Come and see: "and Jacob blessed Pharaoh". (Gen. 47:10) Rabbi Yosi said: We do agree that Pharaoh was evil, even though it was explained in regard to another mystery [that Pharaoh's source was from bina].

The holy chariots are of mercy.

Yet come and see: "I compare you, my love, to a mare of the chariots of Pharaoh". (Song of Songs 1:9) Come and see: There are Chariots on the left in the secret of the Other Side, and Chariots on the right on the side of Holiness. The ones correspond to the others. The holy ones are of mercy, and those [the Chariot of the Other Side] are of judgment.

When G‑d executed judgment on Egypt, He did it exactly the same way as the Chariots and in the same manner as that [Other] side. As it [the Other Side] kills and takes souls, so G‑d did the same, as it is written, "that G‑d slew all the firstborn"; (Ex. 13:15) whatever He did in Egypt was in the very same manner. Therefore it is written, "I compare you, my love," because she is compared the same way they kill, as it is written, "I am G‑d, I am He and not another." Later, it is written, "Who is this that comes from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Botzrah?" (Isaiah 63:1) [In the time to come, the Shechinah called "I" will take vengeance against Edom.]

Come and see [how Egypt would not succeed as G‑d will succeed against the Evil governments in the time to come]: It is written, "And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the country of Goshen and they took possession of it, and grew and multiplied exceedingly". (Gen. 47:27) "And took possession of it" means as a permanent heritage. "And they took possession of it" because they were worthy of taking possession of it, as has already been explained. "...and grew and multiplied exceedingly" because surely they had nothing to vex them and they lived in royal luxury. They therefore grew and multiplied exceedingly.

Blessed be G‑d forever and ever.

BeRahamim LeHayyim:

Every force has its counterforce.

Every force has its counterforce. Such is the way of the universe. G‑d forbid, though, that we lapse into Manichean Dualism which premised that G‑d and Evil were dual god-forces, battling for the devotions of we humans. Rather, everything has a mirror image created in G‑d's world.

Mercy has Judgment, Judgment has mercy. All are from G‑d. How can we be vehicles for G‑d's Will? Sometimes the left hand of judgment is needed, sometimes the right hand of kindness is required. G‑d! Please help us to put our best hand forward, to deal with each instance with proper measure.

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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