Kabbalah sa Jeremias 10:24: Sha'arei Orah

Know that since HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, is perfect, crowned, and bears all qualities, in that all the Sefirot are unified, perfected and completed in Him, along with all creatures, as we have informed you, therefore during the act of creation (Ma’aseh Bereishit) itself, there was no need for Torah to mention HaShem-יהו"ה. This is because at that point, the world and its creatures had not yet been perfected, nor had the act of creation been completed, in that the world was not yet whole. Rather, all things were still in the process of being made and coming forth. However, once the creation of the world was complete, in that everything was included and in a state of perfection, the Torah mentions HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם, these being two names that unify one with the other. This is because oftentimes, His name God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם manifests in His name of Lordship-Adona”y-אדנ״י, and then His name of Lordship-Adona”y-אדנ״י is also called God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם, as you already know.³From the First Gate. Then, when HaShem Lord-HaShem Adona”y-יהו״ה אדנ״י [pronounced Elohi”m Adona”y-אלהי"ם אדנ"י] is unified, this being the matter of HaShem God-HaShem Elohi”m-יהו״ה אלהי״ם, all things come to a state of total perfection.⁴When reading scripture, if HaShem-יהו"ה and Lord-Adona”y-אדנ"י are juxtaposed, HaShem-יהו"ה is pronounced as Elohi”m-אלהי"ם.

The prophet Yirmiyahu therefore said,²⁹Jeremiah 10:24 “Chastise me, HaShem-יהו״ה, only with justice-Mishpat-משפט, not with Your anger, lest You diminish me.” The meaning of the words, “Chastise me HaShem-יהו״ה, only with justice-Mishpat-משפט,” is that the word “only-Ach-אך,” comes to make a distinction and separation. That is, being that the quality of justice-Mishpat-משפט is half judgment-Din and half kindness-Chessed, therefore half of justice-Mishpat-משפט is Kindness-Chessed-חסד. He therefore said, “only with justice-Ach b’Mishpat-אך במשפט,” and then continues, “not with Your anger, lest You diminish me,” thus revealing that the word only-Ach-אך comes to exclude the half of justice-Mishpat-משפט that stems from anger. The quality of justice-Mishpat-משפט is therefore tied to Yaakov, who as the father of the twelve tribes, knew the travails of childrearing, and therefore, whenever the Holy One, blessed is He, would issue decrees upon them, Yaakov would plead for mercy and charity on their behalf.

When HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, judges the world, it sometimes is called “The justice of HaShem-Mishpat HaShem-משפט יהו״ה,” and is sometimes called, “The justice of God-Mishpat Elohi”m-משפט אלהי״ם,” all of which accords to the verdict that comes out. How so? The verse states,¹⁴⁰Isaiah 33:22 “For HaShem-יהו״ה is our Judge-Shofteinu-שופטינו,” and it states,¹⁴¹Jeremiah 10:24 “Chastise me, HaShem-יהו״ה, but with justice-Mishpat-משפט,” and,¹⁴²Isaiah 3:14 “HaShem-יהו״ה will come in justice-Mishpat-משפט.” We thus see that justice-Mishpat-משפט is related to HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He. However, at other times, justice-Mishpat-משפט is called by His title God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם, as in the verse,¹⁴³Psalms 76:10 “When God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם arose to pass justice-Mishpat-משפט,” and,¹⁴⁴Psalms 75:8 “For God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם is the Judge-Shofet-שופט – He lowers this one and raises that one,” and it states,¹⁴⁵Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For all deeds come before God-Elohi”im-אלהי״ם in justice-Mishpat-משפט.” The secret is that according to the final verdict rendered, so is justice-Mishpat-משפט called at its conclusion. That is, if the final verdict comes out for mercy-Rachamim, it is called HaShem-יהו״ה, and if the final verdict comes out for judgment-Din, it is called God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם.