וְהֵבֵאתִ֨י עֲלֵיכֶ֜ם חֶ֗רֶב נֹקֶ֙מֶת֙ נְקַם־בְּרִ֔ית וְנֶאֱסַפְתֶּ֖ם אֶל־עָרֵיכֶ֑ם וְשִׁלַּ֤חְתִּי דֶ֙בֶר֙ בְּת֣וֹכְכֶ֔ם וְנִתַּתֶּ֖ם בְּיַד־אוֹיֵֽב׃
내가 칼을 너희에게로 가져다가 너희의 배약한 원수를 갚을 것이며 너희가 성읍에 모일지라도 너희 중에 염병을 보내고 너희를 대적의 손에 붙일 것이며
Reshit Chokhmah
Relating to what it says in the verse “Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One” (Psalms 45:4), in our original explanation that the sword that avenges the revenge of the Covenant for someone who damages the Brit (Covenant), as it says at length in the Zohar in Va’era: 77. One day, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were before Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, “Be afraid of the sword. For wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know that there is a judgment” (Iyov 19:29). HE ASKS, It is written: “Be afraid of the sword.” What sword? HE ANSWERS, This is “a sword…that shall avenge My covenant” (Vayikra 26:25). This sword, WHICH IS MALCHUT, stands to observe who is false to the covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, because anyone who is false to the covenant BLEMISHES IT WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR SPILLING SEMEN IN VAIN, it is this sword that takes vengeance on him. 78. This is the meaning of: “For wrath brings the punishments of the sword.” What is the reason? IT IS that anyone who is false to the covenant distances the desire OF MALCHUT TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE FROM ZEIR ANPIN, and thus whoever should receive SUSTENANCE, NAMELY YESOD does not receive it, and does not give to his place, since his place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is not awakened toward him. BECAUSE OF THE BLEMISH IN THE COVENANT THE DESIRE TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE WAS TAKEN FROM HER.
Zohar
Rabbi Shimon said that there is nothing in the world which so provokes the zealousness of the Holy One, blessed be He, as the sin of disregarding the covenant. As it is written: "A sword that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant" (Lev. 26:25). And come and behold: The sin of the generation of the Flood was not completed until they sinned by corrupting their ways on earth. And even though they were violent with each other - as it is written: "And the earth was filled with violence" (Gen. 6:11) and it is written "for the earth is filled with violence through them" (Ibid. 13) - "I shall destroy them" (Ibid.) was because of the sin of letting semen spill in vain. "The earth was also corrupt before the Elohim" (Ibid. 11) and "I shall destroy them" was measure for measure.