"You shall not make with Me"

499. "You shall not make with Me Elohim of silver, neither shall you make for yourselves Elohim of gold" (Shemot 20:20). Rabbi Yosi gave his interpretation of this verse by saying that although, "The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine" (Chagai 2:8), "you shall not make with Me," that is, 'make Me.'

500. Rabbi Yitzchak cited the verse, "For as much as there is none like You, Hashem, You are great, and Your Name is great in might" (Yirmeyah 10:6). The verse, "You are great," corresponds to, "The silver is Mine," BEING CHESED, THE RIGHT COLUMN, while, "Your name is great in might," corresponds to "The gold is Mine," WHICH IS GVURAH, THE LEFT COLUMN. These two colors are only visible in their full beauty when they are engraved in one place, namely Yisrael, BEING THE CENTRAL COLUMN, TIFERET, WHICH INCLUDES AND BALANCES BOTH OF THEM. Here the colors are seen in their beauty, as it is written, "You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified" (Yeshayah 49:3).

501. Rabbi Yehuda opened his discourse with the verse, "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem, my soul shall be joyful in my Elohim, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation" (Yeshayah 61:10). Blessed is the portion of Yisrael above all heathen nations, for they have their joy in the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem." As it says, "Hashem," why add, "my Elohim?" Yisrael said that when He comes with Mercy, "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem," WHICH IS MERCY, and when He comes in Judgment, then "My soul shall be joyful in my Elohim," WHICH IS JUDGMENT.

502. Why DO THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL REJOICE IN TIMES OF MERCY AS WELL AS IN THOSE OF JUDGMENT? For these two are imprinted upon Him, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, as indicated by the words, "for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation," meaning that these "garments of salvation" are the colors OF CHESED AND GVURAH, so imprinted that one can gain a perception of Him, NAMELY, DERIVE CHOCHMAH. It is written, "They looked, but there was none to save, to Hashem..." (II Shmuel 22:42). Hence, salvation means looking. 'Whoever wishes to behold Me, let him behold My colors OF CHESED AND GVURAH.' What is the reason? It is found in the verse, "He has covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Ibid.), exactly righteousness, NAMELY MALCHUT, CALLED "RIGHTEOUSNESS," has those two colors engraved in her, FOR CHOCHMAH IS DRAWN ONLY BY MALCHUT. "As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland" (Yeshayah 61:10), is one color, CHESED, "and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" (Ibid.), is the other color, GVURAH. And when both colors are united IN THE CENTRAL COLUMN, they are visible and all are aflame to behold Him.

503. Rabbi Yosi said that the words, "I will greatly rejoice in Hashem," refer to two kinds of joy. One joy is in "Hashem," meaning in Mercy, and, "my soul shall be joyful IN MY ELOHIM," is in Judgment. Rabbi Yehuda said, THEY REJOICE BOTH IN MERCY AND IN JUDGMENT, and in each joy there is joy upon joy. However, the joy which the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring upon Yisrael in the future, the joy in Zion, will excel them all, as it is written, "And the ransomed of Hashem shall return and come to Zion with songs..." (Yeshayah 35:10). "And the ransomed of Hashem shall return," signifies one joy; "and come to Zion with songs," signifies the second; "and everlasting joy upon their heads," the third; and "they shall obtain joy and gladness" is the fourth joy. THESE ARE four kind of joy which correspond to the four exiles of Yisrael among the nations. Then, "in that day shall you say, 'Praise Hashem, call upon His name...'" (Yeshayah 12:4).