“The King's Coffee Table” p: 45

AyinBase with R' Paltiel p: 45 6/15/2011 Thursday 14 Sivan 5771

Page 45 – below mid point of the page (line starts: bechinat ha-arah...) 

Chochmah / wisdom is called ein / nothing. This is because it has a 'reflection' and not the essence itself. It has the effect of the etzem/essence.

It is also called ein / nothing based on a positive quality. This is that it is not a real/fixed presence as yet. It is not a 'something'. Everything in the physical world, like a table for example, is described by its features and the way we benefit from it. 

To be it must occupy space, and this doesn't have to do with its essence. This is just to bring it into existence. In reality the table originates in the soul of man. Man expresses the need for it. A king doesn't hold his plate and eat, if he needs a book it lies on the table at the ready. This is the status of the human being.

The Rambam says, in the time to come there will be no want. Luxuries will be as common as dust. This will be to facilitate one delving into the wisdom of his Creator. 

The table needs still to have a physical presence. Though it is sourced in the human soul, it gets translated into wood and steel! This is a metzius/presence. The essence is the only thing that is really an ein/nothing. Pure truth. 'I choose the King' is the statement of chochmah, which seeks the 'nothingness' of truth. Though chochmah is an emanation, yet it stays above being a something and seeks truth – it 'goes for the king'! 

We say in the world to come there is no eating and drinking. 'Sages will sit, with their crowns on their heads, and take delight in the shine of the shchina (G-d's presence)' and that is fully satisfying. They have zero interest in developing something of their own.

Bina translates the insight of chochmah into the tangible human thought – 'you understand it at your level'.

Chochmah is like a spark. A fire has a wick or fuel – a substance that it is based on. A spark is fire without a vessel.