דַעַת/Da'at

Da'at is an elusive topic largely because it does not have a direct English translation. The usual translation in modern English, knowledge, idiomatically means "learned information". Such a translation would not adequately explain many usages of Da'at, For example, "And Adam knew Eve..." leaves the unprepared reader with an exasperated, "What!".

Obviously, Adam didn't impregnate Eve by spending long hours in objective clinical study or by pouring over books. To this the Rabbi Shneur of Liadi teaches that Da'at means hitkashrut, binding, in the sense of when what's in the mind gets integrated with the personality. It's more than just cerebral information. It's identity forming.

There are lots of things a person may know which remains swimming around in his/her head and never affects his/her heart or actions. On the Sefirotic Tree this is known as Da'at Tachton, Lower Da'at. It sits between the upper three Sefirot, which represent the mind, and the next six, which represent the personality/emotions. Anatomically, the seat of Da'at Tachton is likely the medulla oblongata, the brain stem by the nape of the neck.   

Just as there are 50 gates of Binah, understanding, there are 32 paths of Chochma, wisdom (see Sefer Yetzirah). Anatomically, the seat of Binah is the left hemisphere of the brain and the Chochma is the right hemisphere. Between the two is a thick bundle of nerves called the "corpus callosum". This is the likely anatomical seat of Da'at Elyon - upper Da'at. 

Binah is left brain thinking. Though not limited to it, Binah includes analysis and academic thought. During the Omer Count we attempt to unblock our personality to its 50 gates. Binah contemplation, at its best, is the analysis of a topic in all six directions: Up-Down, Right-Left, Front-Back. For example, "Up-Down" is working with an idea along its place in a hierarchical structure. These six directions are really considered seven, when their shared point of intersection is included. Since each of these seven in some way include all seven, we really have 49 gates. The 50th gate, the highest, tends toward Da'at Elyon, where the Binah meets up with Chochma.

From Chochma emerges the 32 paths which are the 10 Sefirot and the 22 Letters. They form the grand template for discovering patterns in spiritual and physical reality. The study of the Sefirot and Letters is the study of the elements of pattern. In Da'at Elyon, Binah thought moves towards pattern and Chochma thought moves toward analysis. It's where the two styles of thinking meet. It's possible that such a situation can lead to or even be Ruach HaKodesh, divine inspiration, a lower level of prophecy (see Rashi on describing the Da'at of Betzalel).

Truthfully, Da'at Elyon and Tachton is one structure of Da'at, the 10 Sefirot of Da'at. Da'at Elyon is the first three Sefirot; Da'at's own Chochma, Binah and Da'at. Da'at Tachton is the lower seven of its overall Sefirotic structure.

----------------------O-------------------------