Katnut d'Katnut

Shekhinah is often seen as an equivalent to the Presence (Face) of God by many Jews and Christians. However the Shekhinah is feminine, the male is Shekhen. This word means 'dwelling' and is linked to the term mishkan for the Tabernacle or Temple. In a sense the Shekhinah is the vessel or dwelling (temple/ ark/ mishkan) that the Dwelling (shekhen) Presence or filling or Blessing dwells in. We could say that the female Dwelling (Shekhinah) is the noun and the male Dwelling (Shekhen YHVH) is the verb. Of course human words are inadequate to fully explain these divine mysteries and the use of the terms male and female in regards to God should not be read in a literalistic, vertical or ontological manner.

A male branch of the Benedictine Sisters of Divine Will in Italy is now up and running called the Benedictine Monks of Divine Will. They have a charism similar to the Little Eucharistic Brothers of Divine Will except the Little Eucharistic Brothers of Divine Will are more like friars than monks or maybe a cross between friars and monks. Maybe a new name of Miars or Fronks should be coined.

In the December 2014 Newsletter of the Benedictine Sisters of Divine Will they report on the monks.