 Previous |
 Enlarge |
After we understood how Iyun is the vehicle which brings to levels higher than the Sechel itself ] now we can understand how IYUN [detailed understanding of the how and what of the sechel - Bina of Bina ] is the vehicle which delivers the progression of the sechel to its lower aspects [ in the dynamic of enlightenment through the intellect ] which are the MIDDOS [Measurements and Emotion] of Chachma and Bina called in Kabbala terms Israel Saba and Tevuna .
First [before showing how Iyun brings us to the levels of sechel below it] we'll explain [what those levels are in detail [Israel Saba and Tevuna] called the lower Father and Mother ].
There are three levels in the working of the sechel 1-the idea itself [like pure science . For example] A person who observes and studies the spheres in the heavens.[the actual planets and stars that we see] to understand ,what they are made out of and how they work] Are they composed of matter or are they spiritual entities ? etc. And from this course of study nothing will come out ,just studying for its own sake.
This first level in the dynamic of the Sechel is called the engagement of the Three Heads of Chachma of the Soul [Nefesh ]. And even if he is studying how a building is built , not to build a building but only to know how it is built is also called the Three Heads of Chachma of the Nefesh .
But when he sees to know how to build a building because he wants to build a similar building it is called Neh"i [Netzach, Hod and Yisod of Chachma [The three lower Middos qualities, but still Middos in sechel .He didn't build the building yet he just sechelized the procedure and design.]
Similarly with Chachma , on the level of its Middos, like when he uses his Sechel in an exercise of learning a Torah law, if a thing is Permitted or Prohibited [permitted and prohibited are Middos like Permitted is the kindness aspect and prohibited is the strictness aspect-Chesed and Gevura ] Like we had with the case of the egg that was born on Yom Tov. When he uses his intellect to see if the egg is permitted or prohibited it is called Chagas [Chesed-Gevura-Tifferes, the three higher Middos] of Chachma.
So when he looks into the question only to know what the concept of Muktza is; and what the concept of birth is, that is called the Three heads of Chachma.
Additionally there is the Nehi that is included in Chagas of Chachma. For example there could be a sage, who with great Chachma can explain with his great mind what constitutes permitted in a case and what constitutes prohibited .But he won't make a legal [HALACHIC] decision in an actual case of law because he is lacking the power of Nehi of Chagas of Chachma. The one who is sure of his opinion can say the Will of Hashem in a particular legal decision [this power being called Nehi of Chagas of Chachma which is essentially higher than Nehi of Chachma Like in the example of building a building.
So the difference between Chachma and Bina to Israel Sabba and Tevuna - Chachma and Bina are the three heads which means the Sechel of the topic for itself without the intent of using the Knowledge at all, not on the Emotion level and not on the action level.(Even though the power of the Emotion level and Action level are contained in the Three Heads in a hidden way. The proof being that when one wants to think how to use this knowlwedge he thinks about the particular aspects of the idea itself and its explanation on their own first before thinking how to use them. So even though he is studying the sechel to see how he can use it [ and he might even be thinking of the process he'll use it in but the process is not revealed in the knowledge itself -Chachma and Bina ].)
But Israel Saba and Tevuna [ the middos of Chachma and Bina as opposed to the three heads ] is like when he thinks about the idea [DAVAR HAMOOSKAL ] to use it [for an action or decision like we said in the example of the egg that was born on Yom Tov. After he knows that the egg was born he thinks what to do with this knowledge ] as far as if it is allowed to be picked up ] Either permitted or prohibited [the Middos - Chesed and Gevura of this sechel].
Or in the case of a building ,first he learns the measurements and layout etc. of the building [the three heads of that particular concept ] So now comes the second step the Middos of this sechel, he thinks how to build such a building called Chagas and Nehi of Chachma.(In Chagas of Chachma is included Nehi of Chagas of Chachma. Like we said [in the example of knowing the concepts necessary to constitute a decision in Jewish Law].
So far the difference between Israel Saba-Tevuna to Chachma and Bina.
But the difference between Israel Saba and Tevuna is that Israel Saba [Israel Grandfather] are the Middos as they are revealed in the Chachma itself before they are revealed to the grasp of understanding [Hasaga of Bina ].(Like we explained in Chapter 1 That Rav didn't answer them. While Tevuna are the Middos which are born from the Hasaga of Bina .[of those Middos of Chachma ].
Another difference is that Israel Saba is not a new thing, only the middos of the sechel as they are included in the Sechel in a hidden way before they became revealed, and this revelation is before the Chachma is [even] grasped by the Bina [ at the point of Omek Hamoosag].
But Tevuna is essentially a brand new power,[!!] which is that the physical vessel of the brain absorbs and digests [KOLET] into itself the explanation and the sechel to the point where the physical brain actually absorbs into itself a spiritual sechel. Which is the essential thing of Tevuna and through this these Middos of Bina branch off from its three heads ].
Because when the Sechel and its explanation are completely absorbed - digested by the brain ] it's possible to use the sechel in many different ways. Like to think about it a lot. Or to use it to accomplish many things.
But if the idea and its explanation have not been completely digested they can't come into the inner processes of the person at all and therefore he won't be able to use the idea constructively.
But we said before that Bina itself is the grasping of the explanation in letters till it is able to settle in the mind. [!] Therefore Bina is called an existent entity as compared to Chachma which is the level of nothing apprehendable like a flash ] that contains no letters of explanation. So we see that Bina itself comes into the inside .[So where is the difference from Bina to Tevuna??]
The short explanation is that there is a difference between Settled and Digested. For example two people understand a teaching equally well which explanation is settled in their mind. But one remembers the explanation for a long time and the other forgets it fast, because he didn't absorb the teaching in the depth of his brain. So even though the knowledge was settled in his brain for a while he couldn't retain it.
But the other one remembers it for a long time because he grasped the sechel in the depth of his physical brain called Klita [absorption-digestion].And the way of achieving this absorption is through the nullification of the vessel of the brain to receive the Sechel, he absorbs well the spiritual light contained in the sechel. Not so when the brain is coarse ,and it feels itself as an existence for itself [a yesh] in which case he won't absorb the spiritual light of the sechel in his brain at all even though it was settled in his mind for a while .Which explains the difference between Bina and Tevuna.
To explain more elaborately we'll take an example from the soul of a person ,where we see two levels. 1-The spiritual light of the soul and 2-The life force that is invested in the organs and limbs of the body. The level which connects these two levels is called the Image of the Soul [TZALMI NEFESH] ,a necessary connection since the soul itself is a simple, non-compounded quintessence, not a thing of parts and powers like Intellect, Emotions etc. But since it finds itself clothed in spiritual worlds, the world of action ,the world of formation etc. Since these worlds are in the system of ten powers there the sechel and middos of the soul are on the level of the spiritual source of the world that the soul is born into. But the soul itself in its essence is far removed and separate from such a thing as the ten powers as they are expressed in the physicality of the body.)
After the soul is hewn from it's source in the particular spiritual world it is born into ] it is aroused to enliven a physical body and the power to enliven a body and infuse in the body Sechel and Middos ( is a work of the Infinite one Blessed be he that he does wonders [a spiritual entity -a soul ,can enliven a physical body !! ] .
So the soul is invested [engraved with ?] with ten powers that are not in the same category of existence at all as the ten powers of the soul that are invested in the body. Only on a spiritual level of the soul.
But these ten powers of the spiritual level [ are the source of the powers as they will be invested in the body.] are the powers from which will branch the powers as they will invest the body through its organs. These ten powers of the spiritual level of the soul] are called the physical of the spiritual. And the level [of the lights as they invest themselves into the ten powers that enliven organs of the body is called the Spiritual of the Physical.Called the lights in the soul or the powers that are planted. Like the planting that is the source of the tree and is called the Inner Man [ADAM PINIMI]
But when these ten are brought into physical vessels [ the organs of the body. It is called the Spiritual aspect of the Physical [world] and is called Chai Bassar[the life of the Flesh. The level of the Outer Man. This level of Chai Basar is not on a comparative level with the refined and Holy] Spiritual life that the soul has to itself on a completely more rarefied level. Therefore they need a "Middle Man" to connect them.[MIMUTZA] Called TZALMI NEFESH (Called the middle man ,whose function is the revelation of the letters in the essence of the Soul to define how to enliven [a body] outside of itself [but it is just the expression of an internal plan so to speak not that on this level it actually goes outside of itself to enliven a body] only in the way of a decision[?? HISRAA] therefore [at this Middle Man level of TZALMI NEFESH we are still included in the soul as purely spiritual] included in the essence of the Soul still.[But it is the channel through which the soul will shine out to enliven the body called the Middle Man-ADAM EMTZAEE].
O.K. so this Middle Man connects the Inner Man-the soul itself -to the outer Man-how the ten powers shine into the organs of the body called the Spiritual of the Physical ]. In which Outer Man there are two levels. 1-The way the soul expresses itself in the body in a hidden way like the power of Sechel that rests in the vessel of the brain before the thought comes into the brain. Or the power of kindness in the heart even before he ever does a specific kind act or thought. Because on this level where all the ten powers of the soul are hidden are called powers. Like the power to think , the power to feel etc.
2-The level of how the powers of the soul are revealed in the vessels of the organs of the body like an actual idea that is revealed in the brain , or an actual feeling that is revealed in the heart like to do a good thing. They are called Sechel and Middos [Intellect and Emotion. And the power to bring out the second level from the first also needs a middle man.
Meaning that the main dynamic of a man are the emotions that are revealed in the heart and their source is in the vessel of the brain - The level of the Middos of Sechel Either the middos of Chachma or Middos of Bina.[Yisrael Saba or Tevuna.
For example a person has a head [which contains three Chachma -Bina -Daas. The body [Chesed, Gevura, and Tiferes] ,the emotion level .And the three lower attributes [Nehi] related to action. Because the head is the source of the middos how they are in Chachma and Bina. And the body is where the feelings are revealed in the heart. The feet is how the feelings are expressed through action. So we see that the general thing of the dynamic of the working of a person is feelings .)
But Chachma and Bina themselves [the three heads] are middle men only for the Outer Man's first level that is hidden [Maybe like a potential level for what will come out later.- Koach]-the ten powers of the soul- before they are revealed [ as actual thoughts and feelings ,they are only powers at this point ] in the vessel of the brain and the heart [like the brain has the power of thinking thoughts ] And level 2-the ten powers as they are revealed as middos [measurements and feelings.]
So the main revelation in the vessel of the brain on a level of indwelling light is when the sechel branches off to be revealed as the Middos of Sechel [the boundaries of the sechel its yes and no] called Tevuna. But the revelation like it is on the level of Bina [its three heads ] is only a revelation of "Middle Man " level so it can not be thoroughly digested and absorbed [KLITA ] by the brain on the level of an indwelling light. Even though the explanation is settled in the brain as far as understanding it. [Analogous to our last Middle Man-Tzalmi Nefesh.]
Which explains the statement that the counsel in the heart of the Man of Tevuna contains deep waters, and The man of Tevuna doles out water. Because the deep waters referred to are the depths of Bina that are deeper yet than being absorbed completely in the brain and its source is the level of "The Heart of Man" which is a level higher than the organs of the body. Only that this depth [understanding of Bina] is revealed in the vessel of the brain in letters of thought .(The main thing of the waters we are using as a metaphor is the level of the Emotions as they are in the inwardness of the heart that are revealed in the thought of [like in chapt-1 where we explained the level of "The understanding of the Heart"] Bina. But they are hidden and included in the thought of Bina and are not revealed at all ).They are not absorbed- digested yet by the brain [at the level of Bina-the three heads of Sechel] so they are not completely settled ,so they are called deep waters ,like the waters that are still included in their depth [underground] and are not revealed to the eye.
But the Man of Tevuna, absorbing the light of the sechel in his brain is able to dole them out and use them like they are not deep at all. Because the depth of the sechel is completely settled [and absorbed in his brain] which automatically reveals the Middos of the sechel from their hiddenness of their depth as they were included originally in the understanding of Bina where they were not apparent at all. But now they are known and revealed in the thoughts of his brain completely, through the power of Tevuna.(In Kabbala terms the higher Mother and Father-Chachma and Bina themselves. Are called the hidden ones, Like it says the hidden of Hashem .Because they are tucked in and connected under the beard of Arich Anpin [the underground spring]-Like its known that Arich is higher than the Vessels of Atzilus, therefore also the vessels of Chachma and Bina themselves are not complete vessels. So even the revelation of the sechel which comes about through them in letters is is not a complete revelation. Therefore the real intention of the sechel is not revealed in them yet.
But it will be revealed through the Middos of the sechel which will branch off from its heads through Absorption [Klita].
Not so the vessels of Israel Sabba and Tevuna ,they are complete vessels on the level of Atzilus therefore the revelation that is revealed through them in letters is complete. Therefore the original inner intent and point of the sechel is revealed through these Middos which branch off the sechel and are called Israel Sabba and Tevuna.
In Tevuna just like in the sechel itself we see Depth, Width and Length. The depth of Tevuna is not an entity for itself[similar to the depth of sechel] just the absorption ,by the brain of the sechel. Because the power of the mind to absorb and digest sechel is called Tevuna. This nullification of the brain to absorbing the Sechel is the depth of Tevuna the Kesser of Tevuna.
The width of Tevuna is to think about the sechel for a long time in many ways illustrating it and approaching it from different angles in many ways .Because in Sechel there is the explanation as it comes down to the mind originally called the essential letters of the explanation which are necessary to explain this sechel [the bare bones explanation so to speak with no elaboration] and without these the sechel can't be understood [like the original teaching from the teacher] and without these letters the Sechel could not be revealed and would stay included in its source. This original explanation in letters is called the Iyun thought [MACHSHAVA IYOONIS ] and the power to generate this is called MALCHUS of BINA.
But when he widens the thought by thinking it in other words and from different angles that are not strictly necessary to understanding the sechel but just help in making it clearer and more settled in the mind is called Machshavas Sechel -the level of Malchus of Tevuna (and from this level finally arrives the thought how it is without sechel at all -the large DALET at the end of the first line of Shema called Leah as we'll explain in a later Chapter).
So the settling of the sechel through letters in the brain through these [extra letters] is called the Width of Tevuna.(the level of Chabad of Tevuna)
But the length of Tevuna is the Chagas and Nehi [Middos of Tevuna] and in Chagas of Tevuna are two aspects 1-how an excitement and enjoyment are felt in the brain from the Sechel (called in Yiddish a KVELL in MOCHIN) which is the source of the arousal of the feelings in the heart) which is a separate thing from the essentiality of the Sechel itself.(Because the essence of the sechel is only its truth and boundaries and itself is not excited at all with enjoyment and good feeling. 2- How the sechel branches off to things outside of itself. [like explanation to another-or using it somehow to accomplish something or causing love and fear to be born in the heart.) Both of these levels are included in Chagas of Tevuna.
But the assurance he has to be able to bring out a clear decision as to how to use the sechel in action [like to Paskin a Halacha is called Nehi of Chagas of Tevuna. And the branching out of the sechel to discover how to actually accomplish something through it is called Nehi of Tevuna.
So after we explained the power of Israel Saba and Tevuna in all their aspects and particulars. We'll be able to understand how Iyun has the power to deliver us Tevuna. Because there is a Nuun that is bent and a Nuun that is straight like we said in Chapt 1. And the spelling out of the word Nuun is accomplished through a final ,Nuun [the word 'Nuun,in other words is spelled with a regular NUUN-the bent one and a final NUUN the straight NUUN] a straight Nuun ,not so with the spelling of of the other letters. And like we said in the case of Bina [in Chapt 1] has both levels of Nuuns - that the width of Bina [Chachma of Bina ] is called the bent Nun [Fat Nun] and in it is included the its length -the straight Nun.-Bina of Bina [Iyun].
Or like we said that Bina of Bina itself has two levels 1 - by the Rav the power of bringing down the Chachma through dressing it in many garments [of explanation] - the straight- called long Nun - Bina of Bina of the Rav. 2- The Iyun and Chipush in the letters [of explanation that he heard from his Rabbi to bring out the depth of the explanation is called the Bent Nun-of the student)
In the same way does Tevuna have the two Nuuns ,meaning the Width and the Length that is in the Tevuna. And the Long Nuun of Bina is the Mashpia to the Bent Nuun of Tevuna because it [ the long Nuun of Bina] is a Middle Man that connects Bina to Tevuna. For example A giver and a receiver like a teacher and a student are connected through the tribute of foundation.
Because the Masculine attribute of foundation pushes out [BLEETA] to give over. Meaning the power of the giver [the Rav in our case] the power to give over the sechel to the student - the Blita outside of himself to another (but this Blita to outside of itself comes about through his first [The Giver- Mashpia] descending from his own high pursuit to leave it completely and become immersed instead in giving over this particular sechel.)[The bent Nuun of the Rav]
But the Feminine attribute of Foundation [Yisod ] gives itself away -lessens itself [ergo the "Bent" Nuun] -to receive the teaching because at the time of receiving [when he hears it ] he must be completely given over to receiving it by nullifying his own concerns to receive the Sechel from the teacher. He is then able to receive the teaching. But since the student is [even his thought processes] is physically oriented and gross [at least compared to the rarefied and refined thought processes of the Rav.] So the Rav must come up with [LIHISCHASCHAM] from the innermost depth of his Sechel to [the bent Nuun of the Rav I think ] give the student this deep Sechel that the student won't understand at all only in a vague way a realization of the sechel but as it is far above his brain.
Through giving it over in this way that is still really higher and removed from the students understanding, the Rav imparts in the student the power to nullify himself to stopping and spending his life energy and time ] nullifying himself before this Sechel from his Rebbe. And through this the student is able to receive many different veins of flow that the student will hear from him ( and this first sechel that is delivered in a way of higher than the intellect of the understanding of the student is called the preparing of the vessel.
In the same way as a giver to one who receives -outside oneself is Bina and Tevuna. Because the level of Bina is like light ( like we said that sechel is a light that is not completely dressed in a vessel and is called giver and Tevuna is the level of absorption in the vessel of the physical brain. Through the nullification of the vessel. Therefore he absorbs well the essential explanation so well that he will never forget it so in this way the brain becomes a complete vessel to absorb the light of the explanation. That's why it is called the level of receiver (Because a vessel is the level of Receiver of the light.) therefore when the vessel of the brain is physically oriented it is not able to nullify itself to such a refined and complicated explanation[ which is necessary to achieve this level] of the nullification of the receiver ,brought about through the lack of the power of Tevuna.
Nevertheless [even though we are so gross and physically oriented even in our thinking] through Iyun and striving in understanding the Letters of the explanation heard from the teacher ,the level of Bina itself. Called Giver. It's possible to fix the vessel of the brain of the student so he will be able to absorb, in the vessel of his brain, the light of the explanation, called Bina. So he'll automatically be able to bring the explanation to many different uses. Like we said with Chagas and Nehi of Tevuna.
So that is how Iyun brings one to the levels of the Sechel that are lower than it. Called Israel Saba and Tevuna.
Stay tuned for Chapter three which explains many beautiful things, including the inner meaning of the saying that the Candle is a Mitzva and a Light is Torah which happens to be the subtitle of our source text.
Previous |
Enlarge |