dear God, we can't bear this kind of hesed,
you say, a kindness hidden,
all we see is darkness.
you rule us in fire.
please, God, rule us in love.
haven't you heard you catch more flies with honey,
than with vinegar?
make the beginning as in the end,
a hesed revealed,
a hesed that needs no discerning, defining,
before all eyes, in the beginning.
parshat beresheit from eish kodesh october 18, 1941
but look, we lack the strength to bear this kind of chesed. therefore our teacher Moses brought it about that "all the signs and miracles ... and all the mighty acts" (Deut. 34:11) should be before the eyes of Israel ... In the beginning." That is, from the outset, at the beginning, and immediately, there would be chesed "before the eyes of all Israel," meaning good, revealed chesed.
אבל הלא אין לנו כח לסבול חסד לזה לכן פעל מש"ר לכל האותות והמופתים וכו' ולכל היד החזקה אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל בראשית שגם בראשית ומתחילה ומיד יהי' חסד לעיני כל ישראל היינו בחסדים טובים ונגלים.
