Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition, explores this very dynamic, but on a cosmic scale. We're going to dive into a concept called "face and back," and how it relates to the flow of divine light.
Now, when we talk about "face" and "back" in Kabbalah, we're not talking about physical features, of course! Instead, we're talking about the relationship between different aspects of the divine, specifically Partzufim, or divine countenances. And in this case, we're focusing on Ḥokhma and Bina.
Imagine Ḥokhma, often associated with wisdom, receiving illuminating "brains of the face," as the Sulam Commentary puts it. That sounds pretty good. But what about Bina, which embodies understanding? Here's where it gets interesting. The text points out that Bina is "always in the state of the mystical meaning of the verse 'for He delights in mercy.'" Bina yearns for the "light of giving" rather than just receiving the "light of Ḥokhma". Because of this, Bina is considered to have its "back" to Ḥokhma. It doesn't want to receive those "brains of the face" directly.
Why not? Because Bina’s primary desire is to channel and transmit, not just absorb. As the commentary explains, because Bina seeks the light of giving, it only receives the light of Ḥokhma as a conduit to transmit it to Ze'er Anpin, which we can think of as the "Lesser Countenance" or "Son." This dynamic, the text emphasizes, is fundamental to the rectification of the lines and the transmission of the light of Ḥokhma through Bina to the lower levels – something that's discussed extensively in earlier sections.
So, Ḥokhma and Bina are in this constant dance of "face" and "back," according to the Sulam Commentary. But what changes things? What makes them turn "face-to-face"?
That's where Ze'er Anpin comes in. When Ze'er Anpin ascends to them as Mayin Nukvin (feminine waters), essentially a yearning for the light of Ḥokhma, it triggers something in Bina. This yearning, the text explains, prompts Bina to “face” Ḥokhma and receive the flow of light, but only in order to pass it through to Ze'er Anpin. It's like Bina is saying, "Okay, I'll take this light, but only so I can give it to my child."
As the text, referring to “Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala,” section 5, explains, because there's a connection between Bina of the direct light to give the illumination of Ḥokhma to Ze’er Anpin of the direct light, when Ze’er Anpin ascends as feminine waters to Bina, Bina immediately turns her face back to Ḥokhma to receive from it the brains of the face – which are the brains of the illumination of Ḥokhma – for Ze’er Anpin. It's then that Ḥokhma and Bina are recognized to be in a state of "face-to-face."
It’s important to remember, though, that as explained, Bina doesn't truly receive this light for herself. She only transmits it. This mirrors Bina’s role in the five levels of direct light, emphasizing its inherent quality of giving.
So, what does this all mean for us? Perhaps it's a reminder that true connection sometimes requires us to shift our perspective, to turn our "face" towards others' needs. It's about recognizing that giving and receiving are not always separate actions, but often intertwined, a dance of "face and back" that ultimately leads to a more complete and harmonious relationship.