Now, within Zeir Anpin there are different aspects and levels. For example, there is the external expression of the emotions, the internal felt emotions, and the intellect of the emotions, such as the fleeting thoughts of the heart. Furthermore, there is how the emotions come out into speech or how the emotions relate inward, into thought. An example of the emotions relating inward is when one is worried. The heartfelt emotion of worry will bubble up from the level of emotions into his thoughts and he will think, “Man, am I nervous!” This will bring to mind everything he is worried about. An example of the emotions relating outward and coming into his speech, is that when he speaks, his nervousness and worry become invested and heard in his voice, even though he might articulate the opposite, saying, “I’m not nervous or worried at all”, etc.
As explained earlier, in order for there to be emotions, there must be the unification of the NeHi”Y of Chochmah and of Binah. Now, with the actual birth of the emotions, the NeHi”Y of Binah recedes, but the NeHi”Y of Chochmah remains. What does this mean? An example of this is that when one has an arousal of the emotion of anger, all that remains of the intellect which brought about the anger, is a holistic overview (Chochmah) of what he is angry about. He cannot analyze the details of the matter (Binah) until his emotions recede and he calms down. However, the strength of his position in the general overview of why he is angry (NeHi”Y of Chochmah), remains. Thus, NeHi”Y of Chochmah remains and is passed over to the emotions. In contrast, NeHi”Y of Binah, cannot coexist with the arousal of the emotions and recedes. Only when he calms down and the emotions die down, can he once again analyze the details. We see clearly that when the emotions are greatly aroused and excited, objective reasoning ceases.
It is for this reason that Chochmah and Binah are called Abba and Imma. This is because at first the emotions are included in Imma (Binah) like a fetus in its mother’ womb. Just as a fetus is concealed in its mother’s womb where it develops, so too, the emotions are included and concealed in Binah where they grow and develop. When the emotions are born as actual emotions, on the other hand, the intellect recedes. When someone is told, “You know what so and so said about you…” It will first be processed in her mind. The more she thinks about it, the more the intellectual emotions develop, but it is still totally in her mind. It has not yet come into actual emotions. Nevertheless, she keeps thinking and churning it over and over in her mind. Finally, she explodes with rage. Now the intellect is gone. The emotions are “born”, so to speak. This is similar to a newborn infant who now has an identity separate and apart from his mother. Nonetheless, the holistic overview and strength of position of her anger (NeHi”Y of Abba), remain and transfer to the emotions. This is similar to the fact that a child develops from the seminal drop of the father. Although the drop developed into a fully developed child in the mother’s womb, its essence is still there.
