The Mystery of the Spiritual Shadow

The Soul's Garment: Connecting Body and Spirit

Rabbi Elazar said... The Divine Presence is called Elohim, and it is said about the soul given to man, "And Hashem created man in His image." This means that the Shechinah created human souls in its likeness. Souls emerge from the divine presence dressed in spiritual garments... It is said about this soul, "For man walks in the shadow," meaning that as long as a person carries the shadow from the Shechinah, they walk among the living. Once the soul departs from a person, they cannot move. The soul animates the body only when clothed in this shadow garment, without which it returns to dust. It acts as an intermediary between body and soul, wrapping itself around the body.

Rabbi Shimon said to his son: My son, you are blessed... The Shechinah is not present in a place where the spiritual shadow is damaged, allowing negative forces to take hold. Upon losing the divine shield, adversities arise, as hinted in Deuteronomy 31:17, "Because Hashem is not within me."

(Tikkunei Zohar, pages: 253-254)

On Hoshanah Rabbah, the spiritual shadow of those destined to die within the year is removed.

The shadow acts as a spiritual garment and a protective layer for the soul. On the final night of Sukkot, the inscriptions of heavenly decrees are delivered, and the shadows are removed from those fated to die, causing righteous souls to wander, observing the departing shadows.

Who removes the shadow to reveal the fate of the dying? A heavenly officer, appointed over souls, takes the shadow to its destined place, later returning it to the individual until 30 days before their death.

A righteous person's soul recognizes the departed shadow and proclaims to others in the afterlife if the new arrival is righteous, they rejoice; otherwise, they lament.

Angel Metatron examines the shadow to determine the soul's merit and its place among the righteous in the upper realms. From then on, a place is prepared in the Garden of Eden for each part of the soul.

On the other hand, a troubled soul finds no rest, cast as a harmful spirit. As written, "the soul of your enemy will be slung" into oblivion, losing rest and wandering eternally, a fate worse than judgement in Gehinom, where one eventually finds purification.

(Zohar, Terumah 142b-143a)

The Separation of the Shadow

Thirty days before death, the encompassing shadows depart and return upon death to experience it alongside the body. The soul ascends, while its shadow remains to comfort the mourners.

"And the shadows will flee" - When one's time arrives, their shadow departs. As it is written, "before the day breathes," indicating the moment preceding one's leaving this world, the shadow retreats, signaling the soul's return to its Creator.

(Zohar, Vayikra 13a)