In tracing the semantics of the Talmudic term for judicial discretion (shiqqul hada’at) we uncover a conceptual transformation in its usage by post-Talmudic commentators. The transformation from the equilibristic to a cognitive definition of discretion reflects a significant process in which legal reasoning was internalized. In the former meaning the judge weighs the external facts (conflicting opinions, proofs, claims, etc.), whilst in the latter the judge weighs internal considerations. The internalization of judicial discretion is best understood by acknowledging the semantic proximity of the Talmudic term to concurrent dialectics within Islamic theology and neo-Platonism.