Compassion, explains the Kabbalah, is a blend between the
two extremes of Kindness/giving and Strength/Judgment/withholding.
The conventional explanation is that this statement explains to whom the giving attribute is directed: kindness argue that all are worthy of receiving, Strength/Judgement argues that very few are worthy of receiving. Compassion is a blend of both perspectives. While it agrees with strength/judgment that not all are worthy of receiving, it nevertheless agrees with Kindness’s bottom line that all shall receive; for compassion applies to those who are undeserving as well.
There is however another reason why compassion is considered the “middle” and a mix of Kindness and strength, not based on to who the attribute is directed bit because of the properties of the attribute itself. Because kindness is weak. a person must have a soft spot to another in order to give. Judgment however is strong and forceful (hence the Kabbalistic name for Judgment: “strength”).
The conventional explanation is that this statement explains to whom the giving attribute is directed: kindness argue that all are worthy of receiving, Strength/Judgement argues that very few are worthy of receiving. Compassion is a blend of both perspectives. While it agrees with strength/judgment that not all are worthy of receiving, it nevertheless agrees with Kindness’s bottom line that all shall receive; for compassion applies to those who are undeserving as well.
There is however another reason why compassion is considered the “middle” and a mix of Kindness and strength, not based on to who the attribute is directed bit because of the properties of the attribute itself. Because kindness is weak. a person must have a soft spot to another in order to give. Judgment however is strong and forceful (hence the Kabbalistic name for Judgment: “strength”).
Compassion, however is a blend of the two. for although it gives - thus it is similar to kindness - it nevertheless gives with strength - incorporating and using the quality of strength into it's giving.
(Leku"s Mikets 15 Sicha 2)
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