Who Is Metatron? 25
resents the energy of God manifesting in the physical world. In the diagram of the Tree of Life on page 26, you can see the paths that connect all the spheres. Notice the direct path in the middle pillar, from Kether at the top to Malkuth at the bottom? Isn’t it interesting to see Metatron and his twin Sandalphon linked in this way? More important, this piece of Qabalistic information reinforces for us all that the path between humanity (in the physical world of Malkuth) and God (in the highest sphere of Kether) is always there. Our connection to the Divine is always present. Not only does Metatron have a twin brother, he also has a female counterpart. In Hebrew lore, Metatron is associated with the Shekinah, the feminine side of God. In the Talmud, the Shekinah is purported to be present at times of group prayer, righteous judgment, and personal need. The Shekinah also seems to manifest at times of joy and creativity connected to spiritual aspirations. Thus, the Shekinah is often linked to the “Spirit of God.” In Christian terms, this association could be taken one step further, coupling the Shekinah with the Holy Spirit, sometimes seen by more expansive Christians as the feminine nature of God the Father. The Zohar, or Book of Splendor, offers more insight into Metatron and his association with Shekinah. The Zohar came to light in the early fourteenth century by way of Spanish Kabbalist Moses De Leon, who claimed the scrolls had been written 1,200 years earlier by Rabbi Simon, a disciple of Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva had allegedly entered Paradise to commune with God and then to convey his experiences to his followers. These were recorded and became known