Now the Companions have pointed out that the name El properly indicates lovingkindness; why, then, is it used here, and also in the expression El Gibbor (mighty God) (Isa. 9, 6)?
The answer is that, as we have learnt, the wicked turn mercy into judgement, since in all the supernal crowns of the Holy King, mercy and judgement are intertwined.
Said R. Judah to him: ‘This accounts for the expression El Gibbor; but what of “El hath indignation every day”, which means that on every day He punishes, whether men are guilty or not?’ He could not answer him, so they went and asked R. Simeon. He said: ‘The Companions have explained that the name El indicates sometimes mercy and sometimes judgement. If men are virtuous, El is there standing for lovingkindness, and if they are not deserving, El is there standing for severity and is called Oibbor.
The real truth, however, is as follows. El everywhere stands for the light of the supernal Wisdom which exercises its influence every day, and without which the world could not stand a day before the heavy chastisements that arise every day against it. For El is indignant with them and thrusts them away and so establishes the world, which otherwise could not exist an instant.
As for the expression El Gibbor, the whole verse in which this occurs is an epitome of the holy supernal faith. The word “Wonderful” alludes to the supernal Wisdom, which is wondrous and concealed beyond the reach of all; “Counsellor” is the supernal stream which issues forth perennially and counsels all and waters all; “El” refers to Abraham, “Gibbor” to Isaac, and “Everlasting Father” to Jacob, who lays hold of both sides and attains perfection. The “Prince of Peace” is the Zaddik, who brings peace to the world, peace to the House, peace to the Matrona.’
R. Hizkiah and R. Judah came and kissed his hands, and weeping with joy exclaimed: ‘Happy are we that we asked this question. Happy is the generation in whose midst thou art!’
הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְמֵימַר, הָא תָּנֵינָן, וְאִתְּעֲרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, אֵל בְּכָל אֲתַר חֶסֶד הוּא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (דברים י) הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל, וְדָא נְהִירוּ דְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, וְאַתְּ (קי"ט ע"ב) אַמְרַת וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם, שָׁבִיק קְרָא כָּל אִלֵּין שְׁמָהָן, וְאָחִיד בְּהַאי, אִי הָכִי לָא קַיְימִין מִילֵּי. וְעוֹד, דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיה ט) אֵל גִּבּוֹר, אוֹ נוֹקִים לֵיהּ דִּינָא, אוֹ נוֹקִים לֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי.
Now the Companions have pointed out that the name El properly indicates lovingkindness; why, then, is it used here, and also in the expression El Gibbor (mighty God) (Isa. 9, 6)?
אֶלָּא הָכִי שְׁמַעְנָא, חַיָּיבַיָּא מְהַפְּכֵי רַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא. דְּלֵית לָךְ בְּכָל אִינּוּן כִּתְרִין עִלָּאִין דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּלָא כְּלִילָן רַחֲמֵי בְּדִינָא, וְדִינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי. וְחַיָּיבַיָּא, מְהַפְּכֵי רַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא.
The answer is that, as we have learnt, the wicked turn mercy into judgement, since in all the supernal crowns of the Holy King, mercy and judgement are intertwined.
אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, שַׁפִּיר בְּהַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב אֵל גִּבּוֹר, אֶלָּא אֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם מַהוּ, דְּהָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא קַיְּימָא בְּדִינָא, בֵּין דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא זַכָּאִין, בֵּין דְּלָא זַכָּאִין. לָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ, אָתוּ שָׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר לוֹן, וַדַּאי אֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, לְזִמְנִין הוּא דִּינָא, לְזִמְנִין הוּא רַחֲמֵי. אִי זַכָּאִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, הָא אֵל קַיְּימָא, וְהוּא חֶסֶד. וְאִי לָא זַכָּאן, הָא אֵל קַיְּימָא, וְאִקְרֵי גִּבּוֹר, וְעַל דָּא קַיְּימָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא.
Said R. Judah to him: ‘This accounts for the expression El Gibbor; but what of “El hath indignation every day”, which means that on every day He punishes, whether men are guilty or not?’ He could not answer him, so they went and asked R. Simeon. He said: ‘The Companions have explained that the name El indicates sometimes mercy and sometimes judgement. If men are virtuous, El is there standing for lovingkindness, and if they are not deserving, El is there standing for severity and is called Oibbor.
אֲבָל מִלָּה שַׁפִּיר הוּא, אֵל בְּכָל אֲתַר, נְהִירוּ (רב) דְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, וְקַיְּימָא בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים נ״ב:ג׳) חֶסֶד אֵל כָּל הַיּוֹם. וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּהַאי אֵל אִתְּעַר בְּעָלְמָא, לָא יָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמֵיקָם אֲפִילּוּ שַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא, מִקַּמֵּי דִּינִין תַּקִּיפִין דְּמִתְעֲרִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:ד׳) אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם, אַל תִּקְרֵי בְּהִבָּרְאָם, אֶלָּא בְּאַבְרָהָם, בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דְּאַבְרָהָם קַיְימֵי, וְכַד אִתְּעַר אַבְרָהָם בְּעָלְמָא, כָּל אִינּוּן דִּינִין דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא דָּחֵי לְהוּ לְבַר, וְלָא קַיְימִין קַמֵּיהּ.
The real truth, however, is as follows. El everywhere stands for the light of the supernal Wisdom which exercises its influence every day, and without which the world could not stand a day before the heavy chastisements that arise every day against it. For El is indignant with them and thrusts them away and so establishes the world, which otherwise could not exist an instant.
הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם, נִזְעָם, אוֹ זְעוּם בְּכָל יוֹם, לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא זוֹעֵם. בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא דְּדִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, דָּחֵי לוֹן לְבַר, וְקַיְּימָא הוּא וּמְבָסֵּם עָלְמָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים מ״ב:ט׳) יוֹמָם יְצַוְּה יְיָ' חַסְדּוֹ. וְאִלְמָלֵא הַאי, לָא יָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמֵיקָם אֲפִילוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא. וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא קַיְימוּ בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם.
וְהַאי דִּכְתִּיב אֵל גִּבּוֹר, לָאו דְּאִיהוּ גִּבּוֹר, אֶלָּא הַאי קְרָא רֶמֶז הוּא דְּקָא רָמִיז לַאֲבָהָן, וּרְמִיזָא הוּא דְּקָא רָמִיז לִמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, דִּכְתִּיב (ישעיהו ט׳:ה׳) פֶּלֶא יוֹעֵץ אֵל גִּבּוֹר אֲבִי עַד שַׂר שָׁלוֹם. פֶּלֶא, דָּא חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, דְּהִיא פְּלִיאָה וְאִתְכַּסְיָא מִכֹּלָּא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (דברים י״ז:ח׳) כִּי יִפָּלֵא מִמְּךָ דָּבָר. יוֹעֵץ, דָּא הוּא נָהָר עִלָּאָה דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק, וְלָא פָּסְקָא, וְדָא יוֹעֵץ לְכֹלָּא, וְאַשְׁקֵי לְכֹלָּא. אֵל דָּא אַבְרָהָם, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל. גִּבּוֹר, דָּא יִצְחָק, דִּכְתִּיב הַגִּבּוֹר. אֲבִי עַד, דָּא יַעֲקֹב, דְּאָחִיד לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא, וְקַיְּימָא בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים. שַׂר שָׁלוֹם, דָּא צַדִּיק, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלָמָא דְּעָלְמָא, שְׁלָמָא דְּבֵיתָא, שְׁלָמָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא.
As for the expression El Gibbor, the whole verse in which this occurs is an epitome of the holy supernal faith. The word “Wonderful” alludes to the supernal Wisdom, which is wondrous and concealed beyond the reach of all; “Counsellor” is the supernal stream which issues forth perennially and counsels all and waters all; “El” refers to Abraham, “Gibbor” to Isaac, and “Everlasting Father” to Jacob, who lays hold of both sides and attains perfection. The “Prince of Peace” is the Zaddik, who brings peace to the world, peace to the House, peace to the Matrona.’
אָתוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְנַשְּׁקוּ יְדוֹי. בָּכוּ, וְאָמְרוּ זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא, דְּשָׁאִילְנָא הַאי. זַכָּאָה הוּא דָּרָא, דְּאַתְּ שָׁארֵי בְּגַוַויְיהוּ.
R. Hizkiah and R. Judah came and kissed his hands, and weeping with joy exclaimed: ‘Happy are we that we asked this question. Happy is the generation in whose midst thou art!’