Bina — The Tree of Life

Introduction to Sulam Commentary turns to Bina — The Tree of Life.

So, what happens when these lights are distributed unevenly?

Well, Ze’er Anpin, often referred to as the “Small Face” or the “Son,” receives the light of giving from the right side of Bina. But, crucially, it receives this without the light of Ḥokhma. Simultaneously, the Nukva, the feminine aspect or “Daughter," receives the light of Ḥokhma from the left side of Bina, but without the light of giving.

Why is this a problem? Because, as any good Kabbalist will tell you, Ḥokhma cannot truly shine, it cannot illuminate, without the light of giving. It’s like having a brilliant idea but no way to express it, no way to bring it into the world.

The result? The Ḥokhma received by the Nukva becomes "frozen." It becomes darkness instead of light. The Nukva, in this state, struggles to sustain itself.

This, the Sulam Commentary explains, is the mystical meaning behind the moon’s complaint: "Two kings cannot use a single crown." What’s this all about?

Well, Bina, at this level, acts as Keter – the Crown – for both Ḥokhma and giving. It’s the portal through which these higher, supernal lights flow. But when both Ze’er Anpin and the Nukva try to draw from this single source unevenly, Ze’er Anpin ends up with pure giving, lacking wisdom, and the Nukva ends up with pure wisdom, lacking the ability to give. And that imbalance leads to…darkness.

The Nukva, representing the receptive, feminine principle, simply cannot withstand that state of isolated, unexpressed wisdom. It needs the balance, the interplay of giving and receiving, to truly shine.

So, what does this all mean for us? Perhaps it’s a reminder that true illumination comes not from hoarding knowledge or giving without intention, but from finding that delicate balance, that beautiful interplay between wisdom and compassion. It's in the sharing, in the giving of ourselves, that we truly bring light into the world, and avoid the darkness that comes from imbalance.

You already know that the lights of the right line of Bina are the lights of giving, whereas the lights of the left line of Bina are the lights of Ḥokhma. It thus turns out that Ze’er Anpin received the light of giving of the right of Bina without the light of Ḥokhma, while the separate Nukba received the light of Ḥokhma of the left of Bina without the light of giving. Since, as is known, Ḥokhma cannot illuminate without the light of giving, the Ḥokhma was therefore frozen in the separate Nukba, and it became darkness and not light. This is the mystical meaning of the moon’s complaint, when it said that two kings cannot use a single crown. For when they both use a single crown, which is Bina, that is considered Keter288Since Bina of that level serves as the portal for the lights of Ḥokhma and giving, it is Keter for them, the portal to the higher supernal lights. for them, Ze’er Anpin becomes the light of giving without the light of Ḥokhma, and the Nukba becomes the light of Ḥokhma without the light of giving, which is darkness, and Nukba could not withstand that state.