Chapter One Hundred Forty-One (פֶּרֶק מֵאָה אַרְבָּעִים וְאֶחָד)

And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that Supernal Binah, which is called Imma (כִּי בִּינָה עֶלְיוֹנָה הַנִּקְרֵאת אִמָּא), has three aspects (יֵשׁ לָהּ ג׳ בְּחִינוֹת). The first (אַחַת), when she is in union with Abba (כְּשֶׁהִיא בְּיִחוּד עִם אַבָּא), when she ascends to the place of Abba for the Zivug [union] (כְּשֶׁהִיא עוֹלָה לִמְקוֹם אַבָּא לַזִּוּוּג), then she is called Binah relative to Chokhmah (אָז נִקְרֵאת בִּינָה לְעֵרֶךְ חָכְמָה), which is Abba (שֶׁהוּא אַבָּא), and she is called Binah as is known (נִקְרֵאת בִּינָה כַּנּוֹדָע). For Binah is the second level after Chokhmah (שֶׁבִּינָה הִיא מַדְרֵגָה שֵׁנִית לְחָכְמָה), because Chokhmah is essential intellect by comparison (כִּי חָכְמָה הִיא שֵׂכֶל עִקָּר לְעֵרֶךְ), whose light is hidden and concealed (שֶׁאוֹרוֹ סָתוּם וּמְכֻסֶּה), and they cannot derive benefit from its light (שֶׁאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לֵהָנוֹת מֵאוֹרוֹ), unless there is a Tzaddik in the world such as Mosheh our teacher (אִם לֹא שֶׁיֵּשׁ צַדִּיק בָּעוֹלָם כְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ), together with a generation worthy of this (עִם דּוֹרוֹ הָרָאוּי לְכָךְ). But Binah is intellect that gives birth (אֲבָל בִּינָה הִיא שֵׂכֶל מוֹלִיד), understanding one thing from another (הַמֵּבִין דָּבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר), thus she is the second level relative to it (נִמְצָא מַדְרֵגָה שֵׁנִית לוֹ), when she is united with Chokhmah (כְּשֶׁהִיא בְּיִחוּד עִם חָכְמָה). And the world cannot exist without the external lights and flow of Imma (וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָעוֹלָם בְּלֹא אוֹרוֹת וְשֶׁפַע חִיצוֹנִית דְּאִמָּא), for it is constant and never ceases (שֶׁהוּא תָּדִירִי וְאֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק). And the second aspect (וְהַבְּחִינָה הַשֵּׁנִית), is when she remains in her own place without union with Abba (כְּשֶׁהִיא בִּמְקוֹמָהּ בְּלֹא יִחוּד אַבָּא), but is by herself (אֶלָּא הִיא לְבַדָּהּ), and then she acquires another name for herself (וְאָז קָנְתָה לָהּ שֵׁם אַחֵר), and is called Tevunah (וְנִקְרֵאת תְּבוּנָה). And the third aspect (וְהַבְּחִינָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית), is when she descends into Ze’ir Anpin (כְּשֶׁיּוֹרֶדֶת בְּז״א), she is also called Tevunah (נִקְרֵאת גַּם כֵּן תְּבוּנָה). And when Ze’ir Anpin ascends to the place of the Supernal Binah (וּכְשֶׁעוֹלֶה ז״א לִמְקוֹם בִּינָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה), and from there ascends with Imma to the place of Abba (וּמִשָּׁם עוֹלֶה עִם אִמָּא לִמְקוֹם אַבָּא), as you will know in the secret of the elevation of Shabbat (כְּמוֹ שֶׁתֵּדַע בְּסוֹד הַעֲלָאַת שַׁבָּת), in the Gate of Shabbat (בְּשַׁעַר שַׁבָּת), before it is called Ze’ir Anpin (קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּקְרָא ז״א), then at that time it is called a man of Tevunot (אָז בְּאוֹתוֹ הַפַּעַם אִישׁ תְּבוּנוֹת), and this is the secret of the verse (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַפָּסוּק): “But a man of Tevunot [understandings] keeps silent” (וְאִישׁ תְּבוּנוֹת יַחֲרִישׁ) (Proverbs 11:12), “and a man of Tevunah [understanding] draws it forth” (וְאִישׁ תְּבוּנָה יִדְלֶנָּה) (Proverbs 20:5). And the meaning of the verse is (וּפֵירוּשׁ הַפָּסוּק הוּא), that Tiferet, which is called a man (תִּפְאֶרֶת שֶׁנִּקְרָא אִישׁ), in relation to Binah, which is called Tevunot in her two aspects (לְבִינָה הַנִּקְרֵאת תְּבוּנוֹת בִּשְׁנֵי בְחִינוֹתֶיהָ), one when she is in her place without union (אַחַת כְּשֶׁהִיא בִּמְקוֹמָהּ בְּלִי יִחוּד), and one when she is within Ze’ir Anpin (וְאֶחָד כְּשֶׁהִיא בְּתוֹךְ ז״א), “draws it forth” (יִדְלֶנָּה), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), he draws her upward to the place of Abba to receive her illumination (יַדְלֶה אוֹתָהּ לְמַעְלָה לִמְקוֹם אַבָּא לְקַבֵּל הֶאָרָתָהּ). And this is through Ze’ir Anpin when it ascends to the place of Abba and raises Binah with it (וְזֶהוּ עַל יְדֵי ז״א כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹלֶה לִמְקוֹם אַבָּא וּמַעֲלֶה עִמּוֹ לְבִינָה), therefore Ze’ir Anpin is called a man of Tevunot [understandings] in relation to her two aspects (נִקְרָא ז״א אִישׁ תְּבוּנוֹת בְּעֵרֶךְ שְׁנֵי בְחִינוֹתֶיהָ).

You must also know (גַּם צָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע), that when Ze’ir Anpin ascends above to the place of Abba (כִּי כְּשֶׁעוֹלֶה ז״א לְמַעְלָה בִּמְקוֹם אַבָּא), and raises with it Binah, which is called Tevunah [understanding] (וְעוֹלֶה עִמּוֹ לְבִינָה הַנִּקְרֵאת תְּבוּנָה), then when Binah unites with Abba (אָז כְּשֶׁתְּיַחֵד בִּינָה עִם אַבָּא), the Tevunot are called Binot (נִקְרְאוּ הַתְּבוּנוֹת בִּינוֹת), now that they have ascended in level (עַתָּה שֶׁעָלוּ בְּמַדְרֵגָה). And concerning one who did not merit this (וְעַל מִי שֶׁלֹּא זָכָה לְכָךְ), it is said (נֶאֱמַר עָלָיו): “For he is not a people of Binot [understandings]” (כִּי לֹא עַם בִּינוֹת הוּא) (Isaiah 27:11), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), they did not receive from the level of Binah (לֹא קִבְּלוּ מִמַּעֲלַת בִּינָה), but only from the illumination of Tevunah [understanding] (אֶלָּא מֵהֶָאָרַת תְּבוּנָה). And make your ears like a funnel (וַעֲשֵׂה אָזְנֶיךָ כַּאֲפַרְכֶּסֶת), to hear the words of the Living God (לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים), and the Living King, Atik Yomaya [Ancient of Days] (וּמֶלֶךְ חַי עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּיא). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).