The Duality of Divine Presence: Exploring the Dark Schechina in Jewish Mystical Thought and Post-Holocaust Theology
Julian Ungar-Sargon
Abstract
This paper examines the complex theological concept of
the dark side of the Schechina (Divine Presence) as presented in contemporary
Jewish mystical thought and its relationship to post-Holocaust theological
discourse. Through close analysis of primary texts that explore the feminine
divine in Jewish tradition from rabbinic literature through medieval Kabbalah
to Hasidic texts and engaging with Christian and Jewish Post-Holocaust
theological perspectives, this study investigates how modern theological discourse
has reimagined the relationship between human suffering and divine pathos. The
paper reveals striking parallels between traditional Jewish conceptions of the
darker aspects of Schechina and cross-cultural manifestations of the divine
feminine, particularly the Hindu goddess Kali, while also engaging with the
theodicy questions raised by the Holocaust/Shoah. By tracing the development of
Schechina consciousness from classical rabbinic literature through the writings
of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and contemporary theological responses to
catastrophe, this study demonstrates how the darker aspects of the feminine
divine have been employed to address theological questions raised by historical
catastrophe. The paper argues that this reconceptualization of divine suffering
represents a significant departure from traditional theodicy, offering a
theological framework that acknowledges both human and divine responsibility
for evil while maintaining a monotheistic worldview.