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Summary of Chapter Two:
The general faculty of Binah includes within itself two particular ones:
(a) Binah itself and
(b) Tvunah.
Tvunah is the extension of the light of Binah as a result of the proper absorption of the concept in the brain to bring it to expression into different things in many different ways
Examples of the ‘separate things’ into which Tvunah can extend:
(a) analogies to explain the understanding of Binah to someone else
(b) a decision or ruling based on the understanding of Binah, as in a legal decision and
(c) a practical use for the understanding of Binah,
(d)The man of Tvunah can bring to light the Midos (emotions) from the Midos of Binah,
Binah is called the ‘Upper Mother’ and is the understanding of an idea itself as a theoretical and purely intellectual matter. Even the length and width of Binah are not actual applications of the idea to something outside of the classroom, but rather, examples, explanations and variations of the idea itself to further one’s understanding. Similarly, the Midos (emotional attributes) within Binah are not actual decisions for a reaction, but only the hidden potential for one. Meaning that essentially this understanding has certain implications, which could effect one’s decision of a reaction; though the actual consideration has not yet taken place.
Tvunah is called the ‘Lower Mother’ and is the power of bringing the light of Binah out of itself into some sort of application. This ability comes from absorbing a concept well (the depth of Tvunah), which allows for the assimilation of the idea in one’s mind into many diverse terms (the width of Tvunah) as well as allowing one to create analogies for it, and to bring it to practical application (the length of Tvunah). This also allows for the idea to give rise to an emotional response, which is similar to bringing the theoretical understanding of Binah into something outside of itself; Tvunah becoming the maintaining intellect behind the emotion (e.g., turning ‘that guy punched me’ -the analysis of Binah, into ‘I hate the guy’ -an emotion, powered by- ‘because he punched me’ -the conclusion of Tvunah).
The lengths of both Binah and Tvunah are included in their respective widths. Similarly, Tvunah (which is like a length compared to Binah) comes out of the Eeyun-analysis
(Hisbonenus) of Binah; as is hinted at by the full spelling of the name of the letter Nun (so that Nun = Wide Nun, Vav, Long Nun) (so that b=iub), the long Nun being included within the bent one.
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The material in this series is copyrighted by Rabbi Yossi Markel