Kabbalah Kejadian 27:1: Chesed LeAvraham & Sha'arei Orah

The matter is as follows: just as there are "delicacies" that Jacob prepared for his father (Isaac), representing good deeds and righteous actions that ascend to the Divine, there are also "bitter delicacies" that God abhors—these are the sins and corrupted deeds performed by those dwelling below. Such actions do not ascend through the holy "forces of grinding, swallowing, and digestion" (symbolized by the esophagus, stomach, and digestive system, which correspond to sacred processes of refining deeds). Instead, they pass through unholy forces, namely Samael and his legions. These unholy forces "cook," "prepare," and derive pleasure from the sinful deeds committed below, becoming bound to those actions. This is the meaning of what we say in the confessional prayer (*viduy*): "We have clung to falsehood and deceit." "Deceit" refers to Lilith, while "falsehood" refers to Samael. Through sinful actions, these forces attach themselves and bind to the sinner. After binding to a sin, these forces produce a "smoke" that rises and obscures the "eyes of the upper realms." This is akin to the bitterness that Esau brought to Isaac and Rebecca, as it is written: *"And they were a source of bitterness to Isaac and Rebecca"* (Genesis 26:35), and further: *"His eyes grew dim, so he could not see"* (Genesis 27:1). These bitter "delicacies" create a spiritual "smoke" that clouds the higher realms, the exact opposite of the "pleasing aroma" of righteous deeds, which brings satisfaction to the Divine spirit. This bitterness corresponds to harsh judgment (*din kasheh*) awakened by sinful actions. Judgment then flows downward to the external forces (*chitzonim*) to empower them. This harsh judgment grants permission to act in the lower world, resulting in harm and punishment, as described: *"Behold, smoke has risen in My nostrils, a fire burning all day"* (Isaiah 65:5). This is what stirs the anger of God, the antithesis of spiritual rest and satisfaction.# Just as the right side of holiness awakens goodness, descending to the lower realms as blessings, abundance, wisdom, children, wealth, knowledge, honor, life, and all other good occurrences, so too does the left side awaken judgment. This judgment descends into the lower realms as illnesses, suffering, harsh occurrences, and bitterness worse than death. Ultimately, *“this corresponds to that”* (Ecclesiastes 7:14): the forces of holiness and impurity are parallel opposites. Each action awakens its corresponding spiritual reality, for better or worse. This duality defines the spiritual interplay between righteousness and sin.

Now that you know this, I must tell you why, “the eyes of Yitzchak were dimmed from seeing.” Know, that HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, diminished the quality of judgment-Din-דין, so that it could not be exacting with every sin. This is the secret of the verse,³⁵⁷Genesis 27:1 “His eyes were dimmed from seeing.” Now, why does the verse begin by telling us, “And it came to pass, when Yitzchak had become elderly” and only afterwards continues, “and his eyes were dimmed from seeing”? Behold, with the help of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, I will enlighten your eyes about this.

Know, that Above in HaShem’s-יהו״ה Godliness, there is a quality of complete and absolute mercy-Rachamim, called Eheye”h-אהי״ה and called the Elder-Zaken-זקן.³⁵⁸This will be further explained in the Tenth Gate. This is a quality of total mercy-Rachamim, without any admixture whatsoever of judgment-Din. When people sin, the quality of judgment-Din becomes outstretched against them, and when they stand in judgment, and the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, sees that if judgement will be meted out against them, all the worlds would be obliterated, He then removes the quality of judgment-Din and elevates it to the quality of mercies-Rachamim called the Elder-Zaken-זקן. When the quality of judgment-Din withdraws and is elevated to that place, it loses the powers to speak or see. This is the secret of the verse,³⁵⁹Isaiah 5:16 “HaShem of Hosts-HaShem Tzva’ot-יהו״ה צבאו״ת will be elevated in justice-Mishpat-משפט, and the Holy God-HaE”l HaKadosh-הא״ל הקדוש will be sanctified in charity-Tzedakah-צדקה.” About this the verse states,³⁶⁰Genesis 27:1 “When Yitzchak had become elderly-Zaken-זקן and his eyes were dimmed from seeing.” In other words, the verse speaks both about him and about his Divine quality. Therefore, in times of harsh judgment, HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, has mercy upon His world, and says,³⁶¹Isaiah 48:11, see Rashi and Radak there. “For My sake, for My sake, I will act, for how can I let [My Name] be profaned!?” About this our sages, of blessed memory, said,³⁶²Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 98a “The son of David will only come in a generation that is entirely guilty etc.” This also is the secret of the verse,³⁶³Leviticus 13:14 “[The priest (Kohen) shall look, and behold! – the affliction has covered his entire flesh; then he shall declare the affliction to be pure;] having turned completely white, it is pure.”³⁶⁴Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 97a – “The son of David will not come until the entire kingdom will be overturned into heresy. Rava said, from what verse [is this derived]? From the verse (Lev. 13:14), “Having turned completely white, it is ritually pure.” Rashi writes there, “That is, just as when the affliction spreads over the whole skin [it is declared pure], so likewise, when the kingdom is entirely overturned into heresy, the redemption comes.” In other words, in such a case, the redemption comes about by way of that which is expressed in the verse (Ezekiel 36:22-38), “It is not for your sake that I act… but for My Holy Name… I will sanctify My great Name… then the nations will know that I am HaShem-יהו״ה… I will take you from amongst the nations and gather you from the lands, and I will bring you to your own soil… Then I will sprinkle pure water upon you, so that you will be cleansed… I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you etc.”