Utilizing Your Da'as - 09 Nullifying Your Da’as

Da’as and Bittul (Nullification)

With the help of Heaven, we are learning about the concept of da’as. Let us explore here a particular aspect of da’as, which is a multi-faceted topic.  

We find a common term used by our Sages: “He nullifies his da’as to all people.”[1] There is an ability we have that even when we disagree with how others think, we can still nullify our way of thinking to others.

From where does a person derive the strength to have this ability of bittul (self-nullification) to others?

Three Kinds of Bittul

We find several kinds of bittul. There is a concept of bittul when it comes to a mixture of food (a ta’aruvos), where part of the food can be “nullified by a sixtieth”, or by the majority. There can only be bittul where there is a mixture; if something does not mix with something else in the first place, there can be no bittul on it.

There is bittul when it comes to mixtures, but there is also another kind of bittul we find: When something becomes nullified to something else. An example of this is when part of a sukkah is considered “nullified” to the ground; the halachah is that a sukkah higher than 20 cubits high is invalid for use, and the Gemara says that if we want to make it kosher, there are ways to cause part of the sukkah to be nullified to the ground, and then it is considered to be less than 20 cubits high.

But what does it mean that a person can nullify his da’as to others? We all have a certain da’as. How do we nullify our own da’as to others? Making the question stronger, the Gemara says that “Just as all faces are not equal, so are all de’os (ways of thinking) not equal.”[2] Each person has a different kind of da’as, a different way of thinking. So if each of our da’as is different from one another, how are we be able to nullify our da’as to others? What would cause a person to nullify his da’as to another?

Da’as Requires Connection To The Da’as of Others

We must conclude that our ability of da’as is not an ability that stands on its own. Our da’as stems from a mixture, from a giant pool of a more collective understanding, and from there, each person receives his own unique da’as. And since our da’as comes from a mixture of all the many different de’os (opinions\ways of thinking) of others, it follows then that we can nullify our da’as to the da’as of others, because our da’as is ultimately connected with others.

The source of da’as is in the Eitz HaDa’as Tov V’Ra (the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil), which contained a mixture of both “da’as tov” (good and holy da’as) and “da’as ra” (evil da’as). From this we can see that all da’as comes from a mixture. This further proves the idea we are saying that the ability of da’as is not an ability that stands by itself, since all da’as is coming from a mixture that involves other kinds of da’as.

Another proof to this is that the Torah writes, “And Adam knew (“vayeida”) Chavah”, and here the word vayeida, a use of the word da’as, is referring to connection to another. This further shows us that da’as is always about connecting; da’as is never found alone and by itself.

We can now understand with greater depth why each person’s da’as is different: because da’as can only be “da’as” in the first place when viewed in relation to others. Therefore, by its very concept, da’as has to be unique with each person.

When one cannot understand others’ thinking, he is all by himself and wrapped up in his own way of thinking, and such “da’as” is not real “da’as”. The ability of chochmah (wisdom) in the soul can be considered “chochmah” even if one does not understand the chochmah of others, but there is no such thing as having da’as one when is all alone in his own da’as and he cannot accept the da’as of others.

Thus, we can now understand the depth of why a person can nullify his da’as to others: it is because our da’as really stems from a place of connection with others. Da’as is always connecting outward from itself; it is never by itself. 

To give an example, the Gemara says that every time a person betroths a woman, he is doing so based on the da’as of the Sages. Here again we see that da’as depends on others. If da’as would be by itself, my da’as would depend solely on my own da’as, and it would not depend on the da’as of the Sages. But since da’as is never by itself and it is always about connection, my da’as depends on a greater da’as that is beyond my own da’as. We also find that Betzalel was blessed with the ability of da’as to make the Mishkan; the Torah writes that he is called “yodeia l’tzaref”, “the one who knows how to connect”, implying that da’as is the ability to connect outward.

We have brought many examples that illustrate the idea that da’as is not a trait that exists by itself;  da’as always connects outward, in order for it to function.

This is the underlying essence that describes the entire concept of da’as.

The Connection Between Da’as and Bittul

Now we can understand how da’as enables a person to feel bittul (nullification) towards others. Bittul gets its strength from da’as. This is because our da’as depends on others’ da’as in order for it to function; it is always connecting to other de’os. Each person’s da’as is different, so how are we able to connect to others? Only through a bittul of our da’as.

Without being able to have bittul on our da’as, we would never be able to connect to others. We would be disagreeing with others all day and no one would be friends, because no one would know how to nullify themselves to others when there is a difference of opinion. But since da’as is all about connecting to other de’os, our da’as enables us to connect to others and have bittul to others.

Previously, we mentioned that the word da’as has the same letters as the word oid (more)[3], and now we add on another implication behind this: it hints to us that da’as works when we connect to “more” than ourselves – when we nullify ourselves to others. So bittul enables da’as to thrive. If not for the ability of bittul, our da’as cannot function.

Another Difference Between Holy and Evil Da’as

Now we can understand better what “da’as tov” (good and holy da’as) is and what “da’as ra” (evil da’as) is, a concept we have begun to explain in previous chapters[4]: “Da’as tov” is when I can have bittul on my da’as for others, whereas da’as ra is when I remain with my own da’as and I cannot nullify it to others.

Da’as tov is all about connection; da’as ra is all about disparity. Da’as tov connects de’os together, while da’as ra places each person’s da’as into a separate compartment, where there is no connection to other de’os. Upon a a deeper look, da’as ra is not true da’as, because it doesn’t allow for bittul, and that is why such da’as cannot really thrive. This is essentially the “evil” itself that is contained in da’as ra: its unwillingness to accept the da’as of others. So da’as tov is always connecting to the da’as of others and nullifying itself, while da’as ra cannot cause connection and it only furthers disparity.

Nullifying one’s da’as to another is a kind of da’as that can connect to others; a da’as that understand that all de’os are really connected at their root, for it recognizes that all de’os are really connected under one unit. Therefore, the concept of being able to nullify your da’as to another is not simply so that you should nullify yourself to that certain person, but because we understand that all de’os are ultimately connected to each other. So although each person’s da’as is different, all the many de’os of are connected at their root, and that is why we should nullify our da’as to all people.

Thus, da’as tov is where a person’s da’as is causing him to connect to the da’as of others (and on the broader scale of things, when each person does this, it is a da’as that unifies us all together), whereas da’as ra is a kind of da’as where each person’s unique way of thinking causes him to be apart from another.

Now we can have a better understanding of the aspects of “tov” (good) and ra (evil) contained in da’as.

Two Sources of Connection: Ahavah\Love and Da’as

What is the power in our soul that fosters connection to others? The simple answer is the power of ahavah (love). That is true, but there is also another power in the soul that enables connection: da’as. These are two different sources of connection to others, and they are not the same mode of connection.[5]

It is clear to us that ahavah\love connects us to others, but how does our da’as connect us to others? It seems that da’as is something that separates us from each other, being that we all have a different da’as. But this is only true when we view the external layer of da’as – the fact that we all have a certain way of thinking. In this aspect, we are certainly different from one another, and this does not connect us to others. But when we view the inner layer of da’as, we can see how da’as really connects us all together. We will explain.

Let’s understand how ahavah\love causes connection to others, and how da’as causes connection to others, and the difference between these two kinds of connection.

We mentioned the concept that at our root, all de’os are connected. But what is it that actually connects us all together? Simply speaking, it is because there is only one true Da’as that exists [the recognition of Hashem], and we are all nullified to that Da’as. All de’os can be nullified to that da’as, no matter how much of each of the de’os differ from other, because ultimately, we all agree to that one Da’as that we are united under. That is one way of how we can see that all de’os are connected.

But there is a more subtle way of explaining how all the de’os are connected. It lies in the understanding of the difference between how ahavah causes connection to others and how da’as causes connection to others. With ahavah, I love another, but I am not nullified to him. But if I connect to another out of my da’as, I can nullify myself to him.

This can also be explained in terms of ahavah (love) and yirah (awe). Ahavah connects two people together, and yirah nullifies each person to the other. For example, a person of lesser stature must have yirah towards one who is greater than him; he must nullify himself to him. There is also a concept of a greater person nullifying his own da’as to a person who is of lesser stature than him.

So ahavah connects two people together, and yirah nullifies each person to the other; it nullifies the smaller person to the greater person. But with da’as, even the greater person is nullified to the smaller person. Thus, it is da’as\bittul which connects all people together.

We have explained thus far there are two ways of how da’as connects everyone together, in spite of the fact that each person’s da’as is different. One way to explain it is because all people are ultimately nullified to one da’as. The other way of understanding how it works is that when there is bittul in each person’s da’as to the da’as of others.

Bittul is not limited to when a smaller person nullifies himself to a greater person, being that he understands that the greater person knows more than him. The Sages state that in certain cases, a greater person should know how to nullify his understanding to a person with lesser understanding.[6] To clarify, I should know how to have bittul to others not because I must learn how to see the truth in others’ thinking. Even if I don’t see a truthful way of thinking in others, my da’as can still enable me to nullify myself their thinking.

Two Ways of How To Reach Da’as

Until now, we have explained two ways of how our da’as enables us to connect to others. Now let us understand a deeper point about da’as.

We have been discussing here concepts that can apply very practically in our life. Now we will see how these concepts can practically apply in our own life: there is a way for one to reach the holy and true kind of da’as - by nullifying his own da’as to others.

There are essentially two ways to reach the power of da’as. One way is to reach da’as is by constantly trying to get to the truth of a matter and to keep refining how well we understand something [when it comes to our Torah learning]. We keep digging deeper and deeper and probing our understanding, in order to get to the truthful understanding of th.e matter.[7] This is one way of how we can reach da’as.

But another way to reach da’as is by nullifying our da’as to the da’as of others; by accepting that others also have their own way of thinking. When one has nullified his own understanding to others, he has become connected to others, and since all others are united under collective da’as as a whole, the person who has nullified his da’as receives da’as from the higher source that all of the de’os are connected to.

This is not just another aspect contained in the concept of da’as. It is the very way to reach da’as! When one nullifies himself to another’s da’as, even when he disagrees with him, not only has he learned to accept what another says; he receives an illumination of spiritual light, a higher da’as, in connecting with the other’s da’as. He receives it because he has essentially nullified himself to it - by nullifying his own da’as to another’s da’as.

Higher Da’as

There is also a third, deeper way to reach da’as.

Da’as touches upon the highest spiritual dimension, which is referred to as the plane of “echad” (oneness). There are external and inner layers to da’as. The external layers of da’as are many, but at the inner layer of da’as, it is entirely one point of da’as.

The Gemara says that there were three instances in which Hashem’s da’as agreed with Moshe’s da’as. The depth of this is that Moshe’s da’as was united with Hashem’s da’as. That is how Moshe reached Hashem’s da’as. It is not simply that Moshe did something and then Hashem agreed, chas v’shalom. Rather, it means that Moshe’s da’as reached such a high level that it touched upon the very oneness of Hashem. Moshe’s da’as become intertwined with Hashem’s da’as and that is how Hashem’s da’as “agreed” with Moshe’s da’as.

We find a reoccurring theme that the concept of da’as is usually associated with the number 3[8]. Moshe used his da’as three times where Hashem’s da’as agreed. The understanding of this is because when there are two points, a third point in the middle serves to connect them. But even though da’as causes three points to occur, it stems from one point; it is rooted in a place of oneness. The root of da’as is always one point, for da’as is rooted in “echad”.

Thus, we can now have a deeper understanding of how all de’os are connected together: because there is only one true da’as in the world, and all de’os are connected to that point.

The Gemara says that one of the students of Rabbi Meir said he never saw the end of Rabbi Meir’s da’as until after forty years of understanding him. What is the difference between the beginning of Rabbi Meir’s da’as and the end of da’as? The beginning of da’as is when it is in three points, and the end of da’as is when it is one point.  

To be clearer about this, at the lower plane, which is our current dimension of understanding, da’as forms three points; thus there are “many” de’os. But on the higher plane of reality, da’as is entirely one point. On this world, we see many de’os; everyone has different opinions and different ways of thinking. But on the higher plane of reality, there is only one da’as.

The de’os on this world are many; people disagree. In the Gemara, we find many disagreements of our Sages, and it seems to us that one of them must be the correct opinion while the other is wrong. But the Gemara says, “Their words, and their words, are the words of the living G-d” – that even if one of the Sages says a certain halachah is forbidden and the other Sages says it is permissible, Hashem is learning their words in Heaven and He is saying, “They are both correct.”[9]  This is because in the higher plane of reality, there is a higher da’as, in which there many arguments in the words of our Sages do not have to imply that only one opinion is the correct one; rather, all of the de’os are true, because their da’as is connected to their higher root, which is a place of oneness.

Because we live on this lower plane of reality, we must decide between two opposing de’os. This is because we live in a “world of action”, and we must know how to act, therefore, we have no choice but to “decide” between the two different de’os on how to act. But even so, we must know that above in Heaven, Hashem agrees with all of the de’os of our Sages, because all of their da’as is rooted in His oneness.

“Higher da’as” is not about knowing what the halachah is in case where there are two differing de’os of our Sages and to decide which opinion is the most truthful. Rather, higher da’as is to see the matter in all of its totality, to see all its dimensions; to see above the matter and below the matter, to see in front of the matter and behind it as well.[10]

In contrast, “lower da’as” sees certain parts of the situation; it only sees divisions, and from that viewpoint, it decides what the truthful understanding should be.

Arguments are called machlokes, from the word cheilek, “part”, because when there is a machlokes, each person is only seeing certain parts of the situation, and not the totality of the matter. Lower da’as contains many different de’os, and therefore there is machlokes in the lower plane of reality that we live on, because each person’s da’as sees different “parts” of a situation.

Korach argued with Moshe.  As is well-know, Moshe represents da’as. Korach saw only a part of the situation; thus he thought he could argue with the da’as of Moshe, because he perceived the da’as of Moshe only through his ‘partial’ understanding; thus he didn’t see the total picture. He argued with Moshe’s da’as because he had only a divided kind of da’as which could only see divisions.

By contrast, when a person has reached higher da’as, he sees the totality of the situation, and not just certain parts of the situation. Higher da’as can understand that something can either be forbidden or permissible.

Of course, there is no such thing as one person who can say that it something is forbidden and permissible at once; each person must have his own da’as towards a matter that he sticks to, otherwise he contradicts himself. But one person can say it is forbidden and another can say it is permissible, and they can both be right in Heaven - from the viewpoint of higher da’as.

In Summary

In summary, the difference between “lower da’as” and “higher da’as” is, that “higher da’as” sees all the dimensions of a matter, whereas “lower da’as” sees one “part” of a situation, and decides from there.

Applying “Higher Da’as” To Our Torah Learning

When we only use our “lower da’as” as we analyze a matter in the Torah, we are either separating or deciding in the information; these are the abilities of da’as d’havdalah and da’as d’hachraah which we have learned about previously. But if we remain at that level, we will only have a partial and divided understanding towards the matter, which is incomplete. But if we access the understanding of higher da’as – which is essentially the depth behind the power of da’as d’chibbur – then we can see all of the dimensions to the matter, as opposed to seeing just certain parts of the matter.

The Depth of Exile and Redemption

Today there are many de’os in the world; there is much arguing and there are so many different opinions that people have. But in the time of the future redemption, there will be oneness, and all de’os will be unified. In today’s times, each person sees something else in the very same thing. This defines the depth of exile: we can only see partially, as we are in exile. In the redemption, we will see things in their totality.

Summary of The Three Ways To Nullify Our Da’as

This is the depth behind the concept of nullifying our da’as to all others. To summarize, we have explained three ways of how to nullify our da’as.

The first way, we explained, is when one is concerned to get to the truth of the matter, and he keeps refining his understanding until he gets to the truthful understanding. The second way is to actually nullify ourselves to others’ da’as, and this enables us to receive the collective da’as that we are all connected to. The third way we have explained is that nullifying ourselves to others’ da’as means to nullify ourselves in the sense that we all realize our mutual connection to each other.

The third way, which is the deepest method of all them, is essentially a yearning for the higher da’as. It is not simply because there is one da’as that unites all our de’os together. Rather, all of our many de’os are part of one reality. This is the perfected level of da’as, and it is the depth of nullifying our da’as to all others.

Da’as That Is Unwilling To Nullify Itself: Imagination

There are many de’os in the world. When are our de’os nullified to others, and when are they not nullified to others?

When one’s da’as is genuine, when his opinion is valid, such as da’as is a part of the collective da’as, in which all de’os are valid. But if one’s da’as is apart from any of the de’os in the collective da’as, such da’as is not valid da’as, because it has no part in the higher plane of reality, and therefore it has no place on this lower plane of reality either.

What is such da’as, then? It is not da’as; so what is it, and where does it come from, if it is not da’as? It can only be da’as ra! We have explained in the past that da’as ra is synonymous with the concept of medameh (imagination)[11], which is actually not a genuine kind of da’as.

To explain more the difference, if my da’as is part of the collective da’as, it is valid da’as, even if my da’as differs with others. In the future redemption, the da’as of each person will be recognized; all de’os will be seen as valid, for all de’os will be seen as part of the collective whole of da’as. In our current times, one’s opinion has no validity if it differs with the majority, but in the higher dimension, it is still regarded as valid, and this will be fully revealed in the future. But if one’s da’as is not part of the collective da’as [as we explained, this is when he doesn’t know how to have bittul on his da’as], such da’as is “da’as ra”, and it is medameh\imagination. This kind of “da’as” is “nullified” to others in the sense that it is totally disregarded, for it is cannot be valid.

Our Initial Level of Da’as Is Stemming From “Medameh”

Let us now return to the original question we began with. What causes us to nullify our understanding to others? In summary, we explained three different approaches.

One reason is when a person is concerned to get to the truthful understanding. The second reason is because the very concept of da’as requires bittul in order for it to function. The third reason is because just as medameh is considered nullified; for it is disregarded and apt to be destroyed. This is based on the verse, “We were like dreamers”, which implies that in the future, we will realize how we lived in a dream-like reality, like when we wake up from a dream and we realize that it wasn’t real. Imagination ends up destroying itself; imagination is only a temporary state, and eventually, it disappears.

Based upon the above, we can now conclude with a deeper understanding of how our da’as is nullified to all others: our current level of da’as is stemming from medameh, and therefore, it is “nullified” – it is disregarded when contrasted with reality.  

However, we can ask: If imagination is only temporary and it eventually destroys itself, why is it that there are many fantasies in the world that people have, which continue to remain? Why aren’t those fantasies disappearing?

But it is because those fantasies only exist so long as they aren’t contrasted with the de’os of others. Once we compare the fantasy with the da’as of others, the reality of da’as will prove how the imagination is false, and the imagination is cleared up.

Using Our Da’as To Sort Out The Imagination

As long as a person has never yet reached da’as, he is missing the ability to sort out his fantasies and clear them. When a person begins to use his abilities of da’as d’havdalah and da’as d’hachraah, he is able to differentiate and decide; he can decide between what his chochmah\intellect is telling him and what his medameh\imagination is telling him; he can throw out the imagination and listen to reality.

Thus, our da’as is nullified to others only when our da’as is deciding between listening to intellect\reality over imagination. Nullifying our da’as therefore refers to our ability of da’as to clear out the imagination and “nullify” it.

On a deeper note, nullifying our da’as to others requires a higher revelation from Above. Without this revelation, we aren’t able to nullify our da’as, because our medameh will dominant and it won’t let there be bittul on our da’as. Only when we have a revelation of the higher da’as can we nullify our own da’as.

Thus, nullifying our da’as to others can only be accomplished when we nullify our medameh\imagination.

Acting “Based Upon The Da’as of Tzaddikim”

There is a well-known matter that a person is able to do certain action based upon the da’as of the tzaddikim, based upon the words of the Gemara that when one betroths a woman, he is doing so based upon the da’as of the Sages. For example, before a person is about to perform a certain deed, he can think, “I am doing so based on the da’as of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai”, etc. This custom is brought in our sefarim hakedoshim. What is the depth behind this custom? It is an attempt to clear out our medameh\imagination and connect it to the higher, holier da’as.

It is well-known matter to do actions “based upon the da’as” of certain tzaddikim, but here we have explained the depth behind it. Without being aware of this point, a person will just be acting out of a place of imagination in himself when he does the act. But by being aware that one is acting upon the da’as of a holy person, this is the depth of nullifying his own da’as to others, and this clears up his medameh\imagination. It connects his da’as to the perfect and higher Da’as that connects all de’os together.