Sefiras HaChochma

The Sefirah of Chochma is the first sefirah and source of the ten spiritual sefiros enumerated in Kabbalah. The essence of the Sefirah of Chochma is bitul, absence of ego, since the Ohr Ein Sof Eloki does not rest in a place of yeshus. The parallel of the Sefirah of Chochma in the human soul is the koach haChochma, which is the root of the intellectual powers that influence one's emotions and actions.

The ten sefiros, in their classical division, are presented in a pyramid of three triangles: the intellectual triangle (upper - parallel to the human brain), the emotional triangle (middle - parallel to the heart and chest area), and the practical triangle (lower - parallel to the groin and legs area). The Sefirah of Chochma is located on the right side of the upper triangle, parallel to the right lobe of the brain, to which properties parallel to the Sefirah of Chochma are attributed. The ability to grasp an abstract concept of the spiritual Sefirah of Chochma is achieved through analyzing the koach haChochma in the human soul and projecting its contents, after abstraction, to spiritual sefiros.

Formation

The formation of Chochma, unlike all subsequent levels which are in the manner of cause and effect, is in the manner of creation yesh me'ayin, and its source is completely elevated and separate from it and does not compel its existence.

For the Ribbono Shel Olam, there is no difference between human wisdom and Chochma d'Atzilus because for the Ribbono Shel Olam nothing compares to Him and the worlds do not take up any space for Him at all because He is unlimited, and if we were to say that the Chochma of Atzilus is considered more before Him than human wisdom, it would mean that the worlds do take up space for Him chas v'shalom.

Nature

The Sefirah of Chochma is the first sefirah capable of receiving spiritual influence in a kli and from it the influence continues to the other sefiros and worlds. Chochma is characterized by the following qualities:

1. Beginning of Revelation - The Sefirah of Chochma is the flash and initial point of an abstract intellectual concept, before it enters the framework of logic, without the possibility of understanding the things and explaining them. About this sefirah it is said in Kabbalah "chacham v'lo b'chochma yediah" (wise but not in known wisdom). Meaning, although we are dealing with wisdom, due to its simplicity it cannot be grasped by our intellectual keilim. This flash contains within itself in concentrated essence all the conceptual structure that will develop from it through prolonged deepening into the essence of the flash. Breaking down the flash and turning it into understandable sentences until receiving the complete structure belongs to the domain of the Sefirah of Binah.
2. Power of Revelation - In the Sefirah of Chochma, the power of Elokus revelation is revealed at the highest level of the sefiros.
3. Bitul - Complete self-nullification with absence of any feeling of egotistical existence is necessary to enable the formation and reception of the initial flash into the Sefirah of Chochma. This is also expressed in the name of the sefirah "Chochma" which contains the letters of the words koach-mah. Meaning, a 'power' that is revealed only in states of 'what?' - a question in which the asker nullifies themselves to the one being asked. In the subsequent sefiros, as the Eloki light becomes more condensed, the level of spiritual bitul also diminishes.

After receiving the light in the Sefirah of Chochma, it must transmit this to the Sefirah of Binah so that it can decode the abstract Eloki light into a complete intellectual structure of logical ideas and concepts. The sefiros of Chochma and Binah function as a paired system, dependent on each other. Without the Sefirah of Binah, the abstract light received in the Sefirah of Chochma would dissipate, and without the Sefirah of Chochma, the Sefirah of Binah would have no material to process. The sefiros of Chochma and Binah function like a camera in darkness. The camera flash sends powerful light to the surface and at exactly that moment the film must record the details of the objects reflected from the light. A moment later the flash dissipates and without the film there would be no trace of the flash. Conversely, without the flash the film would not identify the objects in darkness and would show a black picture.

Division and Aspects

Inner and Outer Dimensions

Like all Sefiros in the order of Hishtalshelus, the Sefira of Chochma is divided into outer and inner dimensions:

• Pnimius HaChochma (Inner Chochma) is the realm where the Ohr Ein Sof is received and absorbed within the Sefira of Chochma. Pnimius HaChochma is called "Chochma Ila'ah" (Higher Chochma) and within it shines the strongest divine light of all Sefiros. This requires the highest level of bitul, bitul b'metzius.
• Chitzonius HaChochma (Outer Chochma) is the realm responsible for transmitting the light of Chochma to the next Sefira, Binah. Chitzonius HaChochma is called "Chochma Tata'ah" (Lower Chochma) and within it shines the weakest divine light, so it can be received by the Sefiros below it.

32 Paths of Chochma

The 32 paths of Chochma are thirty-two tzimtzumim through which the Sefira of Chochma flows and descends through the worlds.

Chochma Ila'ah and Chochma Tata'ah

Chassidus explains that the verse "Chochmos bachutz tarona" refers to two types of Chochma: Chochma Ila'ah and Chochma Tata'ah. Chochma Ila'ah is Chochma itself and Chochma Tata'ah is the Chochma within Malchus.

Chochma Ila'ah

Pnimius HaChochma is bitul, koach mah, therefore Chochma Ila'ah is the highest bitul. This bitul is called bitul b'metzius, and it is the revelation that ein od milvado and all of existence is only revelations of Hashem.

In the world of Atzilus, Chochma Ila'ah is Hashem's Chochma, and through it Hashem's unity is revealed throughout Atzilus. The quality of bitul in Sefiras HaChochma makes it a vessel ready for the revelation of Ohr Ein Sof above Atzilus, "the true One dwells and is revealed in Chochma," and through it He is revealed throughout Atzilus. "Oraisa m'Chochma nafkas" and therefore the Chochma of Torah is the Chochma that determines all details and minutiae of halachos and all details and ways of drawing down chayus from Ohr Ein Sof to be clothed in the worlds.

In the human soul, Chochma Ila'ah is the complete lack of self-awareness during the flash of new intellectual insight. New insight causes all soul powers to be nullified and included in the mind of Chochma, while it itself is nullified to the power of maskil in the essence of the soul. Through this, all conscious powers of the soul are nullified to the essence of the soul as it is above being clothed in the body.

Chochma Tata'ah

Pnimius HaChochma is bitul, koach mah, therefore Chochma Tata'ah is the lower bitul. This bitul is called bitul hayesh, and it is the revelation that existence does not exist through its own power but only through Hashem's constant creation.

In the world of Atzilus, Chochma Tata'ah is the Chochma through which Hashem rules over the worlds, and through it Hashem's unity is revealed in the worlds of Briah, Yetzira and Asiya, down to the lowest levels. The general role of Sefiras HaMalchus is to rule over the worlds and illuminate them with the light of Atzilus. The point of Chochma within Malchus specifically is the power to draw down the bitul, the Pnimius HaChochma from Atzilus to the separate worlds. "Kulam b'Chochma asisa" refers to the Chochma of nature, Chochma Tata'ah, and according to this Chochma, Malchus distributes influence and life force to each creation in measure.

In the human soul, Chochma Tata'ah is the wisdom of how to speak and behave outwardly. The power of Malchus in the soul is the power of expression, meaning to know how to express the inner soul outwardly. The Chochma of speech is how to make speech a vessel for expression that is nullified to the inner soul rather than making external speech primary. Similarly, the power of Malchus is the soul's power to lead. The Chochma of leadership is how to lead externally according to the inner "lev melachim ein cheker."

Relationship to Other Sefiros

Kesser and Chochma

The Sefira of Chochma is the beginning of the drawing down of the inner light, in contrast to the Sefira of Kesser which belongs to the encompassing light. Regarding this connection it is said "And Chochma is found from Ayin", meaning that Chochma, which is the beginning of existence, is drawn from Kesser which is nothingness.

Chochma and Binah

Expanded topic - Chochma and Binah

The Sefira of Chochma and the Sefira of Binah are constantly unified, and about them it is said "two friends that never separate". They are also called "Abba and Ima", and they give birth to the rest of the Sefiros.

In Chassidus it is explained that this Sefira's essence is a point - "a flash of lightning". This means that in this Sefira there isn't yet an explained and detailed concept, but rather an abstract concept lacking details. Only afterwards does the concept in Chochma descend to the Sefira of Binah where it receives "length and width" - meaning - broad explanation and details.

An illustration of the difference between the Sefira of Chochma and the Sefira of Binah can be found in a case where an idea 'falls' into a person's mind but the person doesn't yet have the words to explain to others and even to themselves what exactly the idea is. Only when the idea passes through the Sefira of Binah can it be simplified, explained, and consequently afterwards also implemented. When it is still in the Sefira of Chochma, the idea is still in a state of being 'hidden', only its point exists. This flash is called "Chochma", bringing down the idea into the vessels of intellect is called "Binah".

Chochma and Malchus

There is a special connection between the Sefira of Chochma and the Sefira of Malchus. This connection is rooted in the fact that "their beginning is wedged in their end", and therefore, the final Sefira, the Sefira of Malchus, is connected to the first Sefira, the Sefira of Chochma. About this connection it is said "Abba established the daughter", and in the language of the verse "Hashem founded earth with Chochma", meaning that the Sefira of Chochma is the foundation and root of the Sefira of Malchus.

Names

• Av - Its drawing down to the Sefira of Binah which is called mother creates the rest of the Sefiros.
• Emes - The Sefira of Chochma is also called "Emes", which is the seal of Hashem.
• Maayan - Spring is one of the names of the Sefira of Chochma, called so because from it flows the river, the Sefira of Binah.
• Kodesh - The Sefira of Chochma is called "Kodesh" which means holiness itself, in contrast to "Kadosh" which is something that is called by the name of holiness. It is further explained that this Sefira is separate from the other Sefiros, and therefore is called "Kodesh".
• Reishis - The Sefira of Chochma is also called "Reishis", as the verse states "The beginning of Chochma is fear of Hashem". And so too the Targum Yonasan on the Torah's opening word "Bereishis" is "B'Chochmasa". The matter is that the Sefira of Chochma is the beginning of the revelation of the Sefiros.
• Even - The physical stone is in the category of inanimate, and what distinguishes it from other types of creations -like plant, animal and human- is its being an existing essence with a form and intrinsic definition, but without additional qualities and form beyond its physical existence, especially the raw stone before any specific form of a vessel or the like is set in it. Unlike a plant or animal, which besides the essential existence in its physical reality, also has the quality of growth or feeling, the stone is an inanimate existence and has no additional qualities beyond its essential existence. Therefore the stone serves as an analogy for the Sefira of Chochma which is hinted to in the letter 'Yud' of the name of Havaya, just as the Yud is a point without extension, meaning without form - length and width, because the essence of the letter Yud is just a point (the "thorns" above and below are additions), and a 'point' - has no defined form, and precisely because of this it is the basis for all possible forms - different from each other completely, which are all drawn from and built upon it. So too Chochma is just a source for Binah, which is defined and "formed" intellect with length and width, meaning, defined in its various details. But Chochma itself is abstract from all form and definition, and therefore is compared to an inanimate stone.