Kabbalah Library

279) “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings,” meaning with mercy. It is written about it, “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest.” An eagle indicates Rachamim [mercy], as it is written, “The way of an eagle in the sky.” “In the sky” is with mercy, since ZA is called “sky,” and he is the owner of the mercy because HGT is Hesed, judgment, and mercy. Like an eagle that has mercy over his sons and judgment for others, the Creator has mercy for Israel and judgment for idol-worshipping nations.

280) It is written, “All four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of an ox on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle.” A lion is on the right, and an ox is on the left. In which place is the eagle?

281) The place of the eagle is in the place where Jacob is, in the middle line, because an eagle comprises everything, mercy and judgment: mercy for its sons and judgment for others. So is the Creator, the middle line: leading Israel with mercy, and others with judgment, as it is written, “I bore you on eagles’ wings,” and as it is written, “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest.”

282) How do we know that an eagle is mercy? It is written, “The way of an eagle in the sky.” “In the sky,” which is ZA, is the owner of the sky. Hence, a lion is to the right, an ox is to the left, and an eagle is in the middle, between them, comprising both. Man’s face comprises all of them, and all are included in him, for he is Malchut who receives from everyone, as it is written, “And upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon him from above.”