Editing Sefiras HaDaas (section)

=== Da'at in Relation to Middot ===
Da'at is the root from which middot are born and gives them their existence. It's important to note that the birth of middot from Da'at is not part of the essence of Da'at (which is inherently an intellectual power, as mentioned above), but rather a natural result of it.

==== Root of the Middot ("The Key that Contains Six") ====
Da'at is called in the Zohar "maftecha d'kalil shit" [the key that contains six], meaning it opens and enables the existence of the six middot that follow it. The reason for this: First, the concept of Da'at is a person's self-awareness; therefore, since one cares about oneself, one naturally loves good and hates evil (as we see, when a person is preoccupied and less self-aware, they care less about other things they usually love or hate). Similarly, the concept of Da'at is connection and recognition of the essence of a matter; therefore, since one feels the matter thoroughly, feeling naturally awakens toward it.

This is the reason for the connection between Da'at and rachamim (which is why both rachamim and Da'at belong to the same kav), since a person who has Da'at and recognizes and feels another's lowliness naturally awakens with rachamim for them; in contrast, a cruel person, despite intellectually understanding another's pain well, lacks the feeling of the essence of the matter.

Chassidus explains that the connection between Da'at and middot is a natural result - when one feels the essence of a matter, the appropriate feeling awakens within them automatically, without need for additional action. From this we learn that the main effort should be invested in yegiat hamoach - to engrave the matter well in one's mind until reaching feeling of its essence, and the proper middot will awaken automatically; rather than starting directly with work on the middot themselves.

==== Existence of the Middot ====
The birth of middot needs to come after Da'at, as mentioned above, since only then is their existence guaranteed. Da'at gives the middot strength and force. When a person generates middot only because they reached a conclusion in their intellect (Chochma and Binah) that these are appropriate middot, but without connecting with their Da'at and feeling that indeed the matter is so - the feeling in their heart is artificial and not authentic, in the words of the Alter Rebbe "false imaginations"; and therefore can change easily (this is the nature of a fickle person, who lacks stable Da'at). Only a feeling born of Da'at, absolute recognition and feeling in a matter, is stable and authentic.

==== Inner Dimension of the Middot ====
The middot themselves are not objective, and in every middah - even good ones - personal inclinations may be mixed in. When the middot are based on Da'at, Da'at reveals the inner dimension of the middot - the middot as they are in their purity, without mixture of foreign inclinations.

==== Seeking Mussar in Everything ====
Since Da'at naturally generates middot, therefore one who learns something and uses the power of Da'at naturally seeks in every matter - even theoretical intellectual matters - mussar that they can learn from this and fix their nefesh. This is the meaning of the verse "without Da'at the nefesh is not good" - that when a person lacks Da'at, they do not fix their nefesh.

Da'at is sometimes included as part of the middot, and for example in the worlds, Da'at is part of the world of Yetzirah, as one of the middot, and not in the world of Beriah like Binah.