The Shekhinah - Providence and Connection with the Lower Worlds
הַשְּׁכִינָה - הַשְּׁגָחָה וְהַקֶּשֶׁר עִם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים
And now I will inform you of the manner of the conduct of the Emanator, blessed be He, through the system of these Sefirot (וְעַתָּה אוֹדִיעֲךָ דֶּרֶךְ עִנְיַן הַנְהָגַת הַמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּסֵדֶר הַסְּפִירוֹת הָאֵלֶּה). Behold, the first actionp1-7 that the Emanator willed to perform in His creations (הִנֵּה הַפְּעוּלָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁרָצָה הַמַּאֲצִיל לִפְעֹל בִּבְרוּאָיו), is the conduct in general (הִיא הַהַנְהָגָה בִּכְלָל), meaning - His providence over those below (פֵּירוּשׁ - הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ עַל הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), and His indwelling within them (וּשְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּקִרְבָּם). And this action is called Shekhinah (וְהַפְּעוּלָה הַזֹּאת נִקְרֵאת שְׁכִינָה), meaning - that when the Emanator acts in this mode, it is said that He dwells among His creatures (פֵּירוּשׁ - בִּהְיוֹת הַמַּאֲצִיל פּוֹעֵל בְּבְחִינָה זֹּאת, נִקְרָא שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹכֵן בֵּין בְּרוּאָיו). And since His action is in the manner of hitnatztzut (Emanation), as explained above (וּבְהִיוֹת פְּעוּלָתוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ הִתְנוֹצְצוּת כְּנַ״ל), that Emanation is called Shekhinah (נִקְרָא לְהִתְנוֹצְצוּת הַהִיא - שְׁכִינָה). Not that we know or apprehend the essence of that Emanation (וְלֹא שֶׁנֵּדַע וְנַשִּׂיג עַצְמִיּוּת הַהִתְנוֹצְצוּת הַזֶּה), but we know of its existence (אֶלָּא שֶׁנֵּדַע מְצִיאוּתוֹ), and we apprehend what is impressed within it regarding the matters of His actions (וְנַשִּׂיג מַה שֶּׁנִּרְשָׁם בּוֹ מֵעִנְיְנֵי פְּעוּלוֹתָיו). This providence is general (הַשְׁגָּחָה הַזֹּאת הִיא הַשְׁגָּחָה כְּלוֹלֶלֶת), for thus He oversees the righteous to reward them with good recompense (שֶׁכָּךְ יַשְׁגִּיחַ לַצַּדִּיקִים לְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם שָׂכָר טוֹב), just as He oversees the wicked to exact punishment from them (כְּמוֹ עַל הָרְשָׁעִים לְהִפָּרַע מֵהֶם). And there is no change in the mode of providence from one matter to another (וְאֵין שִׁנּוּי בִּבְחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה מֵעִנְיָן לְעִנְיָן). And likewise He receives arousal from the deeds of the righteous and arousal from the deeds of the wicked in one and the same manner (וְכֵן מְקַבֵּל הִתְעוֹרְרוּת מִמַּעֲשֵׂי הַצַּדִּיקִים וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת מִמַּעֲשֵׂי הָרְשָׁעִים בְּהִשְׁוָאָה אַחַת), for in the aspect of receiving arousal there is no distinction between this and that (שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת קַבָּלַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת אֵין חִלּוּק בֵּין זֶה לָזֶה).
Notes
The first operation (הַפְּעוּלָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה) is Providence—that is, Malchut, the Shekhinah (הִיא הַשְּׁגָחָה, דְּהַיְנוּ הַמַלְכוּת [הַשְּׁכִינָה])—in the secret of “the end of action is first in thought” (בְּסוֹד "סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה). Although the first Sefirah is Keter—Arikh (הַגַּם שֶׁהַסְּפִירָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הִיא הַכֶּתֶר - אֲרִיךְ), nevertheless, according to the order of governance, Malchut is first (אֲבָל לְפִי הַהַנְהָגָה, הַמַלְכוּת הִיא הָרִאשׁוֹנָה). Therefore, she has a root in Atik (וְלָכֵן יֵשׁ לָהּ שֹׁרֶשׁ בַּעֲתִיק). See Klach Pitchei Chokhmah, Petach 104 (רְאֵה קְל״ח פִּתְחֵי חָכְמָה, פֶּתַח ק״ד): “The matter of judicial governance depends entirely upon Chesed, judgment, and mercy, and upon the recipient of them” (עִנְיַן הַהַנְהָגָה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִית תָּלוּי הַכֹּל בְּחַד״ר וְהַמְּקַבֵּל מֵהֶם), “for upon this depends the entire matter of reward and punishment” (כִּי בְּזֶה תָּלוּי כָּל עִנְיַן הַשָּׂכָר וְהָעֹנֶשׁ). “And the root of this matter is found in Arikh Anpin, where there is a division of the three Reishin [Heads]” (וּלְשֹׁרֶשׁ עִנְיַן זֶה נִמְצָא בְּא״א הִתְחַלְּקוּת הַתְּלַת רֵישִׁין). “And the Reisha de-la Ityada [the Unknowable Head], which is above them, is a root for the recipient, which is the Shekhinah” (וְרֵישָׁא דְּלָא אִתְיָדַע שֶׁעַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ הוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ לַמְּקַבֵּל, שֶׁהִיא הַשְּׁכִינָה).