Divine Justice and Mercy

במדרש יודיע דרכיו למשה לבנ"י עלילותיו.

In the Midrash: “He made His ways known to Moses; to the children of Israel, His acts.”

The Midrash distinguishes between “ways,” which are revealed to Moses, and “acts,” which are revealed to Israel. Moses receives an inner understanding of divine pathways.

דכ' צדיק ה' בכל דרכיו וחסיד בכל מעשיו.

As it is written: “The Lord is righteous in all His ways and generous in all His deeds.”

The verse establishes two divine modes: righteousness in the level of “ways,” and kindness in the level of “acts.”

ואיתא בגמ' מתחילה צדיק ולבסוף חסיד.

And it is said in the Talmud: At first He is righteous, and in the end He is generous.

The Sefat Emet cites a teaching that creation begins with strict justice but concludes with kindness.

דאיתא בראשית ברא אלקים. שעלה במחשבה לבראות במדה"ד וראה שאין העולם מתקיים ושיתף מדה"ר.

For it is taught: “In the beginning God created…” meaning it arose in His thought to create the world with the attribute of justice, but He saw the world could not endure, so He combined the attribute of mercy.

Creation was conceived in pure justice, yet mercy was added so existence could be sustained.

ובוודאי לא הי' בזה השתנות רק שבאופן זה הי' בריאת העולם להיות תחילתו דין וסופו רחמים.

And certainly there was no change in Him; rather, the manner of creation was such that its beginning was justice and its end mercy.

This shift is not in God but in the revealed structure of creation, beginning in judgment and culminating in compassion.

צדיק בדרכיו בכלל. ובמעשה בפרט חסיד.

Righteous in His “ways” in general, and in His “acts” in particular He is generous.

The Sefat Emet aligns “ways” with justice and “acts” with kindness, reflecting general intention versus particular expression.

והנה בחי' מרע"ה הוא כמו שהי' בראשית שהוא נק' ראשית כמ"ש חז"ל וירא ראשית לו.

And behold, the aspect of Moses our teacher resembles the beginning, for he is called “first,” as the sages said: “And he saw a first portion for himself.”

Moses embodies the primal root-level of divine intention, aligned with the original plan of judgment.

ולכן הודיע לו הקב"ה דרכיו שהוא הגאולה בבחי' מדה"ד.

Therefore the Holy One revealed to him His “ways,” meaning that redemption is in the aspect of the attribute of justice.

Moses is shown the deeper plan of redemption as rooted in divine justice, consistent with his soul‑root.

ולכן סירב מרע"ה ורצה שישלח ע"י אהרן במדת החסד.

Thus Moses refused and wanted that the mission be sent through Aaron, who embodies the attribute of kindness.

Moses’ hesitation stems from recognizing that the revealed world requires mercy, which Aaron personifies.

אבל הקב"ה השיב ידעתי כי ידבר הוא כו'.

But the Holy One replied: “I know that he will speak…”

God assures Moses that Aaron will indeed participate and contribute his quality of kindness.

כי גם מתחילה הי' רצונו ית' לשתף אח"כ במעשה את אהרן.

For from the beginning it was His will to later join Aaron into the actual deed.

The divine plan always included both elements: Moses as thought and Aaron as action.

וזה לבנ"י עלילותיו כי סוף המעשה הגאולה יהי' בבחי' וחסיד כנ"ל.

And this is “His acts to the children of Israel,” for the final deed of redemption will be in the aspect of kindness, as stated above.

Israel experiences the redemptive process in its final form, where mercy becomes dominant.

ולכן אהרן הכהן שהוא בחי' עובדא הוא בחסד.

Therefore Aaron the priest, who is the aspect of deed, is associated with kindness.

Aaron channels divine mercy through tangible actions, especially in priestly service.

ומרע"ה הוא בחי' מחשבה ומלולא הוא בדין ורחמים.

And Moses is the aspect of thought and speech, in judgment and mercy.

Moses stands at the junction of divine intention, where justice and mercy meet in their root form.

The Sefat Emet explains that Moses corresponds to the original divine intention of justice, whereas Aaron corresponds to mercy expressed in action. Redemption contains both elements: its root in justice and its culmination in kindness.