The Kabbalistic Role of Women: Understanding the Divine Feminine in Jewish Mysticism

According to Kabbalah, the Sefirot are ten divine attributes through which G-d reveals himself and interacts with the world. The woman corresponds to the tenth sefira of Malchut (Kingship), which represents the Shechinah- the Divine Presence. Malchut is associated with the final letter “Hey” (ה) in the four-letter Divine Name (YHVH), and it corresponds to the lowest of the Four Worlds- Asiyah (the World of Action).

All the sefirot and spiritual worlds receive their light and spiritual sustenance from the levels above them. Likewise, the sefira of Malchut receives from the higher sefirot, and the World of Asiyah receives from the higher worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, and Yetzirah (represented by the other three letters in the Divine Name).

However, unlike the other sefirot, each of which receives and passes on what it receives, Malchut and the World of Asiyah are final and have no level below them to transmit to. Thus, they are the ultimate receivers.

Malchut: The Womb of Creation

Each world is made up of its own internal structure of ten sefirot and four levels, and every world is “born” from the Malchut and Asiyah of the world above it. For example, the World of Beriah (Creation) emanates from the Malchut and Asiyah of Atzilut (Emanation). In this way, Malchut and Asiyah function like earth receiving rain- they receive from above and produce growth.

In this sense, the heavens are masculine (giving), and the earth is feminine (receiving). This is the deeper meaning behind the description “Mother Earth”.

The Unity of the Divine and the Shechinah

Traditionally said before prayer or the performance of a mitzvah the phrase “For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah” refers to drawing divine energy from the upper levels (symbolized by the first letters of the Divine Name) into the level of Malchut (the Shechinah), through the unification of the Divine Name's letters, resulting in complete spiritual abundance.

Hence, the woman is likened to the Shechinah. As the sage Rav Yosef once said, when he heard his mother’s footsteps approaching: “I rise before the Shechinah that is arriving.”

Honoring a Woman Brings Blessing and Wealth

Because a woman’s spiritual root lies in the sefira of Malchu- the source of blessing and livelihood- a man who honors his wife with kind words, clothing, and jewelry, and is careful not to hurt her even verbally, opens the gates of blessing and sustenance for himself.

In honoring her, he is not simply honoring a body or physical presence, but the soul within her- her essence, which is rooted in the spiritual source of abundance. Thus, by respecting her, he draws down divine flow and wealth.

This is the secret behind the statement of the sage Rava, who used to tell the men of his city: “Honor your wives so that you may become wealthy.”

Creation Begins with Receiving

There is also great spiritual power in the World of Asiyah. Although it receives energy from above, the actions of human beings in this world affect the higher worlds in return- either positively or negatively- and that energy circles back to influence this world.

Thus, the woman, whose root is in Malchut, receives from the man, like earth receives rain, and it is she alone who possesses the power to give birth and nurture a complete human being.

The Letters of Man and Woman: Heaven and Earth

This is the secret of the letter Yud (י) in the word “Ish” (man), representing the spiritual and heavenly source, and the letter Hey (ה) in “Isha” (woman), representing the earthly, productive realm of Asiyah.

The heavens pour water (blessing) onto the earth, enabling it to produce fruit. So too, the woman receives and gives life as her very structure is geared toward creating and manifesting. For this reason the letter Hey is the letter of fertility and actualization.

As the Torah says: “And G-d said to Abraham: Sarai your wife- do not call her Sarai, for Sarah is her name. I will bless her, and she will give you a son.”

Different Obligations Reflect Different Spiritual Roles

A man is commanded to study Torah daily (corresponding to the Yud- the spiritual initiative), while a woman is only obligated to learn what she needs to act and live properly (corresponding to the Hey- the world of doing).

Masculine and Feminine: Kindness and Strength

Kabbalah teaches that the male corresponds to Chesed (Kindness)- the right side, while the female corresponds to Gevurah (Strength)- the left side. Surprisingly, while men are generally more assertive and physically strong, their spiritual root lies in kindness, while women- though gentle and nurturing- come from strength.

This too has deep meaning. Gevurah restricts excess kindness to protect and preserve balance. Without it, kindness could become destructive. Just as a father might generously say “yes” to every request, the mother (Gevurah) tempers the flow of kindness with wisdom and discernment: “Wait! That friend is a bad  influence", or “Too many sweets will harm him!”

The Woman as Protective Wall

A man may neglect his home due to social obligations or work. But then his wife calls: “Where are you? It’s late, come home.”

She becomes the protective wall that safeguards the home and redirects his attention. This is the deeper meaning behind the Talmud’s statement: “Any man who does not have a wife lives without a wall.” It’s not just about moral protection,but about spiritual structure.

Masculine and Feminine: Active vs. Receptive

The Hebrew word for female- “nekevah”- comes from the word “nekav” (a circular opening), symbolizing receptivity. The word male- “zachar”- comes from “zachor” (to project or remember), symbolizing direction and impact. In the spiritual realm, this reflects the flow of divine energy- from above to below, from giver to receiver.

Strength must be balanced. Excessive restriction leads to collapse and rebellion which is why the woman, though her root is in strength, is created more gentle, so that the power of Gevurah can be applied with compassion. The man, more assertive by nature, is rooted in Chesed, so that his strength can be tempered by love.

As the sages say: “Let the left hand push away, and the right hand draw near.” Gevurah (left) must be gentle, and Chesed (right) must be strong.

Why Men Have More Mitzvot Than Women

The masculine (Yud) is the initiator, and must therefore be equipped with more spiritual tools to generate, transmit, and sustain divine flow- both in the spiritual and physical worlds.

The woman (Hey), being the receiver, processor, and manifestor, requires fewer spiritual tools to achieve her completeness. She is already more refined in her nature.

Like the parable of a king who goes on exhausting hunting expeditions and brings game to his palace. His queen doesn’t need horses and weapons- she simply needs a kitchen and the skill to transform the meat into a meal.

The same applies to the mitzvot: Men are obligated in time-bound mitzvot, regardless of fatigue or circumstance, because they are the active “spiritual soldiers.” Women are exempt from time-dependent commandments, except for those related to moral behavior and consistent obligations.

This profound spiritual distinction, taught in Kabbalah and echoed in Jewish law and mystical tradition, reveals that man and woman are not in opposition, but two essential halves of a unified whole, each perfectly designed for their unique role in the flow of divine energy and the fulfillment of creation’s purpose.