436. "Keep you far from a false matter" (Shemot 23:7). The commandment is to treat equally the protagonists and be far from falsehood, so that no one will say there is favoritism IN THE MATTER. Regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, "Who favors no person, and takes no bribe" (Devarim 10:17). The last letter of these words equals One (Heb. echad). A judge must be like the "One"-One Yud Hei Vav Hei, without bribe, so as to be in His image.
437. So in judgment, one should treat both protagonists the same, and not bend the law to favor one over the other, but give them similar importance, until they receive judgment. Later each is judged according to his deeds.
438. The masters of the Mishnah have established that the righteous one is judged by the Good Inclination, and the evil man by the Evil Inclination. The intermediate man is judged by both. The one who stems from the Tree of Life, WHICH IS DRAWN FROM ZEIR ANPIN, has no Judgment at all, no Evil Inclination. Such is the perfect righteous one, 'the righteous-goodness befalls him,' and goodness means only the Torah, as it is written, "For I give you a good doctrine, forsake not My Torah" (Mishlei 4:2). 'The righteous one - evil befalls him,' stems from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, DENOTING MALCHUT. Why is he called righteous if he has evil, which is the Evil Inclination, REFERRED TO AS EVIL? The answer is that the Good Inclination controls him and so he is a righteous man even though there is evil present which is under domination.
439. HE ASKS, 'The wicked-goodness befalls him,' REFERS TO TORAH THAT IS CALLED 'GOOD,' AS MENTIONED. IF SO, why is he called 'evil?' HE ANSWERS, He is at the head of his Evil Inclination. Goodness is under his control, like a servant serving under his master. Even though the evil one crowns the righteous, and the perfect righteous can punish him, "Neither is it good to punish an innocent man (lit. 'the righteous')" (Mishlei 17:26); because of that goodness that still exists beneath the feet of the evil man, perhaps he will repent and overpower his inclination, and THE EVIL INCLINATION will become as dust beneath his feet.
440. From the aspect of, 'the evil man-goodness befalls him,' the Shechinah lies, AS THE VERSE SAYS, "and uncovered his feet, and laid herself down" (Rut 3:7). This is in essence, "and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress" (Mishlei 30:23). The maid is considered the female of the Evil Inclination. The Evil Inclination is male, and so it says, "And My glory will I not give to another" (Yeshayah 42:8), and it says, "And the stranger that comes near shall be put to death" (Bemidbar 1:51). FOR THE EVIL INCLINATION IS CALLED 'ANOTHER' AND 'A STRANGER.'
441. From the aspect of, 'the righteous-evil befalls him,' the Shechinah here is like a crown on the head of man. The maid, the Evil Inclination, is subjugated beneath Her mistress. From the standpoint of the perfect righteous, there is neither a stranger, nor an Evil Inclination here. From the aspect of the completely evil man, he has no part with the Shechinah because man can only have a share in the Shechinah from the Good Side.
442. Not all of the Shechinah is the same. The Shechinah of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is considered a throne, SITUATED IN THE WORLD OF BRIYAH OR 'BODY OF MAN.' But of the Shechinah of the Tree of Life, BEING THE WORLD OF ATZILUT, it is written, "Nor shall evil dwell with You" (Tehilim 5:4). But since it is written, "And His kingdom rules over all" (Tehilim 103:19), one who causes a defect in Her site, IN BRIYAH OR 'BODY OF MAN,' is considered as one who causes dishonor in the Matron herself, IN ATZILUT. Dishonor of the Matron is considered of one who cheapens Her in Her abode. Dishonor of the Matron is equivalent to disgrace of the King, ZEIR ANPIN, AND RESULTS IN DISGRACE TO ZEIR ANPIN.
443. Even more so for the one who causes Her to move from Her position IN BRIYAH, and appoints the maid in Her stead, for wherever he dishonors Her, the Matron does not abide, but rather the maid, who is defected and dwells in a defected place. The defect of man due to his sins causes defects to all his limbs to the extent that the Matron finds no place to dwell. There is no remedy for him until he returns Her all his limbs, MEANING HE REPENTS HIS SINS.
444. The Holy Luminary, RABBI SHIMON, said, Faithful Shepherd, you therefore make ready, with this composition of 248 precepts, the means to coronate the Holy One, blessed be He, upon all the limbs of the Shechinah, in each and every precept, and you are not concerned about your honor. Happy is your lot! As you coronate the Holy One, blessed be He, over the limbs of the Shechinah - that are the men of virtue of all Yisrael, inasmuch as the men of virtue are the Shechinah's limbs - so does the Holy One, blessed be He, cause His name to dwell upon you and coronate you over the upper and lower encampments.