The Name El

89. This is the offering of Aaron" (Vayira 6:13). Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse: "Hashem is righteous in all His ways, and gracious in all His works" (Tehilim, 145:17). We learned how much men should watch the glory of their Master and not deviate from their ways outwards, for each and every day there is a decision impending upon the world. The world was created by decree and prevails in Judgment.

90. Man should therefore keep himself from sinning, since he knows not the time when Judgment will rest upon him. He sits at home and judgment rests upon him, he goes outside his house and judgment dwells on him, and he cannot know whether he shall return home or not, FOR HE MIGHT DIE AND NOT RETURN HOME. When traveling, he should FEEL all the more that HE MIGHT NOT RETURN HOME, since then judgment goes out before him, as written: "Righteousness shall go before him" (Tehilim 85:14). Man should therefore hasten to ask for mercy before the King, to be saved from the judgment when it dwells upon the world. For each and every day, Judgment dwells in the world, as it says: "And an El who has indignation every day" (Tehilim 7:12).

91. Now is the time to raise a question. We learned and the friends remarked that the name 'El' is always of Chesed, as written: "The Great El" (Devarim 10:17). This is the illumination of the supernal Chochmah, SINCE CHESED RISES TO BECOME SUPERNAL CHOCHMAH WHEN ZEIR ANPIN IS IN GREATNESS. You say, "And an El who has indignation every day" (Tehilim 7:12), in which the verse disregards all those names THAT INDICATE CHESED, and holds on to this JUDGMENT. The words are not true then. It is also written: "A mighty El" (Yeshayah 9:5). IT IS DIFFICULT, since we should either establish that THE NAME El is of judgment or that THE NAME El is of Mercy.

92. HE ANSWERS: I have heard this, that the wicked turn Mercy into Judgment, for throughout the supernal Sfirot of the Holy King there are none in which Mercy is not included within Judgment, and Judgment within Mercy. The wicked turn Mercy into Judgment. HENCE, THOUGH THE NAME 'EL' IS CHESED, THE WICKED TURN IT INTO JUDGMENT.

93. Rabbi Yehuda said to him: This is a good explanation that says: "A mighty El (Ibid.)," BECAUSE FOR THE WICKED IT TURNS INTO JUDGMENT. But OF THE VERSE: "And an El who has indignation every day" (Tehilim 7:12), what DO YOU SAY OF ITS MEANING - that He is of Judgment each and every day, whether people in the world be righteous or not? He was not able TO EXPLAIN IT. They went to ask Rabbi Shimon. He said to them: Assuredly, El has indignation every day. It has already been explained by the friends that THE NAME EL is now Judgment and then Mercy. If people of the world have merit, the Name El prevails as Chesed. If they have no merit, it prevails by the name 'Mighty.' That is on a daily basis EVERY DAY SOME ARE MERITORIOUS AND OTHERS ARE NOT. HENCE, FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT, "AND AN EL WHO HAS INDIGNATION EVERY DAY" (TEHILIM 7:12).

94. The better explanation is that El is universally the illumination of the supernal Chochmah, NAMELY CHESED. It prevails daily, as written: "The Mercy of El endures continually" (Tehilim 52:3). Were it not for the awakening of THE NAME El in the world, the world would not have endured for an instant under the harsh Judgments daily aroused in the world. Hence, "these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created" (Beresheet 2:4). Do not read it Be'Hibaram (lit. 'when they were created'), but as Be'Abraham (lit. 'by Abraham'), WHO IS CHESED. Heaven and earth remain through Abraham awakening. When Abraham stirred himself in the world, WHO IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF CHESED, he pushed out all the Judgment that are present each and every day, and they could not stand against him.

95. "And an El who has indignation every day:" It does not say 'He is angry' or 'made' so, but that He has indignation, for each and every day that there is a decree, He pushes it outside and He remains to perfume the world. Hence, it is written: "Hashem will command His love in the daytime" (Tehilim 42:9). Were it not for this, the world would not have been able to remain even for a single moment. The existence of everything is therefore due to Abraham, WHO IS CHESED.

96. The words, "A mighty El" (Yeshayah 9:5), do not MEAN THAT THE NAME El is mighty, but the verse alludes to the Patriarchs, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET and alludes to the supernal Holy Faith, BINAH, as written: "wonderful, counselor, a mighty El, the everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Yeshayah 9:5). Supernal Chochmah is a wonder, hidden from everything, as written: "If there arises a matter too hard (lit. 'wonderful') for you in judgment" (Devarim 17:8), 'WONDERFUL' IN THE MEANING OF HIDDEN. "Counselor" is the supernal river that is drawn and flows out and never stops, BINAH. It counsels to and waters everything. El is Abraham, as we explained that "the great El" IS CHESED. Mighty is Isaac, as it does not say "the mighty." IT DOES NOT SAY 'THE MIGHTY EL' LIKE "THE GREAT EL," BUT "A MIGHTY EL," WHICH MEANS THAT MIGHTY IS NOT AN ATTRIBUTE OF EL, BUT A SPECIFIC NAME, INDICATING ISAAC, NAMELY THE ATTRIBUTE OF GVURAH. The Everlasting Father is Jacob, who holds to this side, RIGHT, and that side, LEFT, whose existence is whole, FOR EVERLASTING FATHER ALLUDES TO WHOLENESS. "Prince of Peace" is the Righteous - NAMELY YESOD - the peace of the world, household peace, the Queen's peace.

97. Rabbi Chizkiyah and Rabbi Yehuda came to him and kissed his hands. They wept and said: Happy is our portion for asking this. Happy is the generation that you dwell in their midst.