The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2221 page)

(Heb., ‘dwelling’). The divine presence as described in Jewish literature. The Shekhinah is sometimes used to refer to God himself, but generally it signifies God's presence in this world. It is frequently associated with light. Later Jewish philosophers were concerned to avoid
anthropomorphism
and therefore tended to maintain that the Shekhinah does not refer to God himself, but is an independent created intermediary. Thus
Sa‘adiah
Gaon argued that the Shekhinah is the same as the glory of God which was seen by the
prophets
in visions.
In Islam,
sak
na
is supreme peace sent by God to dwell in human lives (e.g. Qur’
n 48. 4). In 2. 248, it refers to the Ark of the Covenant. But in general Islam resisted any localization of the transcendent power of God.

 
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(Heb., ‘messenger of the community’). Leader of communal worship in a Jewish congregation.

 
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(Heb., ‘The Name’). Hebrew term for God. When reading, or speaking, the term ‘ha-Shem’ is used to avoid pronouncing the
Tetragrammaton
. It is found in such phrases as
Barukh ha-Shem
(‘Blessed be the name’) and
‘Im yirtze ha-Shem
(‘God willing’).

 
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(Heb., ‘hear’). Declaration of God's unity in the Jewish
liturgy
. The Shema‘ consists of three
Pentateuchal
passages: Deuteronomy 6. 4–9, 11. 13–21, and Numbers 15. 37–41.
It is recited twice daily in the evening and the morning, and the practice dates back at least to the 2nd cent. CE.

 
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see
NAZARITE CHURCH
.

 
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