“The Third Path is called the Sanctifying Intelligence, the Foundation of Primordial Wisdom; it is also called the Creator of Faith, and its roots are in Amen. It is the parent of faith, whence faith emanates.”

Sepher Yetzirah

Binah, pronounced Been-ah, and meaning Understanding, is the third Sephirah and the head of the passive (but receptive) pillar of Form. Together with the previous sephiroth, Kether and Chokmah, Binah  completes the three Supernals, which head up the Tree and from which everything else is generated. 

Note that the Supernals form an upward pointing triangle, whereas the triangle which can be formed from the sphere groupings that follow, form downward ones.

Also known as the Bright Mother and Dark Mother, since the free, all expanding force of Chokmah both gives rise to Binah and then takes shape and form in her. Life is born in Binah, but that life also starts the clock ticking towards its death. The wonderful and the terrible, an image reflected in many religions and myths around the world.

After Binah comes a “sphere” which is an important gateway or boundary, but which is not a sephirah.

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