The Name Yerushalayim Is a Magnificent Integration of Chesed and Din
This provides us with a better understanding of HKB”H’s rationale regarding the name Yerushalayim: “If I call the place ‘Yireh,’ as Avraham called it”— implying that even if the people are lacking or flawed, I will still treat them with the utmost compassion, then— “Shem, a righteous man, would have grounds to complain”—because according to his opinion a person must be “shaleim” (display exemplary behavior and propriety) in Yerushalayim. On the other hand, “If I call it ‘Shaleim,’ Avraham, a righteous man, will have grounds to complain,” since he, being the paradigm of chesed, prayed that HKB”H would treat even those who were yet flawed with compassion. “Instead, I will call it ‘Yerushalayim,’ in accordance with what both of them called it— “Yireh” and “Shalem”—“Yerushalayim.” Thus, even if a person is not completely proper and flawless, HKB”H recalls the Akeidah and becomes filled with “rachamim.” Notwithstanding, the desired ideal and goal is for man to ultimately achieve the status of being “shaleim”—perfection and propriety.
We can now address the question asked by the Yifeh To’ar on the Midrash. Why did HKB”H place the name attributed to Avraham—"ירו"—ahead of the name attributed to Shem—"שלם"—in the name "ירושלים"? He answers: It is because Avraham was more righteous than Shem, i.e., he was a bigger tzaddik. However, we can explain the matter based on Rashi’s comment (Bereishis 1, 1): The opening passuk of the Torah employs the name Elokim—"בראשית ברא אלקים"— rather than Havaya—"ברא ה'"; this indicates that the Creator initially intended to create the world based on the midah of “din.” He foresaw, however, that the world could not survive based on this strict standard. Therefore, he preferentially partnered the midah of “rachamim” with the midah of “din.” This partnership and preference for “midas harachamim” are evident in the passuk (ibid. 2, 4): ״ביום עשות ה' אלקים ארץ ושמים". (Note that in this passuk both divine names are employed, but the name of “rachamim” precedes the name of “din.”)
Thus, we see that HKB”H placed “midas harachamim” ahead of “midas hadin.” So, we can suggest that this is the meaning of Avraham Avinu’s tefilah: "הוי"ה יראה אשר יאמר היום בהר הוי"ה יראה"—he prayed that the name Havaya (the name of “rachamim”) that HKB”H placed preferentially ahead of the name Elokim (the name of “din”) would prevail in Yerushalayim. Therefore, HKB”H granted his request; He placed the name given by Avraham ahead of the name given by Shem in the name Yerushalayim.
We should be pleased that this also provides us with a better understanding of the explanation of the Megaleh Amukos. HKB”H added the letter “yud”— the first letter of the name Havaya, the name of “rachamim” and “chesed”—to the two names given by Avraham and Shem. He did so to explain why the name given by Avraham took precedence over the name given by Shem; this reflects the precedence given the name Havaya over the name Elokim at the beginning of creation.
