R. Eleazar discoursed on the verse: “And a throne is established through mercy, and there sitteth thereon in truth, in the tent of David, one that judgeth, and seeketh justice, and is ready in righteousness” (Isa. 16, 5). ‘This has been explained as follows’, he said. ‘When the Thought arose with glad purpose from the Most Recondite and Unknowable, that gladness impinged on the Thought, so that the latter entered more and more deeply until it was secluded in the interior of a certain supernal undisclosed Palace.1Bmah.
It is from thence that there flow forth, first all the rivers of the “right side”, and after them the others. On the “right side” it was that the Lower Throne was established, since the Holy One, blessed be He, established that Throne “through mercy, and there sitteth thereon in truth”. The Throne is the bearer of the seal, the impress of which is Truth, and the Holy One sits on that Throne only in virtue of that seal; “in the tent of David”, which is identical with the Lower Throne.
“One that judgeth” is from the side of Rigour; “and seeketh judgement”, from the side of Mercy; “and is ready in judgement”, alluding to the Throne of Judgement, which is on earth. Similarly, the Tabernacle was established only on this side of Mercy, as already said; and thereby were adjusted all the affairs of the lower world.’
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (ישעיהו ט״ז:ה׳) וְהוּכַן בַּחֶסֶד כִּסֵּא וְיָּשַׁב עָלָיו בֶּאֱמֶת וְגוֹ'. וְהוּכַן בַּחֶסֶד כִּסֵּא, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא, כַּד מַחֲשָׁבָה סָלִיק, בִּרְעוּ דְּחֶדְוָה מִטְּמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין דְּלָא אִתְיְידַע וְלָא אִתְדְּבַק, מָטֵי הַהוּא חֶדְוָה, וּבָטַשׁ גּוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה, וּכְדֵין עָאל בַּאֲתָר דְּעָאל.
R. Eleazar discoursed on the verse: “And a throne is established through mercy, and there sitteth thereon in truth, in the tent of David, one that judgeth, and seeketh justice, and is ready in righteousness” (Isa. 16, 5). ‘This has been explained as follows’, he said. ‘When the Thought arose with glad purpose from the Most Recondite and Unknowable, that gladness impinged on the Thought, so that the latter entered more and more deeply until it was secluded in the interior of a certain supernal undisclosed Palace.1Bmah.
עַד דְּאִתְגְּנִיז בְּחַד הֵיכָלָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ טָמִיר לְעֵיל. וּמִתַּמָּן נַגְדִּין וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָן כָּל נְהוֹרִין, דִּימִינָא דְּנָטִיל בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר נָטִיל כֻּלְּהוּ. וּמֵהַהוּא סְטָר יְמִינָא, אִתְקַן כּוּרְסְיָּיא לְתַתָּא. דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַתְקִין לְהַהוּא כּוּרְסְיָּיא בְּחֶסֶד, וְיָשַׁב עָלָיו בֶּאֱמֶת, דְּאִיהוּ תִּקּוּנָא דְּחוֹתָמָא דְּכֹלָּא. וְלָא יָתִיב עַל הַהוּא כּוּרְסְיָּיא, אֶלָּא בְּחוֹתָמָא דָּא דְּאִיהוּ אֱמֶת. בְּאֹהֶל דָּוִד, דְּאִיהוּ בֵּי כּוּרְסְיָּיא לְתַתָּא.
It is from thence that there flow forth, first all the rivers of the “right side”, and after them the others. On the “right side” it was that the Lower Throne was established, since the Holy One, blessed be He, established that Throne “through mercy, and there sitteth thereon in truth”. The Throne is the bearer of the seal, the impress of which is Truth, and the Holy One sits on that Throne only in virtue of that seal; “in the tent of David”, which is identical with the Lower Throne.
שׁוֹפֵט וְדוֹרֵשׁ מִשְׁפָּט וּמְהִיר צֶדֶק. שׁוֹפֵט מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא. וְדוֹרֵשׁ מִשְׁפָּט, מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי. וּמְהִיר צֶדֶק, אִיהוּ כּוּרְסְיָּיא דְּדִינָא, דְּאִיהוּ בֵּי דִּינָא לְתַתָּא. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, מַשְׁכְּנָא לָא אִתְתָּקַּן אֶלָּא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, דְּחֶסֶד כִּדְקָאָמְרָן לְעֵיל, וְעַל דָּא אִתְמְנוּן תּוֹלָדִין וְאִתָּתְקָנוּ כֻּלְּהוּ לְתַתָּא.
“One that judgeth” is from the side of Rigour; “and seeketh judgement”, from the side of Mercy; “and is ready in judgement”, alluding to the Throne of Judgement, which is on earth. Similarly, the Tabernacle was established only on this side of Mercy, as already said; and thereby were adjusted all the affairs of the lower world.’