The Relationship Between Chochma, Binah, and Atik
Lessons in Likutay Torah | November 08, 2024
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The Relationship Between Chochma, Binah, and Atik

Lessons in Likutay Torah | June 27, 2025

Chochma-Wisdom is the soul-power of intellect that is the source of understanding, but before it comes into full comprehension. For example, when someone has a new insight, that initial flash of insight is from Chochma. When that insight is developed, it is through Bina. The pleasure of the initial flash of insight is fleeting, since the idea hasn’t been processed yet. The true lasting enjoyment of the idea is only experienced when it is fully developed in Bina.

Because Chochma is called “Eden” (subtle pleasure) and there is no [full] revelation of Atik there, even though the word עדן-Eden means a type of pleasure, but the pleasure in the initial flash of Chochma is not fully revealed, only a fleeting glimpse of it. Or it is a more subtle type of pleasure, but not fully felt or experienced until it is expressed in Binah. Because Atik is the source of all Pleasure, and Pleasure is above Chochma.

And that idea which is still in Chochmah itself, which is still only a condensed point, does not become revealed except by way of Bina - which is known as “A conceptual point in a context of understanding,” (see Zohar I, 6a) or “The female aspect, [Binah], which encompasses the male aspect, [Chochma],” (see Yirmiyah 31:21).

Just as the male’s input is received and becomes encompassed in the female, developing into a person over nine months, so too the flash of insight or knowledge from Chochma is developed in Bina into a full comprehension. This ability of Bina to develop a concept, enjoy it fully is because it receives the illumination from Atik.

Chochma-Wisdom is the soul-power of intellect that is the source of understanding, but before it comes into full comprehension. For example, when someone has a new insight, that initial flash of insight is from Chochma. When that insight is developed, it is through Bina. The pleasure of the initial flash of insight is fleeting, since the idea hasn’t been processed yet. The true lasting enjoyment of the idea is only experienced when it is fully developed in Bina.

Because Chochma is called “Eden” (subtle pleasure) and there is no [full] revelation of Atik there, even though the word עדן-Eden means a type of pleasure, but the pleasure in the initial flash of Chochma is not fully revealed, only a fleeting glimpse of it. Or it is a more subtle type of pleasure, but not fully felt or experienced until it is expressed in Binah. Because Atik is the source of all Pleasure, and Pleasure is above Chochma.

And that idea which is still in Chochmah itself, which is still only a condensed point, does not become revealed except by way of Bina - which is known as “A conceptual point in a context of understanding,” (see Zohar I, 6a) or “The female aspect, [Binah], which encompasses the male aspect, [Chochma],” (see Yirmiyah 31:21).

Just as the male’s input is received and becomes encompassed in the female, developing into a person over nine months, so too the flash of insight or knowledge from Chochma is developed in Bina into a full comprehension. This ability of Bina to develop a concept, enjoy it fully is because it receives the illumination from Atik.

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