בִּינָה

understanding

Binah, or understanding, is the third of the ten sefirot, and the second conscious power of intellect in Creation.

Binah appears in the configuration of the sefirot at the top of the left axis, and corresponding to the left hemisphere of the brain.

In its fully articulated form, binah possesses two personas: the higher of these is referred to as “the higher mother”, whereas the lower is referred to as “comprehension”. These two personas are referred to jointly as “the mother”.

Binah is associated in the soul with the power of conceptual analysis and reasoning, both inductive and deductive. The persona of “the higher mother” is associated in particular with the power to grasp and comprehend the insights of chochmah, whereas “comprehension” represents the power to fully assimilate the resultant ideas into one’s consciousness.

The “understanding” of binah also implies the ability to examine the degree of truth or falsehood inherent in a particular idea. This is expressed as “the ear examines words.” The ear, the sense of hearing, is associated with binah. The initial letters of the phrase “the ear examines words” spell “truth.”

Another feature identified with the property of binah is the ability to explain and elucidate concepts both to oneself and others. For this reason it is symbolised as “the wide river.”

The power of binah is to distinguish and differentiate between ideas. Binah itself is the second “brain,” between chochmah and da’at.

The union of chochmah and binah (“the higher union”), the “father” and the “mother” signified by the right and left hemispheres of the brain, is continual and is referred to as “two companions that never separate.” This union is necessary for the continual re-creation of the world beginning with the birth of the seven attributes of the heart, corresponding to the seven days of Creation, from the womb of “mother,” binah.

The union of chochmah (73) and binah (67) = 140. 140 is the sum of all square numbers from 1 to 7. This reflects the source of all the 7 attributes of the heart or days of Creation, the 7 “children,” in their ultimate state of perfection (a square number represents a perfected state of being) in the mind of “father” and “mother.”

The spiritual state identified as corresponding to the sefirah of binah is that of joy.