Zohar and Tanya

Both texts engage galut and sitra-achra but emphasize different aspects. Text 1 (Tanya) frames galut as the exile of Shekhinah—divine vitality channeled to non-Jews through a spark of 'davar Hashem,' describing it as a reflection of the cosmic exile resulting from the sin of the Tree of Knowledge. This is metaphysical and continuous until the end of days. Text 2 (Zohar) uses galut more narratively/mystically, describing the Bride in sitra-achra (Tamar's situation as metaphor for Shekhinah in exile), focusing on the impurity and need for purification (שלהובי טיהרא בגלותא). While both connect galut to sitra-achra, Text 1 emphasizes the ontological reality of concealed divine sustenance, while Text 2 emphasizes the Bride's actual presence within impurity requiring redemption. The conceptual frameworks are compatible but diverge in their causal and descriptive focus.