In the previous two chapters, the Rebbe Rashab began the explanation of the yud of G‑d’s name Havayah and the sefirah of Chochmah that it represents. It was explained that Chochmah represents a transitional point, the initial stage in the process of transferring effluence and light from a higher realm to a lower realm.

Since Chochmah is fundamentally an intellectual power, the Rebbe Rashab used the analogy of understanding and communicating an abstract intellectual idea. It was stated that there are two dimensions to the point of Chochmah: the first, its function as it appears as an undefined, elusive flash within the mind of the person conceiving it, and the second, the way it has been crystallized in the person’s mind to the extent that he can begin to develop it.

וְהִנֵּה הַשְּׁנֵי מַדְרֵיגוֹת בִּנְקֻדָּה הוּא

To elaborate further on the two levels1 of the point:

מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ נְקֻדָּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּתְמוּנַת אוֹת יוּ"ד.

The first is a point which does not even have the form of the letter yud,

כִּי גַם הַיּוּ"ד הוּא בִּתְמוּנַת צִיּוּר אוֹת עַל כָּל פָּנִים

for even a yud, although in essence merely a point, has at least the form of a letter,

שֶׁמּוֹרֶה עַל אֵיזֶה גִילּוּי.

which indicates some degree of revelation.

אֲבָל נְקֻדָּה לְבָד בְּלִי שׁוּם צִיּוּר הוּא

A point alone, however, without any form at all,

שֶׁמּוֹרֶה עַל בְּחִינַת הַהֶעְלֵם וְהֶעְדֵּר הַהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת

represents concealment and a lack of expansion —

שֶׁבִּלְתִּי אֶפְשָׁרִי לָבוֹא בְּהַשָּׂגָה דְבִינָה כוּ'.

a state from which it is impossible to reach the comprehension achieved within the sefirah of Binah.2

As described at length in the previous chapter, at this stage, the concept cannot be considered as revealed or understood. It is only that when compared to its previous stages that are totally undefined, at this stage, the person feels the beginning of a conceptual process. The idea flashes into his conscious mind, enabling him to begin his intellectual appreciation of it.

וְהַמַּדְרֵגָה הַב' הִיא

The second level represents

כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּאָה בְּצִיּוּר אוֹת יוּ"ד

the manner in which the concept takes on at least a minimal degree of form, that of the letter yud (י).

שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ בְּחִינַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת קְצָת בְּרוֹחַב יוֹתֵר

Though a small letter, its form reflects a certain degree of expansion, having some breadth

וּבְב' קוֹצִין לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה.

and two protrusions, one above and one below.



וְהָרוֹחַב שֶׁבּוֹ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא מַה שֶּׁבָּא בִּבְחִינַת שֵׂכֶל גָּלוּי בִּכְלִי מוֹחוֹ

Its breadth may be seen as representing the point of Chochmah which has already descended to a state of a revealed concept that can be grasped by the intellectual capacities of a person’s mind

שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לִידֵי הַשָּׂגָה כוּ'.

and which can lead to comprehension.

It is not until the concept is amplified and fleshed out in length, breadth, and depth through the power of Binah that it can be described as being comprehended. However, in this second stage of Chochmah, it has reached a state at which it can be processed by the power of Binah.

וְהַקּוֹץ הַתַּחְתּוֹן הוּא

The lower protrusion of the yud3

שֶׁמּוֹרֶה עִנְיַן כֹּחַ הַנְּטִיָּה לְהַהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת דְּהֵ"א שֶׁהוּא בִּינָה.

indicates a tendency that leads to the expansion indicated by the following letter of G‑d’s name Havayah — hei, which is identified with the sefirah of Binah,

וְהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ כֹּחַ בְּחָכְמָה לָבוֹא לִידֵי הַשָּׂגָה לְבִינָה

i.e., it reflects the potential of Chochmah to be comprehended through Binah.

שֶׁהוּא הֵיפֶךְ בְּחִינַת הַחָכְמָה בְּעֶצֶם

Binah is fundamentally antithetical to the entire concept of Chochmah.

שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אַיִן וְהֶעְלֵם

Chochmah is identified with ayin (“nothingness”) and concealment.

וּכְנִזְכָּר לְעֵיל

As mentioned above,

דִּבְחִינַת אַיִן דְּחָכְמָה הוּא בְּחִינַת הֶעְלֵם לְגַמְרֵי.

the ayin, i.e., the undefined simplicity, of Chochmah signifies utter concealment.

וְגַם בְּחִינַת הַהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת דְּחָכְמָה

Moreover, even the expansive element of Chochmah

הֲרֵי הִיא בִּבְחִינַת נְקֻדָּה עֲדַיִן

is still only a point,

שֶׁכָּל הָעִנְיָן שִׂכְלִי נִתְפָּס בִּנְקֻדָּה כְּלָלִית עֲדַיִן,

one in which the entire intellectual concept is grasped merely as a general point, unable to be thoroughly comprehended.

וְהוּא בְּחִינַת אַיִן לְגַבֵּי הַבִּינָה

Even this level is considered ayin in comparison to Binah.

וּבִלְתִּי מוּגְבֶּלֶת כְּהַגְבָּלַת הַבִּינָה

It is not limited and structured to the same degree as Binah is. It is still amorphous and undefined,

עַד שֶׁתּוּכַל לָבוֹא בְּכַמָּה אוֹפַנִּים שׁוֹנִים כְּמַיָּא דְנַיְידִי וְכוּ' כְּנִזְכָּר לְעֵיל.

to the extent that it can still assume varying forms like water, which is fluid, as mentioned above.4

וּבְחִינַת הַבִּינָה הוּא בִּבְחִינַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת דַּוְקָא

The faculty of Binah, on the other hand, is specifically identified with expansion, the amplification and development of a concept

בְּרִיבּוּי פְּרָטִים וּבְהַגְבָּלָה מַמָּשׁ.

into many particulars and actual limitation, enabling it to be comprehended thoroughly.

וְזֶהוּ עִיקַּר הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין חָכְמָה לְבִינָה,

This is the fundamental difference between Chochmah and Binah:

דְּחָכְמָה תּוֹפֵס כָּל דָּבָר בִּכְלָלוּת דַּוְקָא וּבְהֶעְדֵּר הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת.

Chochmah grasps every idea in a general manner, without expanding or amplifying it.

וְכֹחַ הַבִּינָה הוּא לִתְפּוֹס כָּל דָּבָר בִּבְחִינַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת בְּרִיבּוּי פְּרָטִים דַּוְקָא

By contrast, Binah grasps every concept in an expanded form, specifically as it is amplified into its many particulars.

(וְעַיֵּין מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב מִזֶּה בְּדִיבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל וּבְיוֹם הַבִּכּוּרִים רנ"ד)

(For further details see the maamar entitled U’Veyom HaBikkurim, 5654, Sefer HaMaamarim 5654,p. 286ff.)

וְאִם כֵּן הֲרֵי הֵם הֲפָכִים זֶה מִזֶּה

Thus, Chochmah and Binah are opposites.

וְהַמְחַבְּרָם הוּא הַקּוֹץ הַתַּחְתּוֹן דְּיוּ"ד שֶׁהוּא הַנְּטִיָּה אֶל הַבִּינָה כוּ'.

They are united by the lower protrusion of the yud, which represents the tendency of Chochmah towards Binah.

וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא

The matter, i.e., the potential for a concept conceived by the power of Chochmah to descend and be comprehended by the power of Binah, can be understood5

כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר יְצִירָה הָבֵן בְּחָכְמָה וַחֲכַם בְּבִינָה,

according to the expressions in Sefer Yetzirah:6 havein beChochmah (“understand through wisdom”) and chacham beBinah (“become wise through understanding”).

Seemingly, since Chochmah and Binah are so fundamentally different, the gap between them would appear unbridgeable, without a possibility for an interrelation between them. In actual fact, however, we see that these two powers function synergistically. The Rebbe Rashab explains their interrelation by analyzing the expression from Sefer Yetzirah quoted above.

דְּלִכְאוֹרָה הֲוְוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר חֲכַם בְּחָכְמָה וְהָבֵן בְּבִינָה.

Seemingly, it would be more appropriate to say, “become wise through wisdom” and “understand through understanding.” It would appear that exercising the power of Chochmah, “wisdom,” would enable one to attain that quality. Similarly, exercising the power of Binah would seem to be the path to attain that quality.

אֶלָּא,

However,

שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִנְיַן הַהִתְכַּלְלוּת דְּחָכְמָה וּבִינָה

the wording of these quotations teach that Chochmah and Binah are inclusive of each other.

שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּחִינַת הַבִּינָה בְּחָכְמָה וְזֶהוּ הָבֵן בְּחָכְמָה,

There is a dimension of Binah within Chochmah, making it possible to “understand through wisdom;”

וְיֵשׁ בְּחִינַת הַחָכְמָה בְּבִינָה שֶׁזֶּהוּ וַחֲכַם בְּבִינָה.

and there is a dimension of Chochmah within Binah, making it possible to “become wise through understanding.”

Here, the Rebbe Rashab introduces and gives the basis of the explanation of the quote from Sefer Yetzirah. He explains it in detail in ch. 25.

קִצּוּר.

Summary:

נְקֻדָּה בְּלִי צִיּוּר וּבְצִיּוּר אוֹת יוּ"ד.

Two levels of Chochmah: a point without form, and a point with the form of the letter yud.

The first of these two levels refers to the manner in which a person initially extends himself to grasp an abstract idea. The second represents a lower stage in which he crystallizes his conception. However, even in that stage, he has not amplified it to the point where he can comprehend it. That is achieved through Binah.

חָכְמָה וּבִינָה הֵם הֶעְלֵם וְהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת

Thus, Chochmah and Binah respectively represent concealment and amplification.

וְקוֹץ הַתַּחְתּוֹן דְּיוּ"ד מְחַבְּרָם.

They are joined by the lower protrusion of the yud.

The Rebbe Rashab explains how Chochmah and Binah are joined in unity by quoting Sefer Yetzirah, which speaks of the potential to havein beChochmah (“understand through wisdom”) and chacham beBinah (“become wise through understanding”).