In Kabbalah, the mystical tradition of Judaism, we find a fascinating, intricate answer. It all begins with understanding the sefirot (divine attributes) and how they interact within the cosmic structure. We start with Ḥokhma (Wisdom), a fundamental aspect of the divine. The Sulam Commentary, which illuminates the teachings of the Ari (Rabbi Isaac Luria), explains something crucial about Ḥokhma: Its essence resides in the head of Arikh Anpin, the "Long Face" or the "Vast Countenance" – a particularly elevated configuration of divine attributes. However, this Ḥokhma is initially "sealed," meaning it doesn't shine downwards. It's potential energy, waiting to be released.
Think of it like a seed holding all the potential of a mighty tree, but needing the right conditions to sprout.
Now, Abba (Father) and Imma (Mother), the next set of sefirot, come into play. They incorporate this sealed Ḥokhma, even though they don't actively receive it. This "incorporated" Ḥokhma is considered the Ḥokhma of the right. It's like they are holding the potential, nurturing it. When Abba and Imma return to the "head" (a state of higher unity), they're called the "supernal Ḥokhma." Why? Because their very union with Ḥokhma allows the light of giving to flow through them, completing the first three sefirot.
It's important to note that Abba and Imma aren't diminished by being ejected from the head. Instead, they become more complete when they transmit the light of Ḥokhma downwards to Yisrael Sabba (Ancient Israel) and Tevuna (Understanding) – aspects within Bina (Understanding). This act of transmission, this giving, is what constitutes the Ḥokhma of the right.
But then there’s the Ḥokhma of the left. What’s that about?
The Ḥokhma that does illuminate in Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna is the Ḥokhma of the left. It’s called that because it only shines in the left line – which, in Kabbalah, represents judgment and restriction. This Ḥokhma of the left, we're told (Idra Zuta 73), is known as the "thirty-two paths of Ḥokhma." This is the Ḥokhma that's revealed to Ze’er Anpin (the "Small Face") and Nukba (the Female Principle) and, ultimately, to all the lower levels below Atzilut (the World of Emanation).
So, in summary: we've got Ḥokhma, wisdom that's initially sealed, then a process of incorporation and transmission, giving us both a Ḥokhma of the right (giving) and a Ḥokhma of the left (judgment).
It's a complex system. But what does it mean for us?
Perhaps it suggests that true wisdom isn't just about accumulating knowledge, but about channeling it, about the dance between potential and expression, between giving and receiving, between grace and restriction. And maybe, just maybe, understanding these nuances can help us unlock a little bit more of that sealed wisdom within ourselves.