Kabbalah sa Mga Panaghoy 5:21: Sha'arei Orah

Now, the great secret is conveyed in the verse,³²Psalms 89:15 “Righteousness-Tzedek-צדק and justice-Mishpat-משפט are the foundation of Your throne, kindness and truth precede Your face.” This is because, according to the influence it receives, at times righteousness-Tzedek-צדק leans towards judgment-Din, as we explained.³³In the First Gate. That is, on its own, righteousness-Tzedek-צדק is great and powerful judgment-Din.³⁴That is, when the Sefirah of kingship-Malchut, which is righteousness-Tzedek-צדק is absent of influence from justice-Mishpat-משפט, which is the Sefirah beauty-Tiferet, then (Proverbs 13:23), “Some perish for lack of justice-Mishpat-משפט,” meaning that the Sefirah of kingship-Malchut is lacking the quality of justice-Mishpat-משפט, which is the Sefirah of beauty-Tiferet. It is then called poor-Ani-עני, as discussed before, and leans toward judgment-Din. However, when the quality of justice-Mishpat-משפט is joined to it, the throne is then established with mercy-Rachamim. If justice-Mishpat-משפט ascends and reaches kindness-Chessed and truth-Emet as one, they then are called the Radiant Face (Panim HaMe’irim-פנים המאירים) and all is done with great and abundant mercy. This is the meaning of the continuation of the verse,³⁵Psalms 89:15 “kindness-Chessed-חסד and truth-Emet-אמת precede Your face.” The word, “Precede-Yekadmu-יקדמו Your face” is of the same root as in the verse,³⁶Lamentations 5:21 “Renew our days as of old-K’Kedem-כקדם,” and the verse,³⁷Micah 7:20 “As you swore unto our forefathers in days of old-Yemei Kedem-ימי קדם.”³⁸At the conclusion of the thirteen qualities of mercy of Michah. That is to say, both these verses are indicative of mercy which stems from the crown-Keter, which is called Preceding-Kedem-קדם, as will be discussed in the Tenth Gate.

Whoever understands this important principle will understand various matters and secrets stated in the Torah by way of hint, such as the verse,³⁵⁵Lamentations 5:21 “Renew our days as of old-Kedem-קדם.” Similarly, the verse states,³⁵⁶Deuteronomy 33:27 “The abode of the God of old-Kedem-קדם, and below are the arms of the world.” That is, below the three upper Sefirot that are bound together as one with the Sefirah called Preexistent-Kedem-קדם, are the “arms” of the world. It thus has all been hinted. Therefore, contemplate how we have explained these deep matters to you, and open your eyes, so that perhaps you will contemplate the wonders of the Benevolent God-Nifla’ot E”l-נפלאות א״ל and grasp matters that not all merit to grasp.