| TheSefirot inKabbalah | ||
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 | The Tree of Life | |
In the branch ofJewishmysticism known asKabbalah,Daʻat orDa'ath (Hebrew:דַּעַת,romanized: Daʿaṯ, inpausa:דָּעַתDāʿaṯ,lit. 'knowledge')[1] is the location (the mystical state) where all tensefirot in theTree of Life are united as one.
In Daʻat, allsefirot exist in their perfected state of infinite sharing. The three sefirot of the left column that would receive and conceal theDivine light, instead share and reveal it.[2] Since all sefirot radiate infinitely self-giving Divine Light, it is no longer possible to distinguish onesefira from another; thus they are one.
Daʻat is not always depicted in representations of thesefirot; and could be abstractly considered an "empty slot" into which the germ of any other sefirot can be placed. Properly, the Divine Light is always shining, but not all humans can see it.[3]
The revelation or the concealment of the Divine Light shining through Daʻat does not happen only in Daʻat itself. It can appear by a human perspective also within the worldly affairs (Malkuth). Theperception of the Divine Light shining can clearly occur also in Malkuth, all the times that humans become self-giving (Altruism). However, humans who remain selfish (Selfishness) cannot see it, and for them its benefits seem "hidden".[4]
Properly, Daʻat is not a sefirah, but rather is all ten sefirot united as one. Nevertheless, Daʻat is sometimes counted as a sefirah instead ofKeter, from the perspective of finite creation, using Daʻat to represent the "reflection of" (the "inner dimension" of) the infinity of Keter.[5] Thus Daʻat appears in the configuration of the sefirot along the middle axis, directly beneath Keter. It corresponds to theimage of God. Alternate countings of the sefirot produce 10 powers ("10 and not 9, 10 and not 11" -Sefer Yetzirah) by either including Keter or Daʻat. In the scheme ofMoses ben Jacob Cordovero, Daʻat is omitted, while in the scheme ofIsaac Luria, Keter (Will) is omitted. Cordovero describes the sefirot as one light in ten vessels.[6] Luria follows this, but lists sefirot beginning withChokmah (Wisdom) to describe their outer dimensions.[7]
Thekochos hanefesh "spiritual state" corresponding to the sefirah ofDaʻat isyichud ("unification").[8]
According to theTanya, Daʻat is the third and hidden more special unconscious power of intellect. But in this context, it is actually the divine aspect of Daʻat to thepartzuf ofZeir Anpin (connection directly to the upper Daʻat ofAdam Kadmon).[9]
Zer Anpin refers to the 'personification' (partzuf) of six sefirot from Chesed to Yesod - and as a whole embodies its own ten sefirot and its own Daʻat. Zer Anpin personifies the revelation of theTorah and relates to the second level of the human soul called "spirit" (ruach), that corresponds to mental aspects, including reason and emotion.[10]
Accordingly, Daʻat is associated in the soul with the powers of memory and concentration, powers that rely upon one's "recognition" (hakarah) of, and "sensitivity to" (hergesh), the potential meaningfulness of those ideas generated inconsciousness through the powers ofChokmah andBinah "understanding".[11]
Daʻat operates on two levels. The higher level, referred to asDaʻat Elyon ("higher knowledge") orDaʻathane'elam ("the hidden knowledge"), serves to secure the continuous bond between the two higher powers of intellect --chokmah andBinah, wisdom and understanding. This is Daʻat within Keter.[2]
The lower level, referred to asDaʻat Tachton ("lower knowledge") orDaʻathamitpashet ("extending knowledge"), serves to connect theintellect as a whole with the realm ofemotion; thereby enhancing one's determination and resolve to act in accordance with the essential truths that one has integrated intoconsciousness. This is Daʻat as the third power of the intellect.[12]
Of this level of Daʻat it is said (Book of Proverbs 24:4): "And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." "The rooms" are the chambers of the heart, the emotions of the soul (as alluded to by the wordcheder, "room," which is an acronym forchesed din rachamim, the three primary emotions of the soul). The inner consciousness of Daʻat fills these rooms and enlivens them as does the soul to the body.[13]
In theZohar, this level of Daʻat is referred to as "the key that includes six." The "key" of Daʻat opens all six chambers (attributes) of the heart and fills them withlife-force. Each of these six chambers, when filled with Daʻat, is referred to as a particulardei'ah ("attitude," from the root of Daʻat) of the soul.[14]
Daʻat corresponds with theinterstitium in the human body. In the brain, Daʻat is represented by theclaustrum. Though their form is seemingly separate and dissimilar, their function is fairly similar.[15]
Daas/Daat Elyon ("Higher Knowledge") andDaas/Daat Tachton ("Lower Knowledge") are two alternative levels of perception of reality inHasidic thought. Their terms derive from theKabbalisticsephirot:Keter (above consciousWill) and Da'at (consciousKnowledge), considered two levels of the same unifying principle; the firstencompassing, the secondinternalised within the person. In Kabbalah either Keter or Da'at are listed in the 10 sephirot, but not both. While the significance of this duality is limited in Kabbalah to its discussion of the Heavenly realms, the significance, and the terminology of "Higher" and "Lower Knowledge" emerges in the Hasidic internalisation of Kabbalah to describe alternative, paradoxical conscious perceptions of DivinePanentheism in this material World.Upper Knowledge refers to the Divine view "from Above",Lower Knowledge to the Created view "from Below".[16]
The termsDaas Elyon andTachton are used particularly in theHabad philosophical systemisation ofHasidic thought. The alternativeKabbalistic termsAyin and Yesh ("Non-Being and Being") are more commonly used in wider Hasidic mysticism. Habad differed from Mainstream Hasidism by its intellectual investigation of the Kabbalistic terminology and concepts thatHasidism had adapted to its psychologically focused mysticism. In thisDaas Elyon andTachton take on a related, but wider conceptual connotation than Ayin and Yesh, as they become the two alternative conscious perception paradigms of all Hasidic mysticism. Hasidism had extended the significance ofAyin and Yesh beyond its Heavenly abstract Kabbalistic meaning, to describe how this physical realm is alternatively Being or Non-Being, as perceived by Creation, in its nullification in thePanentheistic Divine All.Higher andLower Knowledge broadens this further to any spiritual level of existence, or any concept under consideration.[17]
In historical Kabbalah,Keter ("Crown") is the transcendent Divine Will above conscious internalisation, while Da'at ("Knowledge") is the internalised aspect of the same principle, channeling the CreativeOhr lifeforce into existence. Consequently, Keter is the "Hidden Knowledge", that becomes revealed in Da'at.Moshe Cordovero lists Keter as the firstsephirah and excludes Da'at, whileIsaac Luria excludes Keter as being too transcendent to consider as the first cause of Creation, while substituting Da'at instead.[18] Where Keter is the hidden soul root of the intellectual sephirot, Da'at is the hidden soul root of the emotions that emerge subsequently. Keter is revealed in Intellect, and Da'at is revealed in Emotions.[19]
Hasidic thought adapted Kabbalistic terminology to its own concern with direct psychological perception indeveikut cleaving to God. It related thesephirot to their corresponding parallels in theKochos hanefesh (soul powers) devotional experience in Man. SimilarlyDa'at Elyon andTachton emerge as the two alternative perspectives of Creation, the Divine consciousness "from Above", and the Created consciousness "from Below". While Hasidic thought universally retains the Kabbalistic meaning ofAyin (Non-Being) to refer to the inaccessible grasp of the Infinite Divine from the Creation's perspective, andYesh (Being) to refer to Creation's perception of its own existence, this ascription only reflects the Lower Knowledge view. From the Divine view of Higher Knowledge, in truth only God exists, who is theYesh Amity ("True Being"). Creation is nullified intoacosmic non-existence (Ayin) within its Divine source, "as the light of the sun is nullified within the sun's orb". Nonetheless, as Hasidic mysticism describes man's devotion to God, it still uses the terms Ayin and Yesh in their Lower Knowledge, traditional Kabbalistic reference, and not reversed.[20]
Yichudah Ilaah ("Higher Unity") andYichudah Tataah ("Lower Unity"), the two levels of perceivingGod's Monotheism. This alternative paradox is explained in the second section of theTanya, reflecting the author's most metaphorical interpretation of theLurianicTzimtzum, tending toAcosmicMonism. SeeDivine Unity in Hasidism.
... It seems to the lower worlds as if the light and lifeforce of the Omnipresent, blessed be He...were something apart from His blessed Self ... Yet in regard to the Holy One, blessed be He, there is no tzimtzum, concealment and occultation that would conceal and hide before Him ... for the tzimtzumim and garments are not things distinct from His blessed Self, heaven forefend, but (Genesis Rabba 21:5) "like the snail whose garment is part of its very self"[9]
Higher and Lower Da'at relates to the Upper and LowerChokmah (Wisdom), the first of the three intellectualsephirot. TheZohar predicts, based on its interpretation of the upper and lower waters ofNoah's flood (rains from above, wellsprings from below), that in the sixth century of the Hebrew sixth millennium (corresponding to the secular years 1740-1840) Wisdom will flood the World in preparation for theMessianic era. In theLikkutei Sichos talks of theLubavitcher Rebbe,[21] he relates this prediction to the Higher Wisdom ofHasidic thought (called theBaal Shem Tov's "Wellsprings") and the Lower Wisdom of secular Science and thought. In Kabbalah the two levels of Water/Wisdom correspond to the Higher and Lower Waters in the account of Creation inGenesis I.[22]
In Kabbalah's interpretation of theTetragrammaton name of God, the first two letters are the "Concealed World" of Divine Intellect, corresponding toAtziluth andBeri'ah in the Four Worlds, and the last two letters are the "Revealed World" of Divine Emotions, corresponding toYetzirah andAssiah. In the first section ofTanya,[9] the Talmudic directive to bless God for misfortune as well as fortune is related to misfortune stemming from the higher hidden realms. In its source, the misfortune descends from a blessing too high to descend in revelation, as "no evil descends from above".[21]
TheTetragrammaton andElokim Divine Names in Kabbalah correspond to infinitetranscendentencompassing light and finiteimmanentfilling light. InGenesis chapter 1 Creation takes place through Elokim, while in Genesis 2 through both names. In Hasidic interpretation the essential Tetragrammaton Divine Infinitude enacts creation Something from Nothing, but shines through the concealment of Elokim to allow Creation to seem independent from God.[23] In this Elokim becomes the means for revelation, as a Creation directly through the Tetragrammaton would be nullified. This corresponds to two levels ofBittul (Nullification):Bittul HaMetzius ("Nullification of Essence") andBittul HaYesh ("Nullification of Ego"). As the highest of the Four WorldsAtziluth is still emanation, before perceived Creation, relatively it reflects Essential Nullification. In comparison to the lower two Worlds, alsoBeri'ah has some relation to Higher Bittul through the enclothement of Wisdom (Atziluth) descending into Understanding (Beriah). Prophecy is explained in Kabbalah[24] to be the letters of Creation in Atziluth, as they descend into Beriah. This means Divine transcendent insight descending into some understanding. Similarly, Beriah is described in Kabbalah as the realm of the Divine "Throne", as the full emanated Divinity of Atziluth cloths itself through descent in Beriah, metaphorically as if descending onto a throne, to govern lower creation from above as a King.[22]
