ל"ב נתיבות חכמה

ל"ב נתיבות חכמה are the 32 ways חכמה influences the rest of סדר השתלשלות.

As stated at the opening of Sefer Yetzirah: "With 32 wondrous paths of wisdom,Hashem, engraved His world."

Each ספירה includes all the other ספירות. Additionally, the 22 letters of the תורה are associated with the ספירה of חכמה. These letters exist far beyond השגה and the level of בינה.

As brought in Tanya: "It is a simple and understood concept to every intellectual, that the expression of letters and vowels is above the grasp of perceived and understood intellect, but rather comes from the hidden intellect and the primal intellect of the soul that speaks."

The ספירה of חכמה is considered the "father," which includes all ten ספירות and the 22 letters of the Torah. This is the meaning of the 32 Paths of Wisdom: a "path" refers to a narrow, direct route from one place to another.

Since חכמה encompasses the 10 ספירות and the 22 letters, it thus contains 32 paths. In other words, within חכמה itself lies a network that relates to every ספירה and each of the 22 letters.

Tzitzis and the 32 Paths

The mitzvah of ציצית draws down the 32 Paths of Wisdom from the אור מקיף of the טלית. These are represented by the 32 threads of the tzitzis.

Deeper Explanation

In another explanation, found in Atteres Rosh, it is taught that חכמה subdivides into four levels, corresponding to חכמה, בינה, and דעת—with דעת itself divided into two, as it contains both חסד and גבורה.

From each of these four מוחין (intellectual faculties), emerge eight distinct flows. These correspond to the two Names—שם הוי׳ and שם אדנ-י—each of which contains four letters, thus forming 32 total paths.

See Also

• Inside Chassidus - Glossary
• Sefer HaMaamarim 5700, p. 49 and the footnote there.
• Atteres Rosh (Shaar Yom Kippur, p. 35a).