Absolute Mercy

I recently came across the following beautiful quote from the sefer Sha'arei Orah (שער י):

The tenth [and highest] name of the Holy Names is called אקיה (Ehkyeh). This is the name that reaches the level of כתר - Crown - that none other than He knows. This is the name of absolute Mercy with no admixture of Judgment. From there the thirteen attributes of Mercy are drawn.

We must mention the great mercy of Hashem, that even if the people of the world are judged in the Heavenly courts and are deserving of all types of punishments, the supplications can switch it all to good. This is what the verse says, צדיק מושל יראת אלקים - The righteous one rules fear of God. The gemara in Moed Katan (16B) explains that Hashem says, "Who rules over me? The Tzaddik. For I make a decree and he annuls it."

How is this? At the time that there is a tzadik in the world who knows how to meditate on his tefila, and he knows how to reach the level of Hashem's desire and Mercy, even though there is a decree in the Heavenly court, the prayer of that tzadik reaches up to the Crown (כתר), and the gates of the World of Mercy are opened. When that occurs, those judgments are nullified, because the lights of Mercy have appeared and filled all the Sefiros with mercy and an influx of blessings and nearness [to Hashem].

After we have given this concept to you, it should be known that when the time came for the Jewish people to be redeemed from Egypt, they were not fitting for redemption. What did Hashem do? He saw the time (קץ) had arrived and they were not worthy so He revealed the face of the Crown (כתר) which is the world of pure Mercy. Then all the sefiros and all the channels were filled with Chessed (kindness) and Mercy, and the anger passed.

This is what Hashem meant when He said to Moshe, "Tell the children of Israel that Ehkyeh sent me" - in other words - the World of pure Mercy was being revealed (corresponding to the world of כתר which is denoted by the name Ehkyeh - ag). The attribute of Justice has been switched to the attribute of Mercy, and for this reason you are being redeemed. With this name of Mercy, "Ehkyeh" are you being redeemed.

עד כאן דבריו

The final redemption, too, will occur with this highest level of Hashem's name. It would seem that just as in Egypt the Jewish people were not worthy, but Hashem displayed his unconditional Love for us, so too it will be in the Final Redemption, may it be soon. Amen.