Daas Elyon

Daas Elyon is the aspect of concealed knowledge, and this level of knowledge is extremely lofty, as it unites with the aspects of Keter and Ratzon (Crown and Will). As is known in the counting of the Ten Sefirot, sometimes Keter is counted and then Daas is not included in the count, and sometimes Daas is counted and then Keter is not included in the count.

Its Concept

Expanded topic – Daas

Daas is the power that inclines the "pure" (objective) intellect to the right (Chesed) or to the left (Gevurah), and there is a lower form (below Chochmah and Binah) and a higher form (above intellect):

• Daas Tachton – the power of Daas within intellect - which inclines the intellect to the right or left
• Daas Elyon – the power of Daas within the essence of the soul (within will) – which inclines the concealed intellect to merit or liability, meaning: The will itself (Arich Anpin), is a composite will (will 'with a certain direction'). The power to incline the will to the right or left is 'Daas Elyon' And the root of 'Daas Elyon' (which gives it the power to decide) is the non-composite will (will 'without direction').

The Analogy in Chassidus

The right eye is a 'good eye' – like a person's view of himself, who always sees merit in himself (even when doing wrong). The left eye is an 'evil eye' – like a person's view of someone he dislikes – who always sees fault in them (even when doing good).

• Daas Elyon is the very ability to look in one way or another, even before one has actually looked, but even at this level both ways cannot exist together (only the knowledge that one will look either one way or the other).
• The root of Daas Elyon is like a person looking with both eyes together – seeing only one picture, which is inclusive in a way that there aren't two pictures that combined but truly one.

Its Meaning in Divine Service

Daas is the power of decision in the soul, to know the importance of everything, whether something is necessary or not. This comes from the power of judgment that cannot be explained why it is so, and any matter that cannot be given a proper rational explanation indicates that this matter flows from a concealed power in the soul, from the aspect of the power of will in the soul, which indicates the very essence of the person.

The decision that comes from this aspect of Daas comes through the "first thought" that rises in a person's mind, which is above discussions, and this is the aspect of the holy spirit within him, and this is drawn from the will which is the essence of the person as mentioned above. Thus, in this decision, the aspect of will within him is revealed more than the aspect of Daas within him, and there the external forces have no hold.