The Knowledge Of G-D – 1:51

Now, the second level of the intellect constitutes the emotions of Chochmah and the emotions of Binah.  In Binah this is intellect in a way of comprehendible terms and reasoning, which lean either toward kindness or sternness.  In Chochmah it is the power of the intellect which leans toward kindness or severity.  The difference between the two is that in Binah this is in a way of comprehension and reasoning.  In contrast, in Chochmah, although the intellect leans either to the right or to the left, it is not yet in a way of comprehension and reasoning.  An example for this is when two people are having an argument in which one intellect leans toward Chesed and the other leans toward Gevurah.  Now, even when the person whose intellect leans toward sternness disproves the other person’s logic and reasoning, nonetheless, the other person cannot concede that his friend is correct.  His intellect leans toward Kindness and that is how he sees things, and even though, at the moment, he does not have a logical proof to support his position, he just knows he is right.  This may be illustrated by a story in the Talmud in which Rav was challenged on the logic of his position and remained silent.  He could not concede to the opposing position nor could he argue against it. Instead he remained silent.  This is because he knew that he was correct in a way of Chochmah rather than in a way of Binah. On the level of insight he knew he was right but he hadn’t yet brought it down to a comprehendible explanation on the Binah level.