Wisdom

From Innerpedia

Wisdom (חָכְמַה) is the second of the ten sefirot and is the first of the conscious intellectual sefirot.

Wisdom is situtated at the top of the right axis of the sefirot, and in the human form corresponds to the right hemisphere of the brain.

In its fully articulated form, wisdom comprises two partzufim: the higher of these is referred to as Abba Ila'ah (the higher father), whereas the lower is referred to as Yisrael Saba (Israel, the Elder). These two partzufim are referred to jointly as Abba (the father).

In the soul, wisdom is associated with the power of intuitive insight, which flashes, lightning-like across consciousness. The partzuf of Abba Ila'ah is associated with the power to spontaneously extract such insight from the superconscious realm, whereas the partzuf of Yisrael Saba is associated with the power to subsequently direct it into consciousness.

Wisdom also implies the ability to look deeply at some aspect of reality and abstracting its conceptual essence until one succeeds in uncovering its underlying axiomatic truth. These seeds of truth can then be conveyed to wisdom's companion sefirah, understanding, for the sake of intellectual analysis and development.

Wisdom is considered the primary (first) force in the creative process, as it is said: "You have made them all with wisdom." The first word of the Torah, Bereishit, "In the beginning [God created the heavens and the earth]," is translated into Aramaic as "With wisdom [God created...]."

Gematria

The gematria of "wisdom" (חכמה) is 73, which is the 22nd prime number. In ordinal numbering, "wisdom" (חכמה) equals 37, which is the midpoint of 73 and the 13th prime number. In reduced numbering, "wisdom" = 19, which is the midpoint of 37, the 9th prime number. Note that 9 13 = 22. The final reduced number value of "wisdom" is 1.

In the Bible

The full numerical value of the first verse of the Torah: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" () 2701. 2701 = the sum of all numbers from 1 to 73 (i.e. the "triangle" of 73) = 37 times 73. The final phrase of the verse, "and the earth" = 703 = the sum of all numbers from 1 to 37 = 19 times 37.

The word chochmah is read in the Zohar (Numbers 220b) as koach mah, "the power of selflessness," or, alternatively, as cheich mah, "the palate of selflessness."

"The power of selflessness" implies not only the attribute of selflessness itself, but the great creative power that selflessness entails.

"The palate of selflessness" is the soul's ability to "taste" Divinity by virtue of one's state of selflessness, as is said (Psalms 34:9): "Taste and see that God is good." In general, the sense of sight relates to chochmah (the lightening-flash referred to above). From this verse we learn that there is an inner, spiritual sense of taste in chochmah that precedes and arouses the sense of sight.

The spiritual state identified in Chassidut as corresponding to the sefirah of chochmah is that of bitul (selflessness)