Isaías 63:15 Cábala: Sha'arei Orah

Do you not see that when the Jewish people sin, they weaken HaShem’s-יהו"ה quality of Might-Gevurah-גבורה in the world, as the prophet said,¹²⁵Isaiah 63:15 “Where is Your vengeance and Your might-Gevurotecha-גבורתך?” However, His quality of Might-Gevurah responds,¹²⁶Deuteronomy 32:18; See Midrash Eichah Rabba 1:33 “You have weakened-Teshee-תשי the Rock who bore you and have forgotten the God who brought you forth.” That is, to the degree of sinners in Israel, so is His quality of Might-Gevurah weakened in the world, and His right side is held back, as the verse states,¹²⁷Lamentations 2:3 “He drew His right hand back in the presence of the enemy.”

Know that above the side of Might-Gevurah is the Divine source of influence from which Might-Gevurah draws. From that source, called Understanding-Binah, which is higher than Might-Gevurah, various kinds of Might-Gevurah-גבורה, called mighty powers-Gevurot-גבורות flow. About this the verse states,¹²⁸Psalms 106:2 “Who-Mee-מ״י can express the mighty powers-Gevurot-גבורות of HaShem-יהו״ה.”¹²⁹That is, “Who-Mi-מי-50” refers to the fifty gates of the Understanding-Binah, as discussed in the earlier Gates. When the Jewish people are righteous, those mighty powers-Gevurot-גבורות of HaShem-יהו"ה bestow their powers to HaShem’s-יהו"ה quality of Might-Gevurah-גבורה, and then the Jewish people dominate over their enemies. Thus, when the quality of Might-Gevurah is in its strength, it battles against the nations who serve false gods and avenges the vengeance of the Jewish people against their enemies. However, if heaven forbid, the Jewish people have sinned, HaShem’s-יהו"ה quality of Might-Gevurah is weakened in the world and does not wreak vengeance upon the idolaters. This is the meaning of the verse,¹³⁰Deuteronomy 32:18; See Midrash Eichah Rabba 1:33 “You have weakened-Teshee-תשי the Rock who bore you,” and the verse,¹³¹Isaiah 63:15 “Where is Your vengeance and your might-Gevurotecha-גבורתך?” Understand this well.

After transmitting these important principles, we now will return to explaining the remaining matters. This Sefirah is sometimes also called Strengths-Gevurot-גבורות, as in the secret of the verse,²⁴⁵Psalms 106:2 “Who-Mee-מ״י can express the Strengths-Gevurot-גבורות of HaShem-יהו״ה.”²⁴⁶That is, “Who-Mee-מי-50” refers to the fifty gates of the Understanding-Binah, as discussed in the preceding Gates. Know that the quality of judgment-Din, which is called Might-Gevurah-גבורה and is the quality of the Fear of Yitzchak-Pachad Yitzchak-פחד יצחק, is only called Might-Gevurah-גבורה, in the singular. It is not called Strengths-Gevurot-גבורות [in the plural], since it is surrounded by many castigators and constraints (Meitzarim-מצרים), and when the Jewish people sin, it is not dominant, because the surrounding ministers have an opening to accuse, and it thus is weakened. This is the secret of the verse,²⁴⁷Deuteronomy 32:18; See Midrash Eichah Rabba 1:33 “You have weakened-Teshee-תשי the Rock who gave birth to you,” and it states,²⁴⁸Isaiah 51:9 “Awaken! Awaken! Don strength, O’ arm of HaShem-יהו״ה,” and it states,²⁴⁹Isaiah 63:15 “Where is Your vengeance and your might-Gevurotecha-גבורתך?” All this is because the ministers of the nations are juxtaposed to the quality of Might-Gevurah-גבורה, and are the castigators who cause its might to be restrained. The prophet thus cried out and lamented about the quality of Might-Gevurah-גבורה, saying,²⁵⁰Lamentations 1:3 “Judah has gone into exile because of suffering and great servitude. She dwelt amongst the nations, but found no rest; all her pursuers overtook her between the straits-Mitzarim-מצרים.” Indeed, she certainly is constrained.