Divine influence according to Judaism
Question
"Does Judaism teach that the essence of "God" the same essence as what the universe was built from, or that "creation" is a separate essence? Christians teach of the Pot and the Potter, which would say that "God doesn't have any skin in the game".... I call this "chasm theology" in that there is a separation between the Creator and his creation...... (which they say needs to be bridged by a savior) Would it not make sense that The Creator built the universe and everything in it, from his "bosom"?
Answer
Shalom,
The matter you raised is too intricate to discuss in detail here. However, I'll try to offer a concise explanation.
In this world, everything is directly influenced by the Almighty.
Certain kabbalistic texts use the analogy of a powerful light, representing God Himself, which encompasses all other lights.
Because of the intensity and vastness of this light, it's impossible to use it directly. To make it practical for humans, numerous screens and filters are required, reducing its brightness until it becomes usable.
To bring this light into the material world, many thousands of screens are necessary. By the time it reaches our world, it appears in a material form, such as objects.
This is a simplified explanation, and I'm unable to go into greater detail here. I hope this gives a generally clear idea.