Kabbalah Library

33. “In a day of goodness, be in good; and in a day of adversity, see: God also made one opposite the other.” “In a day of goodness, be in good” means that when the Creator increases Hesed [mercy/kindness] in the world, a person should walk on the street and be seen by all.

When the goodness of the Creator is present in the world, it is present in everything, and He acts with kindness toward everyone and increases it in the world. For this reason, one should be seen openly on the street, and do mercy so that another mercy will be upon him from above, as it is written, “In a day of goodness, be in good.”

34. “In a day of adversity, see.” It is not written, “In a day of adversity, be in hardship,” as it is written, “In a day of goodness, be in good,” but rather “In a day of adversity, see.” This is so because when judgment hangs over the world, it hangs over everything. One who encounters the sabotaging angel and meets him, is sentenced to that judgment, and then it is written, “and there is he who perishes without a sentence,” since the sentence, ZA, has departed from justice, Malchut, and they are not present in one another to bestow upon the world.

This is why it is written “see,” meaning see and be vigilant, watch and scrutinize to each side, and know that the judgment is in all of them, and do not go outside or be seen in the street, so that the judgment will not be on you, since “God has made one opposite the other.” As when there is goodness over the world, it is over everything, when judgment is present in the world, it is present over everything, and whoever meets it will be caught.

35. When judgment is present in the world, several swords are hanging, meaning litigants who emerge from the upper sword. They raise their heads and see that the upper, red sword, the judgment of Malchut, is filled with blood, judgments, from every side, then they declare decrees, and several kinds of swords awaken, as it is written, “Let every man put his sword on his side,” and as it is written, “in his hand a drawn sword.” They are all present to execute judgment, and one who encounters them will be harmed.

It is written, “And Lot said, ‘Behold, Your servant has found favor in Your eyes, and You have shown me great kindness in reviving my soul. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the affliction catches up with me and I die.” He feared escaping to the mountain since where there is judgment, it is present everywhere, whether in the city, or in the desert, or around the city.