הנה ידוע שהאבות הם חג"ת [חסד גבורה תפארת], שאברהם היה מדתו חסד, שהיה גומל חסד ואוהב את הבריות ומקרבן לאמונת השם יתברך ולעבודתו, כי מדת חסד הוא אהבה כידוע, ומתוך שהיה דבוק במדה זאת מאוד, הכיר והשיג את בורא שיש מנהיג ואלוהי בעולם, והנה יצחק הגם שקיבל ולמד מאברהם אביו שיש אלוהי בעולם, עם כל זה רצה לידע להשיג מעצמו ידיעת הבורא, כמו שאמר הכתוב (דברי הימים א כ״ח:ט׳) דע את אלהי אביך, ולא שיהיה אצלו בקבלה לבד, מצות אנשים מלומדה, ולכן התדבק את עצמו במדת היראה, ומכח זהירותו הכיר והשיג השם יתברך בעצמו, לבד ממה שהיה לו בקבלה מאביו, והנה יעקב ראה בעין השכל שמן ההכרח שיש בהנהגת העולם מדה הממוצעת והמכריע בין חסד וגבורה, שאילו לא כן לא היה העולם מתקיים אם היה נוטה לאחד משני קצוות הנ"ל, לכן התדבק במדת התפארת, שהוא רחמים המכריע בין חסד וגבורה, ומתוך זאת המדה הכיר והשיג יותר מאבותיו, [וזהו] שהוא בחיר שבאבות (רבתי וישלח ריש פ' ע"ו) ראה שאין העולם מתקיים בדין ושיתף עמו מדת הרחמים וכו': (ליקוטים יקרים ד"ט ע"ב, אור תורה רמזי תהלים דמ"ח ע"ד).
It is known that the Forefathers corresponded to the sefirot of Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet. Abraham embodied the quality of Chesed – loving-kindness. He loved and showed generosity to the entire creation, and tried to instill in them faith in G‑d, and a de.sire to serve Him; because the trait of Chesed corresponds to love. Through Abraham’s great dedication to this trait, he came to recognize and comprehend the Creator, and realize that G‑d runs the entire world. Isaac learned and received this approach from Abraham; however, he still wanted to come to his own understanding of G‑d. This is as the verse says: “Know the G‑d of your fathers, and serve Him” (I Chronicles 28:9). One should not merely accept this service as a tradition, to be fulfilled by rote.42That is, each person must come to his own knowledge of G‑d. In Chasidus, the word da'at, “knowledge,” also has the connotation of mystical union. The use of the word da'at for union can be first found in Genesis 4:1: “And Adam knew Eve, his wife.” And concerning the days of the Messiah, the verse says: “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d, as the sea is covered with water” (Isaiah 11:9), referring to a direct, mystical knowledge of G‑d that all humanity will then experience. Therefore, Isaac devoted himself to the trait of piety.43Literally “fear,” that corresponds to the sefirah of Gevurah. And out of his great care [to fulfill the will of G‑d], he came to know and comprehend G‑d for himself, besides what he received from his father. Now, Jacob realized that there must be a middle way in the operation of the world, that mediated between Chesed and Gevurah, because the world could not survive if it can only function according to one of these two extremes. Therefore, he devoted himself to the trait of Tiferet.44Tiferet means “beauty” or “splendor,” and is positioned below and between the sefirot of Chesed and Gevurah. It includes them both, and mediates between them. Through this, he arrived at a deeper perception of G‑d than his fathers, and is called the “Chosen of the Forefathers.”45Pesikta Rabotai, Vayishlach 76. He saw that the world could not exist in unmitigated judgment, and so tempered it with the trait of Compassion.46Judgment, Din, is associated with the sefirah of Gevurah, because it has the implication of restriction and uncompromising demands. Compassion is considered an admixture of Chesed-love, and Gevurah-judgment. Because, whereas pure Chesed gives uncompromisingly, and pure Gevurah withholds absolutely, Compassion gives in accordance with the needs of the receiver, neither totally overwhelming, nor denying. The Baal Shem Tov is also alluding to the midrash that states that G‑d first sought to create the world with the attribute of Judgment. When He saw that it could not stand, he added the attribute of Compassion. Likewise, Jacob saw that the world could not serve G‑d following the extreme patterns of Abraham and Isaac, and so combined them in the trait of compassion, which enables all creatures to find a place in the worship of G‑d. Likutey Yakarim, p. 9b
הנה ידוע שהאבות הם חג"ת [חסד גבורה תפארת], שאברהם היה מדתו חסד, שהיה גומל חסד ואוהב את הבריות ומקרבן לאמונת השם יתברך ולעבודתו, כי מדת חסד הוא אהבה כידוע, ומתוך שהיה דבוק במדה זאת מאוד, הכיר והשיג את בורא שיש מנהיג ואלוהי בעולם, והנה יצחק הגם שקיבל ולמד מאברהם אביו שיש אלוהי בעולם, עם כל זה רצה לידע להשיג מעצמו ידיעת הבורא, כמו שאמר הכתוב (דברי הימים א כ״ח:ט׳) דע את אלהי אביך, ולא שיהיה אצלו בקבלה לבד, מצות אנשים מלומדה, ולכן התדבק את עצמו במדת היראה, ומכח זהירותו הכיר והשיג השם יתברך בעצמו, לבד ממה שהיה לו בקבלה מאביו, והנה יעקב ראה בעין השכל שמן ההכרח שיש בהנהגת העולם מדה הממוצעת והמכריע בין חסד וגבורה, שאילו לא כן לא היה העולם מתקיים אם היה נוטה לאחד משני קצוות הנ"ל, לכן התדבק במדת התפארת, שהוא רחמים המכריע בין חסד וגבורה, ומתוך זאת המדה הכיר והשיג יותר מאבותיו, [וזהו] שהוא בחיר שבאבות (רבתי וישלח ריש פ' ע"ו) ראה שאין העולם מתקיים בדין ושיתף עמו מדת הרחמים וכו':
(ליקוטים יקרים ד"ט ע"ב, אור תורה רמזי תהלים דמ"ח ע"ד).
It is known that the Forefathers corresponded to the sefirot of Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferet. Abraham embodied the quality of Chesed – loving-kindness. He loved and showed generosity to the entire creation, and tried to instill in them faith in G‑d, and a de.sire to serve Him; because the trait of Chesed corresponds to love. Through Abraham’s great dedication to this trait, he came to recognize and comprehend the Creator, and realize that G‑d runs the entire world.
Isaac learned and received this approach from Abraham; however, he still wanted to come to his own understanding of G‑d. This is as the verse says: “Know the G‑d of your fathers, and serve Him” (I Chronicles 28:9). One should not merely accept this service as a tradition, to be fulfilled by rote.42That is, each person must come to his own knowledge of G‑d. In Chasidus, the word da'at, “knowledge,” also has the connotation of mystical union. The use of the word da'at for union can be first found in Genesis 4:1: “And Adam knew Eve, his wife.” And concerning the days of the Messiah, the verse says: “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d, as the sea is covered with water” (Isaiah 11:9), referring to a direct, mystical knowledge of G‑d that all humanity will then experience. Therefore, Isaac devoted himself to the trait of piety.43Literally “fear,” that corresponds to the sefirah of Gevurah. And out of his great care [to fulfill the will of G‑d], he came to know and comprehend G‑d for himself, besides what he received from his father.
Now, Jacob realized that there must be a middle way in the operation of the world, that mediated between Chesed and Gevurah, because the world could not survive if it can only function according to one of these two extremes. Therefore, he devoted himself to the trait of Tiferet.44Tiferet means “beauty” or “splendor,” and is positioned below and between the sefirot of Chesed and Gevurah. It includes them both, and mediates between them. Through this, he arrived at a deeper perception of G‑d than his fathers, and is called the “Chosen of the Forefathers.”45Pesikta Rabotai, Vayishlach 76. He saw that the world could not exist in unmitigated judgment, and so tempered it with the trait of Compassion.46Judgment, Din, is associated with the sefirah of Gevurah, because it has the implication of restriction and uncompromising demands. Compassion is considered an admixture of Chesed-love, and Gevurah-judgment. Because, whereas pure Chesed gives uncompromisingly, and pure Gevurah withholds absolutely, Compassion gives in accordance with the needs of the receiver, neither totally overwhelming, nor denying. The Baal Shem Tov is also alluding to the midrash that states that G‑d first sought to create the world with the attribute of Judgment. When He saw that it could not stand, he added the attribute of Compassion. Likewise, Jacob saw that the world could not serve G‑d following the extreme patterns of Abraham and Isaac, and so combined them in the trait of compassion, which enables all creatures to find a place in the worship of G‑d.
Likutey Yakarim, p. 9b