Wisdom

Chochmah means wisdom, and in Jewish thought it represents far more than intellectual knowledge or cleverness. Chochmah is the flash of insight, the initial spark of understanding that precedes analysis. In Kabbalistic tradition, chochmah is the second of the ten sefirot (divine emanations), representing the first moment of conscious thought — pure potential before it takes shape. The Book of Proverbs personifies chochmah as a woman crying out in the marketplace, inviting all who pass to learn from her. 'The beginning of chochmah is the fear of the Lord' (Proverbs 9:10) establishes that true wisdom begins with humility before the Creator — a recognition that human understanding is always partial and that reality is deeper than any single mind can grasp. Jewish culture's reverence for chochmah has produced remarkable intellectual achievements across millennia. From the legal brilliance of the Talmud to Maimonides' philosophical synthesis, from Einstein's physics to contemporary Israeli innovation, the pursuit of chochmah has been a defining Jewish value. The Talmudic sage who said 'I have learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, and most from my students' captures the Jewish understanding that wisdom grows through exchange and relationship. In modern Hebrew, chacham (wise person) is both a compliment and sometimes a gentle rebuke — 'al tihiyeh chacham' (don't be too clever) warns against the arrogance that can accompany intelligence. True chochmah, the tradition insists, is inseparable from humility, compassion, and moral integrity.