Kabbalah Mazmur 17:15: Idra Zuta & Sha'arei Orah

King David first said, “Examine me, Hashem, and prove me” (Tehillim 26:2), for I am not afraid of all the judgments, not even of this righteousness, for I am connected to it (David was the embodiment of Malchut). It is written, “I will behold your face in righteousness” (Ibid. 17:15), specifically with righteousness. I am not afraid of withstanding its judgments. After he sinned, he feared even justice, as written, “And enter not into judgment (justice) with your servant” (Ibid. 143:2). Come and see, when this righteousness (Tzedek) is sweetened by justice, it is called righteousness (tzedakah) with a feminine suffix, because it becomes the female part of Zeir Anpin called justice, and she receives Chassadim from him. And the world is sweetened with Chesed and filled by it as written, “He loves righteousness (tzedakah) and justice; the earth is full of the Chesed of Hashem” (Ibid. 33:5).

Now, because this Divine quality called “righteousness-Tzedek-צדק,” always rendered judgments in Jerusalem-ירושלם, our sages of blessed memory, stated,¹⁴⁴Midrash Bamidbar Rabba 21:21; Pesikta d’Rav Kahanah 5:17 “No one would lodge in Jerusalem-ירושלם with sin upon his hands, as it states,¹⁴⁵Isaiah 1:21 ‘righteousness-Tzedek lodges in her.’” Thus, this quality is the gatehouse through which to enter before HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He. It is this quality that discerns between the righteous and the wicked, and does not grant the wicked permission to enter. When he was at peace with this Divine quality, David rejoiced, and through it, he would enter to greet the face of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He. This is the meaning of the verse,¹⁴⁶Psalms 17:15 “And I, in righteousness-Tzedek-צדק shall I behold Your face.”

I now must awaken you to a very great matter that King David, peace be upon him, asked about the two qualities mentioned in these verses, righteousness-Tzedek-צדק and justice-Mishpat-משפט. Know that before having sinned, David was not fearful of appearing with the quality of righteousness-Tzedek-צדק on its own, and would say,⁵²⁷Psalms 17:15 “I will behold Your face in righteousness-Tzedek-צדק.” However, after having sinned, he even was fearful of the mercies-Rachamim of justice-Mishpat-משפט, and would say,⁵²⁸Psalms 143:2 “Do not enter into justice-Mishpat-משפט with your servant.” Understand this well.