts so as to utilize these texts in building our own religious world views and practices. 3) To better understand the fascinating religious world of ancient Israel in order to expand our contemporary Jewish religious imaginations. ## Guidelines for *Hevruta* In our meetings, we will break for *hevruta* study. Each time, I will specify which elements of the coursebook are meant for study in *hevruta*. Its great to begin your *hevruta* with a bit of schmoozing. Getting to know each other, to share your different perspectives with each other, is what has made Jewish *hevruta* learning such a powerful traditional practice. Once you're introduced and relaxed, make sure you know what texts you're meant to study. There will always be instructions and guiding questions for *hevruta*. If you're not sure at any stage what's going on exactly, ask me! ## Class One: The Hebrew Goddess in Psalm 68 ### Introduction One of the most beautiful portrayals of the Hebrew Goddess in *Tiqqunei Zohar* describes Her as manifesting in two birds: The lower more immanent and vulnerable aspect of the Goddess appears as a dove with wings overlaid with silver with pinions of gold; the higher and more transcendent and powerful aspect of the Goddess appears as an eagle whose wings span the expanse of the sky. [[Dove and Eagle Bilingual|Here is the text]] and here is some [[Dove and Eagle Pirush|commentary]] on it. (We concluded the *Mitnabot* course with this text and we'll come back to it later.) These images are drawn from Psalm 68. Some scholars believe that Psalm 68 was written between the 13th and 10th centuries and displays powerful Canaanite-Ugaritic influences. See this summary of his position by Perplexity AI: [[Albright and Perplexity on Psalm 68]] A contemporary scholar by the name of M. Justin Walker in an article entitled *The Wings of the Dove are Covered in Silver - The Absent Presence of the Goddess in Psalm 68* continued this line of inquiry by exploring the Canaanite Goddess imagery in the Psalm. It so happens that the central verses where he finds evidence of Goddess imagery in the Psalm are the same verses that *Tiqqunei Zohar* finds Her! We will begin our course by exploring these connections. ### Hevruta #### Source Set 1: Psalm 68 The full text of the Psalm is available on Sefaria [here]( https://www.sefaria.org.il/Psalms.68?lang=bi). I suggest the JPS 2023 version. It seems impossible to export that translation (with numbered verses) from Sefaria, so below appears the JPS 1985 translation. We don't need to get into all of this fascinating, long and difficult Psalm. Our focus is on verses 12-14. It appears here to give a general sense of the Psalm and for reference. Particularly important terms are in bold. | Psalm 68 (JPS 1985) | מזמור סח | | 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| | (1) For the leader. Of David. A psalm. A song. (2) God will arise, His enemies shall be scattered, His foes shall flee before Him. (3) Disperse them as smoke is dispersed; as wax melts at fire, so the wicked shall perish before God. (4) But the righteous shall rejoice; they shall exult in the presence of God; they shall be exceedingly joyful. (5) Sing to God, chant hymns to His name; **extol Him who rides the clouds**; the LORD is His name. Exult in His presence— (6) the father of orphans, the champion of widows, God, in His holy habitation. (7) God restores the lonely to their homes, **sets free the imprisoned, safe and sound**, while the rebellious must live in a parched land. (8) O God, when You went at the head of Your army, when You marched through the desert, selah **(9) the earth trembled, the sky rained because of God, yon Sinai, because of God, the God of Israel. (10) You released a bountiful rain, O God;** when Your own land languished, You sustained it. (11) Your tribe dwells there; O God, in Your goodness You provide for the needy. **(12) The Lord gives a command; the women who bring the news are a great host: (13) “The kings and their armies are in headlong flight; housewives are sharing in the spoils; (14) even for those of you who lie among the sheepfolds there are wings of a dove sheathed in silver, its pinions in fine gold.”** (15) When Shaddai scattered the kings, it seemed like a snowstorm in Zalmon. (16) O majestic mountain, Mount Bashan; O jagged mountain, Mount Bashan; (17) why so hostile, O jagged mountains, toward the mountain God desired as His dwelling? The LORD shall abide there forever. (18) God’s chariots are myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them as in Sinai in holiness. (19) You went up to the heights, having taken captives, having received tribute of men, even of those who rebel against the LORD God’s abiding there. (20) Blessed is the Lord. Day by day He supports us, God, our deliverance. Selah. (21) God is for us a God of deliverance; GOD the Lord provides an escape from death. (22) God will smash the heads of His enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks about in his guilt. (23) The Lord said, “I will retrieve from Bashan, I will retrieve from the depths of the sea; (24) that your feet may wade through blood; that the tongue of your dogs may have its portion of your enemies.” (25) Men see Your processions, O God, the processions of my God, my king, into the sanctuary. **(26) First come singers, then musicians, amidst maidens playing timbrels.** (27) In assemblies bless God, the LORD, O you who are from the fountain of Israel. (28) There is little Benjamin who rules them, the princes of Judah who command them, the princes of Zebulun and Naphtali. (29) Your God has ordained strength for you, the strength, O God, which You displayed for us (30) from Your temple above Jerusalem. The kings bring You tribute. (31) Blast the beast of the marsh, the herd of bulls among the peoples, the calves, till they come cringing with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in wars! (32) Tribute-bearers shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten its gifts to God. (33) O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; chant hymns to the Lord, selah (34) to Him who rides the ancient highest heavens, who thunders forth with His mighty voice. (35) Ascribe might to God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose might is in the skies. (36) You are awesome, O God, in Your holy places; it is the God of Israel who gives might and power to the people. Blessed is God. | (א) לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לְדָוִ֗ד מִזְמ֥וֹר שִֽׁיר׃ (ב) יָק֣וּם אֱ֭לֹהִים יָפ֣וּצוּ אוֹיְבָ֑יו וְיָנ֥וּסוּ מְ֝שַׂנְאָ֗יו מִפָּנָֽיו׃ (ג) כְּהִנְדֹּ֥ף עָשָׁ֗ן תִּ֫נְדֹּ֥ף כְּהִמֵּ֣ס דּ֭וֹנַג מִפְּנֵי־אֵ֑שׁ יֹאבְד֥וּ רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים מִפְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (ד) וְֽצַדִּיקִ֗ים יִשְׂמְח֣וּ יַ֭עַלְצוּ לִפְנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִ֗ים וְיָשִׂ֥ישׂוּ בְשִׂמְחָֽה׃ (ה) שִׁ֤ירוּ **׀** לֵאלֹהִים֮ זַמְּר֢וּ שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ **סֹ֡לּוּ לָרֹכֵ֣ב בָּ֭עֲרָבוֹת** בְּיָ֥הּ שְׁמ֗וֹ וְעִלְז֥וּ לְפָנָֽיו׃ (ו) אֲבִ֣י יְ֭תוֹמִים וְדַיַּ֣ן אַלְמָנ֑וֹת אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים בִּמְע֥וֹן קׇדְשֽׁוֹ׃ (ז) אֱלֹהִ֤ים **׀** מ֘וֹשִׁ֤יב יְחִידִ֨ים **׀** בַּ֗יְתָה **מוֹצִ֣יא אֲ֭סִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁר֑וֹת** אַ֥ךְ ס֝וֹרְרִ֗ים שָׁכְנ֥וּ צְחִיחָֽה׃ (ח) אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים בְּ֭צֵאתְךָ לִפְנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֑ךָ בְּצַעְדְּךָ֖ בִישִׁימ֣וֹן סֶֽלָה׃ (ט) אֶ֤רֶץ רָעָ֨שָׁה **׀** אַף־שָׁמַ֣יִם נָטְפוּ֮ מִפְּנֵ֢י אֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים זֶ֥ה סִינַ֑י מִפְּנֵ֥י אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (י) גֶּ֣שֶׁם נְ֭דָבוֹת תָּנִ֣יף אֱלֹהִ֑ים נַחֲלָתְךָ֥ וְ֝נִלְאָ֗ה אַתָּ֥ה כוֹנַנְתָּֽהּ׃ (יא) חַיָּתְךָ֥ יָשְׁבוּ־בָ֑הּ תָּ֤כִֽין־בְּטוֹבָתְךָ֖ לֶֽעָנִ֣י אֱלֹהִֽים׃ **(יב) אֲדֹנָ֥י יִתֶּן־אֹ֑מֶר הַֽ֝מְבַשְּׂר֗וֹת צָבָ֥א רָֽב׃ (יג) מַלְכֵ֣י צְ֭בָאוֹת יִדֹּד֣וּן יִדֹּד֑וּן וּנְוַת־בַּ֝֗יִת תְּחַלֵּ֥ק שָׁלָֽל׃ (יד) אִֽם־תִּשְׁכְּבוּן֮ בֵּ֤ין שְׁפַ֫תָּ֥יִם כַּנְפֵ֣י י֭וֹנָה נֶחְפָּ֣ה בַכֶּ֑סֶף וְ֝אֶבְרוֹתֶ֗יהָ בִּירַקְרַ֥ק חָרֽוּץ׃** (טו) בְּפָ֘רֵ֤שׂ שַׁדַּ֓י מְלָ֘כִ֤ים בָּ֗הּ תַּשְׁלֵ֥ג בְּצַלְמֽוֹן׃ (טז) הַר־אֱ֭לֹהִים הַר־בָּשָׁ֑ן הַ֥ר גַּ֝בְנֻנִּ֗ים הַר־בָּשָֽׁן׃ (יז) לָ֤מָּה **׀** תְּֽרַצְּדוּן֮ הָרִ֢ים גַּבְנֻ֫נִּ֥ים הָהָ֗ר חָמַ֣ד אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְשִׁבְתּ֑וֹ אַף־יהוה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָנֶֽצַח׃ (יח) רֶ֤כֶב אֱלֹהִ֗ים רִבֹּתַ֣יִם אַלְפֵ֣י שִׁנְאָ֑ן אֲדֹנָ֥י בָֿ֝֗ם סִינַ֥י בַּקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ (יט) עָ֘לִ֤יתָ לַמָּר֨וֹם **׀** שָׁ֘בִ֤יתָ שֶּׁ֗בִי לָקַ֣חְתָּ מַ֭תָּנוֹת בָּאָדָ֑ם וְאַ֥ף ס֝וֹרְרִ֗ים לִשְׁכֹּ֤ן **׀** יָ֬הּ אֱלֹהִֽים׃ (כ) בָּ֤ר֣וּךְ אֲדֹנָי֮ י֤וֹם **׀** י֥֫וֹם יַעֲמׇס־לָ֗נוּ הָ֘אֵ֤ל יְֽשׁוּעָתֵ֬נוּ סֶֽלָה׃ (כא) הָ֤אֵ֣ל ׀ לָנוּ֮ אֵ֤ל לְֽמ֫וֹשָׁע֥וֹת וְלֵיהוה אֲדֹנָ֑י לַ֝מָּ֗וֶת תֹּצָאֽוֹת׃ (כב) אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִמְחַץ֮ רֹ֤אשׁ אֹ֫יְבָ֥יו קׇדְקֹ֥ד שֵׂעָ֑ר מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ בַּאֲשָׁמָֽיו׃ (כג) אָמַ֣ר אֲ֭דֹנָי מִבָּשָׁ֣ן אָשִׁ֑יב אָ֝שִׁ֗יב מִֽמְּצֻל֥וֹת יָֽם׃ (כד) לְמַ֤עַן **׀** תִּ֥מְחַ֥ץ רַגְלְךָ֗ בְּ֫דָ֥ם לְשׁ֥וֹן כְּלָבֶ֑יךָ מֵאֹיְבִ֥ים מִנֵּֽהוּ׃ (כה) רָא֣וּ הֲלִיכוֹתֶ֣יךָ אֱלֹהִ֑ים הֲלִ֘יכ֤וֹת אֵלִ֖י מַלְכִּ֣י בַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ **(כו) קִדְּמ֣וּ שָׁ֭רִים אַחַ֣ר נֹגְנִ֑ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲ֝לָמ֗וֹת תּוֹפֵפֽוֹת׃** (כז) בְּֽ֭מַקְהֵלוֹת בָּרְכ֣וּ אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י מִמְּק֥וֹר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (כח) שָׁ֤ם בִּנְיָמִ֨ן **׀** צָעִ֡יר רֹדֵ֗ם שָׂרֵ֣י יְ֭הוּדָה רִגְמָתָ֑ם שָׂרֵ֥י זְ֝בֻל֗וּן שָׂרֵ֥י נַפְתָּלִֽי׃ (כט) צִוָּ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ עֻ֫זֶּ֥ךָ עוּזָּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים ז֝֗וּ פָּעַ֥לְתָּ לָּֽנוּ׃ (ל) מֵ֭הֵיכָלֶךָ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לְךָ֤ יוֹבִ֖ילוּ מְלָכִ֣ים שָֽׁי׃ (לא) גְּעַ֨ר חַיַּ֪ת קָנֶ֡ה עֲדַ֤ת אַבִּירִ֨ים **׀** בְּעֶגְלֵ֬י עַמִּ֗ים מִתְרַפֵּ֥ס בְּרַצֵּי־כָ֑סֶף בִּזַּ֥ר עַ֝מִּ֗ים קְרָב֥וֹת יֶחְפָּֽצוּ׃ (לב) יֶאֱתָ֣יוּ חַ֭שְׁמַנִּים מִנִּ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם כּ֥וּשׁ תָּרִ֥יץ יָ֝דָ֗יו לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ (לג) מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָ֭אָרֶץ שִׁ֣ירוּ לֵאלֹהִ֑ים זַמְּר֖וּ אֲדֹנָ֣י סֶֽלָה׃ (לד) לָ֭רֹכֵב בִּשְׁמֵ֣י שְׁמֵי־קֶ֑דֶם הֵ֥ן יִתֵּ֥ן בְּ֝קוֹל֗וֹ ק֣וֹל עֹֽז׃ (לה) תְּנ֥וּ עֹ֗ז לֵאלֹ֫הִ֥ים עַֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל גַּאֲוָת֑וֹ וְ֝עֻזּ֗וֹ בַּשְּׁחָקִֽים׃ (לו) נ֤וֹרָ֥א אֱלֹהִ֗ים מִֽמִּקְדָּ֫שֶׁ֥יךָ אֵ֤ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל ה֤וּא נֹתֵ֨ן **׀** עֹ֖ז וְתַעֲצֻמ֥וֹת לָעָ֗ם בָּר֥וּךְ אֱלֹהִֽים׃ {פ}<br><br> | #### Source Set 2: Verses 12-14 ##### Robert Alter on 12-14 ![[Ps 68 12-14 Bi]] ![[Alter on Psalm 68]] ##### What is a Sheepfold? ![[64974FF3-A7CB-40C1-9D43-6D5BE2C3A6D4.jpg]] ##### Walker's Translation of Ps 68:12–14 [11–13] “My Lord gives a command, She who bears the news is a great army: ‘The kings of the armies flee, they flee!’ The beautiful one of the house divides the spoil, <…> The wings of the dove are overlaid with silver, And its pinions with yellow-green gold.” *Note: In Walker's original translation it reads "yellowish-green gold" but I think yellow-green is prettier. Otherwise, I love his translation.* #### Source Set 3: Selections of Walker's explanation of his Translation and Interpretation For Walker's full text see https://www.academia.edu/126421365/The_Wings_of_the_Dove_are_Covered_with_Silver_The_Absent_Presence_of_the_Goddess_in_Psalm_68 Below appear selections from Walker's explanation of his translation (above): ##### Composition of Psalm 68 > Despite the plethora arguments concerning composition and dating, there is a majority position among many that portions of the psalm were first composed as a part of North Israelite worship, possibly on Mount Tabor (based on the list of tribes in v. 28 [27] and Tabor’s nearby location), in the early royal period. The core of the psalm was then adopted and adapted for worship in the Jerusalem Temple (as seen in v. 30 [29]) in the late pre-exilic period. ##### She who bears the News > In light of the decidedly female imagery that follows this verse (see below on “beauty of the house” and the dove) and their occurrence as feminine singular nouns, I have decided to repoint the participle from a feminine plural to a feminine singular participle (המבשרת).Given the likely absence of the *mater waw* in the earliest compositions of the participle, the original consonantal rendering of the word likely allowed for a feminine plural or singular > interpretation. In light of the singular feminine figures that follow in this passage, I have thus translated the participle as “she who bears the tidings.” > ...[w]e are nevertheless left with the problem of the ambiguous identity of the female messenger (המבשרת ) in this line. In light of the immediately preceding passage concerning God’s provision for God’s people, the word could be representative of Israel more broadly who benefits not only from God’s safekeeping but also from God’s military victory. Just as the psalm commands Israel to sing God’s praises (68: 5 [4]; 33–36 [32–35]), Israel now participates in bearing the news of God’s triumph. At the same time, one could also argue that המבשרת quite literally denotes a woman messenger (or group of women messengers if read collectively). This is also a plausible interpretation considering the reference to women drummers in the procession of Yahweh’s victory later in the psalm (68 :26 [25]). One could even interpret the female messenger as an anticipation of the “beautiful one of the house” introduced in verse 13b [12b] such that the domestic woman tangibly benefits from the victorious events she proclaims. While the terseness and ambiguity of the poetry in no way precludes any one of these meanings, I argue below that the image is representative of Israel more broadly in light of the iconographic evidence concerning the doves and the broader goddess characterization of Israel in the passage. ##### The Beauty of the House > Among these options, the translation(s) that understand נות as a “beautiful one” that shares in the spoils of YHWH’s victory are the most preferable for three primary reasons. First, and most importantly, the ancient versions confirm this interpretation. The LXX translates καὶ ὡπαιότητι τοῦ οἲκου διελέσθαι σκῦλα (“And for the beauty of the house to divide the spoils for herself”), and the Vulg. reads *et pulchritudo domus dividet spolia* (“and the beauty of the house divides the spoils”). Second, this reading requires no emendations or implicit insertion of prepositions to make sense of the syntax. Finally, the immediate context of the word further supports the “beauty” interpretation. Outside of Psalm 68, the word נאוה commonly appears in the Hebrew Bible in conjunction with dove imagery (cf. the dove in Ps 68 :14 \[13\]). Of the ten unmistakable occurrences of the adjective נאוה in the Hebrew Bible, four of them are found in the Song of Songs (1:5; 2:14; 4:3; 6:4). In three of these cases, יונה occurs in immediate proximity to the descriptor יונים) in 4:1 and נאוה in 4:3; יונתי in 6:9 and נאוה in 6:4), and the two words even appear together in the same verse (2 : 14). These examples point to a close semantic relationship between these two words – a connection that the iconography will further confirm. As a result, I translate נוה as “beautiful one” above. > ...[w]hen the poem presents the “beautiful one” in v. 13a [12a], it describes her as one “of the house ( בית ).” While this construction might simply denote a domestic woman, בית can and often does take on more cultic overtones both in the Hebrew Bible and in the Psalter specifically. Not only does בית commonly refer to YHWH’s temple (e.g., 1 Kgs 6–7; 1 Chr 28:2; Isa 56:7; 64:10 [11]; Dan 1: 2), tabernacle (1 Chr 17:5; 1 Sam 1: 7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20, Mal 3:10), or cultic site (Gen 28:17, 22), it also refers to the “houses” of various other deities, including Baal (2 Kgs 10:21ff), Baal-berith (Judg 9:4), Dagon (1 Sam 5 : 5), Rimmon (2 Kgs 5:18), generic idols (1 Sam 31:9), the “high places” (1 Kgs 12:31; 13:32; 2 Kgs 17: 29, 32), even the goddess Astarte (1 Sam 31:10). In the Psalms, while בית can refer to human families or dwellings (e.g., 45:11 [10] ; 50:9; 68:7 [6]; 101:2; 119:54; 112:3; 113:9; 128:3; 132:3), it most often functions as an image of Yahweh’s dwelling (Pss 5:8 [7] ; 23:6; 26:8; 27:4; 30:1; 36:9 [8] ; 42:5 [4] ; 52:8; 55:14; 65:5 [4] ; 66:13; 69:10 [9]; 84:4–5 [3–4], 11 [10]; 92:14 [13]; 93:5; 101:7; 116:19; 118:26; 122: 1, 9; 134:1–2). Given the broader literary context of Psalm 68 and the common use of בית to designate divine “homes” throughout the HB, the specific reference to the “beautiful one of the house” is particularly suggestive of a cultic setting. ##### <…> The Omission of "if you lie down..." > Following Mowinckel, *Der achtundsechzigste Psal*m, 37–38, I have chosen to omit v. > 14aα in the MT: אם תשכבון בין שפתים (‟if you lie down between the sheepfolds”). This > clause – if not this entire verse – has created many headaches for interpreters, for virtually > no scholar can intelligibly render this phrase in light of its surrounding context. *He goes on to explain that this phrase was brought by mistake from Judges following the other material quoted from there.* ##### The Wings of the Dove > Finally, after describing God’s utterance and its contrasting effects for God’s enemies and God’s people in vv.12–13 [11–12], the passage concludes with the striking image of a dove whose wings are decorated with silver and gold. Without any explanation of its meaning, the poetry merely presents this stunning picture, leaving the reader to make sense of its significance in the context of God’s celebrated victory. With respect to the silver and gold, one can confidently argue that these valuables represent concrete elements of the spoils mentioned in the immediately preceding line, for silver ( כסף ) and gold ( זהב ; cf. the more poetic term חרוץ used in Ps 68:14 [13]) commonly appear among the list of spoils (root שלל ) in the HB (Josh 7:21; 22:8; Judg 8:24; Ezek 38:13). The significance of the dove, however, presents an entirely different set of questions, especially concerning why this bird appears here and why it is described in such bejeweled fashion. > The poetic precision of the line...suggests that more is at work in the image than the poet’s arbitrary preference for the dove. We see this precision not only in the variegated vocabulary used to describe the dove’s wings ( כנף and אברה ) and their ornamentation ( כסף and חרוץ ) but also in the rarity of the terms the poet employs. While כנף and כסף are relatively commonplace nouns, אברה occurs only four times in the HB (Job 39:13; Deut 32:11; Ps 91:4; 68:14 [13]), I חרוץ only six times (Zech 9:3; Ps 68:14 [13] ; Prov 3:14; 8:10, 19; 16:16), and ירקרק only three times (Ps 68:14 [13] ; Lev 13:49; and Lev 14:37), with our passage constituting the sole example of its application to gold. The rarity and variety of the language used suggests an artfully crafted picture with attention to every word – a precision that one would assume also extends to the dove that constitutes the subject of these adornments. ##### Israel as Goddess Lover of YHVH > I propose that all three parties (messenger, beautiful one, and dove) are representatives of Israel. With respect to the messengers specifically, while the מבשרת clearly allows for multiple interpretations – women heralds (cf. 68:26 [25]), the dove(s), etc. – the word can also apply to Yahweh’s people as a female messenger, especially in light of iconographic examples that feature doves both as a representative of the goddess (**fig. 1**) and as a messenger of her love (**fig. 12**). Israel can simultaneously be both messenger and dove, and the shared grammatical gender also allows for this identification. ***See below for the figures*** > ...[T]he use of the dove image in Psalm 68 may provide one possible case, however small, in which the poets moved beyond typical human-based metaphors of human affection (e.g., marriage) and appropriated traditional goddess imagery to characterize Yahweh’s people as Yahweh’s beautifully adorned consort. This adoption and subsequent demythologization of goddess tropes suggests that the absent goddess of Israelite religion may not only be found in certain hypostasized characteristics or attributes/actions of Yahweh but also in the self-understanding of Israel herself, whose insistence on the intimate, even exclusive relationship between them and their God naturally engendered a self conception that drew upon loving metaphors from both human and divine spheres. Perhaps then we might explain the absence of the goddess in Israelite religion not simply in terms of Israel’s rejection or absorption of goddesses but also in terms of Israel’s construction of its own identity. Israel, that is, may have avoided goddess worship simply because they had no need of one, for they understood themselves as the primary (female) social partner of Yahweh. ##### Iconography of the Dove Goddess > Keel divides these scenes into three types: the dove and palm tree(s), the dove and goddess, and the dove between male and female partners. In the first type, the dove appears in connection with the palm tree – a clear attribute of the goddess (Asherah, Anat, etc.) that underscores her pleasant, “cultivated” side. An example of this scene is seen on a Middle Bronze Age mural from Mari (**fig. 7. ; cf. fig. 4**) that depicts Ishtar’s sanctuary with a variety of accompanying motifs – flanking trees, date-palms, mixed creatures, and doves. > > The second scene type features the dove with the goddess herself and is presented in numerous ways. At the beginning of the second millennium, many Near Eastern pieces show the goddess with a dove on her head, as seen in a cylinder seal from Kültepe (20th cent. BCE) (**fig. 8**.) wherein doves surround an enthroned goddess – one on her hand, one on her head, and two flying away from her face. Another example (a Syro-Cappadocian cylinder seal, ca. 19th century) shows two goddesses (both adorned with a dove) in a procession with the weather god before an enthroned high(er) god (**fig. 9**). This constellation (with only a single goddess) also occurs on a seal from Ebla (18th cent.) and presents the female figure with the eight-rayed star (**fig. 10**) – a common accoutrement of the goddess. Other instances represent the so-called “divine stripper” (appearing alone), who uncovers herself and is adorned with doves (**fig. 11**). > > Finally, the dove’s occurrence between two partners constitutes the most applicable scene for our purposes. One version of this scene (seen on two ancient Syrian stamp seals from the 18th century) shows the “divine stripper” with doves flying away from her face toward an enthroned god (**fig. 12**). According to Keel, she opens “her clothing in a gesture unmistakably meant to offer herself to her seated partner.” Another ancient Syrian seal shows the dove flying from a goddess to the weather god who stands on mountains in the smiting posture (**fig. 13**) – a depiction that indicates his warrior status as well as his approach to her across the mountains (cf. Yahweh’s ascent to a mountainous abode in Ps 68:16–19 [15–18] and Yahweh’s violent victory over the enemy in 68:3 [2], 13 [12], 15 [14], 19 [18], 22–24 [21–23]). A thirteenth century Syrian seal also shows an enthroned goddess facing the weather-god in the smiting posture, both of whom hold onto a dove standard placed between them (**fig. 14**). In his discussion of this final scene type, Keel also offers an example that features two doves in different constellations. In the first, the dove accompanies the “divine stripper” goddess standing upon a bull, and the second features the bird between two seated partners (humans?), flying from the man to the woman (**fig. 15**). This image alone seems to indicate that the dove could serve both as a feature of the goddess and as a more general indication of human love or relationship (though one cannot discount the fact the dove could simply function as a space filler between the two individuals). > > Although all of these iconographic “scenes” significantly pre-date the biblical > material, they are nevertheless insightful for seeing a religious-historical development > across the Near East (especially in Syria) that often if not almost exclusively > presented doves as unmistakable aspects of the goddess. ![[Pasted image 20250322140752.png]] ![[Pasted image 20250322141923.png]] ![[Pasted image 20250322142932.png]] ![[Pasted image 20250322143001.png]] ![[Pasted image 20250322142044.png]] ![[Pasted image 20250322142111.png]] ![[Pasted image 20250322142242.png]] ## Class Two: The Shekhinah Comprises All ![[Sefirot Matt Plus YHVH.png]] **From _The Gates of Light_ by Rabbi Joseph Gikatilla (13th cen. Spain)** | The Fifth Gate | השער החמישי | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | The fifth of the sacred names according to the hierarchy of levels is the name called YHWH, source of all blessings. Know and believe that the name YHWH is the pillar upon which all the sefirot, both upper and lower, are bound, unified from below to above, and through which they receive influence from above to below. This name stands like the trunk of a tree, while all the other sacred names are like its branches. All of them unite with it above, below, and in all directions. It is the name that unifies all the sefirot through its letters. Likewise, all created beings exist through it, and all the chariots of the world, both upper and lower, depend on it and look to it. All the structures of the world, its foundations and its forms, are suspended upon it. There is nothing in all the worlds that is not dependent upon and perfected through the name YHWH, source of all blessings. | הַשֵּׁם הַחֲמִישִׁי מִשְּׁמוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַמַּעֲלוֹת הוּא הַשֵּׁם הַנִּקְרָא יהו"ה יִתְבָּרַךְ. דַּע וְהַאֲמֵן כִּי שֵׁם יהו"ה הוּא הָעַמּוּד שֶׁכָּל הַסְּפִירוֹת עֶלְיוֹנוֹת וְתַחְתּוֹנוֹת נִתְאַחֲזוֹת בּוֹ, מִתְאַחֲדוֹת בּוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה לְמַעְלָה וּבוֹ הֵם נִשְׁפָּעוֹת מִלְּמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה. וְזֶהוּ הַשֵּׁם הָעוֹמֵד כְּדִמְיוֹן גּוּף הָאִילָן וְכָל שְׁאָר שְׁמוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ הֵם כְּדִמְיוֹן עַנְפֵי הָאִילָן, וְכֻלָּם מִתְאַחֲדִים בּוֹ לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה וְלִשְׁאָר כָּל הַצְּדָדִים, וְהוּא הַמְּיַחֵד כָּל הַסְּפִירוֹת בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתָיו. וְכֵן כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים כֻּלָּם קַיָּמִים, וְכָל הַמֶּרְכָּבוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, עֶלְיוֹנוֹת וְתַחְתּוֹנוֹת, בּוֹ נִסְמָכוֹת וְאֵלָיו צוֹפוֹת, וְכָל סִדְרֵי עוֹלָם וִיסוֹדוֹתָיו וּבִנְיָנָיו עָלָיו תְּלוּיִים. וְאֵין דָּבָר בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת כֻּלָּם שֶׁאֵינוֹ תָּלוּי וּמְשֻׁכְלָל בַּשֵּׁם יהו"ה יִתְבָּרַךְ. [...] | ![[Tiqqunim - The Shekhinah Comprises All - Bi]] ## Class Three: The Shekhinah's Names are Her Manifestations In today's class, we will get deeper into the Shekhinah's Names and manifestations, returning in particular to Her appearance as dove and eagle. ### Source Set 1 ![[The Shekhinah's Names and Manifestations - Bi]] ![[The Shekhinah's Names and Manifestations - Pirush]] ### Source Set 2 *If you have time, move on to these sources which we have seen before in a previous course. As you learn, compare these texts to what we learned about Psalm 68 in our first class.* ![[Dove and Eagle Bilingual]] ![[Dove and Eagle Pirush]] ## Classes Four and Five: The Flying Shekhinah ### Introduction In today's class we will begin exploring one of the ways that the author of *Tiqqunim* encounters the Goddess in language. To begin with, focus only on the sections in bold. We might return to this text next week, so if you find it difficult, take your time. The images here require some time and concentration before their outlines become clear. ### Text of Tiqqunim | | | | ------------------ | -------------------------- | | ![[Tikkun 21 61b]] | ![[תיקוני זוהר כא סא ע'ב]] | ### Commentary ![[Tikkun 21 61b Pirush]] ## Class Five In today's class we will return to the sources from last week and get deeper into them.