I need a source from authority on the literal definition of the word "shechinah".?

Question

I've found resources online which claim that it literal means "dwelling" or "spirit of God". I need a more accurate and well-founded source.

I don't have access to any source on Hebrew with romanized Hebrew entries. So, I cannot go look for myself, since I can't read Hebrew. Besides which, what is most likely to be the earliest source of the Shekhinah as an entity is the Zohar, which was published in the 1500s. Even the Zohar notes that it was previously used to speak of "the presence of God". The word may have been adapted to this meaning from common usage. In that case, it could literally mean "dwelling". So, I need to know from the authority of a scholar or from ancient sources, not modern ones.

Answer 1

As far as authority goes, i hope i count. I'm an orthodox jew, i've been studying the bible for as long as i can remember myself. for a year i held the position of chairman in a youth organization which is based on bible studies. twice i was a counseler to the contestans of the international bible quiz.
to your question: "shechinah" comes from the root of these three letters: shin, chaf, nun. there word "shochen" means dwells, or lives. therefore "shecinah" would be the entity which dwells. the dwelling itself would be "makom shechinah" (makom meaning "the place of..."). in spiritual meanings, the shechinah is the presence of g-d. it usually appears in reference to the temple, in the holy of holies, but not always. g-d being almighty is mobile. in the bible there are a few descriptions of the "sechinah" moving from one place to another. for example, when ezekiel saw whatever it was he described in chapter 1, it was the "shechinah". since he saw it in babylon, we can learn that at that point it had left jerusalem. the different places in the bible which have obscure descriptions of cherubim and other such holy entities, and the image of g-d, or g-d's chair, and so on and so forth, are all descriptions of seeing the "shechinah".
One could compare the shechina to a persons soul. normally, you don't see a man's soul, because it is inside that person. if you see their soul, it means that it has left the body, and the person has died. likewise the shechina. the prophets only saw it when it was leaving the temple, or jerusalem, or israel. like the prime minister's car- you only see it move when the prime minister is going somewhere. another term for the strange sight ezekiel and other prophets saw is "ma'ase merkava"- meaning literally the chariot. the chariot of g-d is seen only when the shechina is moving.
I hope this answer helps you.

Answer 2

What other source do you want than the hebrew language?

Shechinah is derived from the Hebrew verb 'sakan' or 'shachan'. In Biblical Hebrew the word means l(iterally) to settle, to inhabit, or to dwell, and is used frequently in the Bible. It is a feminine word.

In classic Jewish thought, the Shekhina refers to a dwelling or settling in a special sense, a dwelling or settling of divine presence. in proximity to the Shekhinah, the connection to God is more readily perceivable
Shekinah means the Presence of God or His dwelling among his people. It was said of the presence of God in the Holly of Hollies or inner Sanctuary behind the veil, where only the High Priest could enter. There resided the Shekinah or presence of God among its people Israel.

And I know this answer is the correct one

Answer 3

Shekinah = "The majestic presence or manifestation of God which has descended to "dwell" among men."

I hope that here you can find what you are looking for, with all the sources you need:

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=588&letter=S