Glossary · Torah Ohr · Likkutei Torah
Bechochmah isbreru
בחכמה אתברירו
“through Chochmah they are refined” (bechochmah isbreru)
The principle that refining, separating good from evil, is done through Chochmah, which sorts without its own essence entering what it refines; so Torah, drawn from Chochmah, refines, and Mah refines Ban.
Where it’s explained
- Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 4, ¶1Chochmah sorts all the refinements, separating good from evil, yet its own essence is not found in what it refines, like a person sorting food from waste, or the rennet that curdles cheese without its taste being felt in it. So salt, rooted in the Gevuros of Abba, draws the blood out of meat and gives it taste though it has none of its own.
ועוד שזהו כענין בחכמה אתברירו שחכמה הוא המברר כל הברורים להפריד הטוב מן הרע
- Torah Ohr, Bereishis 7, ¶9The whole exile is the time of refining, and it is done through Chochmah; therefore Chochmah is also called Din, for separating evil is through Gevuros, as with suffering that removes evil (“Happy is the man whom Kah chastens”). This is against the early Kabbalists who held Chochmah to be all Chesed.
והיינו ע״י בחי׳ חכמה דבחכמה אתברירו להפריד הרע מהטוב ולכן נק׳ החכמה דין
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 7, ¶4Mah refines Ban because refining is by Chochmah. The Torah, which comes from Chochmah, is all instruction and distinction between impure and pure, fit and unfit; this refining happens as Chochmah clothes itself as the mochin of Zeir Anpin, which is the Name Mah.
והנה כל התורה הוא הוראה והבדלה בין טמא לטהור כשר או פסול שהוא ענין הבירור
- Likkutei Torah, Balak 2, ¶19The refiner must first be refined himself, “adorn yourself first, then adorn others.” So Mah, the Tikkun that is already refined of all evil, refines Ban; and in Etz Chaim the Keser is refined first, and then it refines Chochmah.
והענין כי המברר צריך להיות נתברר תחלה
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 6, ¶14Refining through Chochmah happens when the higher Chochmah clothes itself in the lower Chochmah, on the weekdays. Shabbos is the ascent of the lower Chochmah into the higher, so sorting (borer) is forbidden on it, and through the weekday refinements of the mitzvos the supernal delight is drawn into Chochmah.
לכן בשבת בורר אסור כי בחכמה אתברירו הוא ע״י התלבשות ח״ע בח״ת לברר בירורים והיינו ביומין דחול
Stated differently
Where the main refining is done: through Torah or in prayer
אך עיקר הבירור הוא ע״י התורה וזהו ורב שלוםPrayer prepares, but the main refining is through Torah study, “for specifically by Chochmah they are refined”; the Torah is instruction that permits or forbids, turning darkness to light.
ועיקר הבירור בשעת התפלה שאז עולה בבחי׳ מדבר וצמאוןThe main refining of the animal soul is at the time of prayer, when the soul rises in thirst and outcry to be included in His light.
Whether the refining reaches Keser, above Chochmah
משא״כ בחינת כתר שלמעלה מחכמה הוא רחמים פשוטים וכחשיכה כאורהRefining is through Chochmah, which has Gevuros in it; Keser above Chochmah is simple mercy where darkness is like light, so evil attached there would endure.
כי עיקר הבירור צ״ל ע״י כתר עליוןThe main refining must be through the supernal Keser (and the higher Chochmah, also above grasp), the will above intellect that has no opposing counterpart; the source of the refinements is the mocha setima’ah of Arich Anpin.
כי מ״ש בחכמה אתברירו שרשה מן מו״ס הנעלם ששם עיקר הבירור“Through Chochmah they are refined” is rooted in the hidden mocha setima’ah, the inner Keser, where the main refining is.
Main sources
Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 4, ¶1Torah Ohr, Bereishis 7, ¶9Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 7, ¶4Likkutei Torah, Balak 2, ¶19Likkutei Torah, Reeh 8, ¶15Torah Ohr, Yisro 6, ¶14Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 2, ¶3
Where it appears
In 68 paragraphs of 51 maamarim.
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 18 ¶28
- Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 5 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Matos 6 ¶18
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 2 ¶24 ¶25
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 3 ¶22
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 32 ¶28
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 33 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Eikev 2 ¶42
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 21 ¶1 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Balak 2 ¶19 ¶22 ¶27
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 16 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 2 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 8 ¶15
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 12 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 17 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 9 ¶11
- Torah Ohr, Chayei Sarah 3 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 6 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 36 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 9 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Emor 2 ¶24 ¶36 ¶38
- Likkutei Torah, Masei 8 ¶18
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 6 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Shemos 1 ¶12 ¶15
- Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 2 ¶23 ¶27
- Likkutei Torah, Matos 3 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 13 ¶13 ¶16
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 39 ¶9
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 12 ¶19
- Torah Ohr, Toldos 1 ¶10
- Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 4 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 3 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 9 ¶6 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 1 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Emor 6 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Balak 4 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 7 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 13 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 2 ¶3 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 7 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 2 ¶42 ¶43 ¶44 ¶45
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 1 ¶28
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 7 ¶10 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 4 ¶1 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 5 ¶39 ¶44
- Torah Ohr, Bereishis 7 ¶9
- Torah Ohr, Beshalach 7 ¶9
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 6 ¶14
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 6 ¶14
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 9 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 5 ¶15
Written with AI from the paragraphs of Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah, each entry checked by a second AI reader and every Hebrew quote checked by code; not yet reviewed by a person. Our English: CC BY-NC 4.0.