Fire of Law and Mercy in Zos Habracha

FOR PARSHAS ZOS HABRACHA

לָמוֹ אֵשׁ דָּתמִימִינוֹ “...from His right hand [He gave] to them a fire of law” (parshas Zos Habracha, Devorim 33:2)

The right hand represents kindness and rechamim (mercy). It seems incongruent with “a fire of law” which represents gevurah (strict justice).

Commenting on this verse, the Ramban explains this difficulty in the following way: ועל דרך האמת יגיד גם כן שהאש שהוא הדת היא מימינו כי מדת הדין כלולה ברחמים - The Torah is also revealing to us the truth that “the fire” which is “the law” is coming from the right hand [of HaKadosh Baoruch Hu]. And that is because the attribute of strict justice is within the attribute of mercy (i.e., strict justice is a manifestation of Hashem’s mercy.)