Kabbalah Ulangan 4:31: Sha'arei Orah

Now, the mystery of the Simple Blast of the Shofar-Tekiyat Shofar Peshutah-תקיעת שופר פשוטה, is the Name HaShem-יהו״ה. In contrast, the Short Blasts of the Shofar-Tru’at Shofar-תרועת שופר, is the title God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם. Thus, the Simple Blast-Tekiyah-תקיעה followed by the Short Blasts-Teru’ah-תרועה is mercy-Rachamim and judgment-Din. The verse that indicates this is,³⁹Psalms 47:6 “God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם has ascended with the short blasts-Teru’ah-תרועה, HaShem-יהו״ה with the sound of the Shofar.” Likewise, the verse states,⁴⁰Numbers 10:5-7 “When you sound short blasts-Teru’ah-תרועה, then they should travel… and when you gather the congregation together, you shall sound a long blast-Titka’u-תתקעו, and not sound the short blasts-Tari’u-תריעו.”⁴¹Also see Ginat Egoz of the same author, Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Vol. 3 (The Letters of Creation, Part II), section entitled, “The Order of the Shofarot.”

After this introduction, I now will explain. Know that the Singular Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, is garbed and aggrandized with the holy names, and that all the holy names adhere to the truth of this Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He. Each holy name indicates a specific matter unto itself. How is this so? When HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, desires to have mercy and compassion on His world, He then dons the garment of kindness and compassion. Then, His Great Name HaShem-יהו״ה takes out the banner of kindness-Chessed and mercy-Rachamim, and engraved on that banner is the name E”l-א״ל. The sign for this is the verse,¹²²Numbers 2:2 “Each man by his banner, according to the signs-Otot-אותות.” When HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, takes out this banner, He then bestows goodness, compassion, shows grace to His creatures and rejoices in them. This is the secret of the verse,¹²³Psalms 104:31 “May the glory of HaShem-Kevod HaShem-כבוד יהו״ה be toward the world, may HaShem-יהו״ה rejoice in His works,” and is the secret of the verse,¹²⁴Genesis 21:33 “And he called in the Name HaShem, God of the world-HaShem E”l Olam-יהו״ה א״ל עול״ם.” He then dons and is aggrandized in the raiment engraved with the quality of E”l-א״ל. This is the meaning of the words,¹²⁵In the Yom Kippur liturgy. “Almighty King-E”l Melech-א״ל מלך, Who sits on the throne of mercy-Rachamim-רחמים.” This is also the meaning of,¹²⁶Exodus 34:6 – The thirteen attributes of mercy. “HaShem-יהו״ה, HaShem God-HaShem E”L-יהו״ה א״ל, Merciful-Rachum-רחום and Gracious-Chanoon-חנון,” and is the meaning of the verse,¹²⁷Deuteronomy 4:31 “For, HaShem-יהו״ה your God, is a Merciful God-E”l Rachum-א״ל רחום.” The sign for this is the verse,¹²⁸Psalms 95:3 “For HaShem is a Great God-E”l Gadol HaShem-א״ל גדול יהו״ה, and a great King above every power-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם,” in which Elohi”m-אלהי״ם refers to the quality of judgment-Din. In other words, the quality of kindness-Chessed is greater than the quality of judgment-Din.

With the above in mind, understand the secret of the verse,¹²⁹Genesis 22:1 “And God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם tested (Nisah-נסה) Avraham,” [in which the word Nisah-נסה also means “to raise a banner]. That is, God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם, which is the quality of judgment-Din, gave its banner-HaNes-הנס and flag into the hand of Avraham, who is the matter of E”l-א״ל, which is the quality of kindness-Chessed. That is, the words, “And Elohi”m-אלהי״ם tested-Nisah-נסה Avraham,” is of the same root as in the verse,¹³⁰Isaiah 62:10 “Raise a banner-Nes-נס over the nations.” This is why the verse states,¹³¹Exodus 3:6; Also see the Amidah prayer. “The God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, [and the God of Yaakov-V’Elohei Yaakov-ואלה״י יעקב,]” and does not state, “and the God of Yitzchak-v’Elohei Yitzchak-ואלה״י יצחק,” because the quality of judgment-Din is conquered and ruled by the quality of kindness-Chessed, since the banner of Yitzchak, which is the quality of the title Elohi”m-אלהי״ם, has been given over into the hand of Avraham, which is the matter of the quality of the Almighty-E”l-א״ל.