Judgment clothed in chesed sustains the world

עוד יבואר וה' אמר עפ"י מה שבארנו פי' הכתוב ולך ה' החסד כי אתה תשלם לאיש כמעשהו כי כשהקב"ה עושה דין נמלך במדת החסד כמ"ש צדיק ה' כו' וחסיד בכל מעשיו.

It can further be explained, "And Hashem said," based on what we explained regarding the verse "And to You, Hashem, is chesed, for You repay each man according to his deeds" - that when the Holy One, blessed be He, executes judgment, He takes counsel with the attribute of chesed, as it is written, "Hashem is righteous, etc., and kind in all His deeds."

The Sefas Emes explains the verse (Tehillim 62:13): even when Hashem pays a person according to his deeds in strict justice, He first "consults" with His attribute of chesed (kindness), because He is righteous yet "kind in all His deeds" (Tehillim 145:17).

אף שהמשפט צדק עכ"ז קודם שבא לידי מעשה מתלבש במדת החסד וז"ש וה' אמר המכסה כו' מאברהם שהוא מדת החסד אשר אני עושה ולכן מיוחס החסד לימינו שאין נשכח לעולם כענין שכתוב אם אשכחך כו' תשכח ימיני שאין שכחה בימין.

Even though the judgment is just, nevertheless, before it comes to actuality it clothes itself in the attribute of chesed. And this is the meaning of "And Hashem said: Shall I conceal," etc., "from Avraham" - who is the attribute of chesed - "that which I am doing." Therefore chesed is attributed to His right hand, which is never forgotten, as it is written, "If I forget you... let My right hand forget" - for there is no forgetting in the right hand.

Before any judgment becomes deed, Hashem garbs it in chesed. This is why He says, "Shall I conceal from Avraham" - Avraham embodying chesed - what He is about to do to Sodom; and chesed is associated with the "right hand," which symbolizes that which endures and is never forgotten (Tehillim 137:5).

ויש לפרש סיום הפסוק הי' יהי' כו' כי בעבור שעולם חסד יבנה ולולי מדת החסד לא הי' קיום לעולם בעבור זה עצמו חביב מדת החסד לפניו ית"ש כי הוא הברכה של כל הברואים ונברכו בו כו':

And one can explain the end of the verse, "he shall surely become," etc.: because "the world is built on chesed," and were it not for the attribute of chesed there would be no endurance for the world - for this very reason the attribute of chesed is beloved before Him, may He be blessed, for it is the blessing of all created beings, and through it they are blessed, etc.

The conclusion of the pasuk - that Avraham will become a great nation through whom all nations are blessed - flows from "the world is built on chesed" (Tehillim 89:3): without chesed the world could not endure, so chesed is especially precious to Hashem, since it is the source of blessing for all creation.

Summary: Even when Hashem acts in strict justice, He first clothes the judgment in chesed before it takes effect - which is why He revealed His plan for Sodom to Avraham, the embodiment of chesed. Because the world is built on and endures through chesed, this attribute is uniquely beloved to Hashem, for it is the wellspring of blessing for all creation.