ŠEKHĪNĀH. – “Abode,” a Neo-Hebrew term (from the biblical verb šākhan “to dwell”) denoting the presence and dwelling of God in Israel, especially in the ancient Mosaic sanctuary. It is associated with the concept of glory and splendour.
Š. occurs in the Aramaic versions of the Bible and in rabbinic literature around 70 A.D. In the Middle Ages, Š. signifies the radiance of divine glory and is identified with the “holy spirit.” The union of God with the Š. constitutes the true unity of God, which is placed beyond the diversity of his various aspects. The Zōhar expresses the concept of Š. through the symbolic expression “the sacred garden of apple trees.”
BIBL.: J. Bonsirven, Le judaïsme palestinien, I, Parigi 1935, p. 130 ff.; G. Scholem, Major trends in Jewish mysticism, Nuova York 1946, cf. index p. 452. Eugenio Zolli