916. We have learned that it is written, "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand" (Yeshayah 40:12). What is water? Binah. Rabbi Elazar taught it this way, that this is Chesed. Rabbi Shimon said to him, They are all the same, FOR CHESED IS DRAWN FROM BINAH, "and meted out heaven with the span" (Ibid.). What is "heaven?" It is Tiferet, as it is written, "The beauty (Heb. Tiferet) of Yisrael" (Eichah 2:1). THEREFORE, THE WORD 'METED' IS USED, THE IMPLICATION BEING THAT IT IS ARRANGED FOR SPLENDOR AND BEAUTY. "And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure" (Yeshayah 40:12) is Gvurah, MEANING THE LEFT COLUMN, FOR BEFORE IT IS INCLUDED IN THE RIGHT, IT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE AND IS LIKE THE DUST OF THE EARTH. "And weighed the mountains in scales" (Ibid.): These are the other crowns, MEANING SFIROT, that are called 'mountains of pure balsam,' WHICH ARE NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. "And the hills in a balance?" (Ibid.): These are the rest of the Chariots below them, NAMELY THOSE IN MALCHUT AND BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH.
917. Come and see, It is written, "in the hollow of his hand." What is "the hollow of his hand?" HE ANSWERS, This is the spirit of Chochmah, for we have learned a knotted path is overcome by a palanquin.
918. "And meted out heaven with the span:" What is a span? HE ANSWERS, These are the fifty gates OF BINAH that were opened and scattered to all directions, BECAUSE THE WORD 'SPAN (HEB. ZERET)' MEANS SCATTERING, as is said, "And spread (Heb. zreti) dung upon your faces" (Malachi 2:3). "And comprehended in a measure (Heb. shalish)" (Yeshayah 40:12): What is shalish? NAMELY Mercy, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, TIFERET, THAT INCLUDES WITHIN ITSELF THREE (HEB. SHLOSHAH) COLUMNS, which is the completion of everything. "And weighed the mountains in scales:" What means scales? Rabbi Shimon said, As it is written, "Just balances, just weights" (Vayikra 19:36), WHICH ARE NETZACH AND HOD. Rabbi Shimon also said, I have established these subjects in the lecture about 'who forms everything.'
919. Rabbi Elazar said, Here it is implied that Jacob, WHO IS TIFERET, emerges from harsh Judgment, FROM GVURAH, WHICH IS HIS OPPOSITE, because Isaac, WHO IS GVURAH, had harsh Judgment in his portion. Rabbi Shimon said to him, Is that all? Indeed Isaac, WHO IS GVURAH, emerged from Chesed, and so in all THE LEVELS, Judgment emerges from Mercy and Mercy from Judgment. Abraham inherited an inheritance of Chesed, and Isaac emerged with Judgment from Chesed. Jacob emerged with Mercy from harsh Judgment, WHO IS ISAAC, and so it is above IN THE LEVELS OF ATZILUT. One EMERGES from another and one nourishes from the other, NAMELY GVURAH FROM CHESED AND CHESED FROM GVURAH, until it is recognized that it is all one and they are all come from one and they are all really one. Blessed be His Name forever and ever.
920. Rabbi Elazar said, It appears that there is no perfection unless one is attached to the other, CHESED TO JUDGMENT AND JUDGMENT TO CHESED and THE CENTRAL COLUMN WHICH IS MERCY, is attached to both of them, FOR IT UNITES THE TWO COLUMNS, CHESED AND JUDGMENT, to fasten them all. This is like Jacob, WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, as it is written, "Shall reach from end to end" (Shemot 26:28). THAT IS THE MIDDLE BAR, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT REACHES FROM THE END OF CHESED TO THE END OF HARSH JUDGMENT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE OPPOSITES FROM ONE ANOTHER. STILL IT REACHES THEM AND UNITES THEM THE ONE WITH THE OTHER.
921. We have learned that it is not considered such A GREAT DISTANCE BETWEEN CHESED and JUDGMENT, except from our viewpoint and everything shows from our side, AS WE SAID ABOVE. Because everything above rises in one manner, it neither changes nor will it change, as it is written, "For I am Hashem, I do not change" (Malachi 3:6). Rabbi Yehuda said, All the candles illuminate from one, FROM THE BLESSED ENDLESS LIGHT, and they depend upon one. All the candles are one, and one must not distinguish BETWEEN THEM, for one who separates between them is separated from eternal life.