9. Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the verse: "And in mercy a throne was established, and He sat upon it in truthfulness..." (Yeshayah 16:5). "And in Mercy a throne was established" refers, as we explained, to the thought, THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, CALLED 'THE SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA'. It went up to BE ESTABLISHED by the will and joy from the most hidden of all that is never known nor conceived, WHICH IS ATIK. The joy FROM ATIK shone into the thought, ABA, and came to wherever it came, NAMELY, IT UNITED WITH THE SUPERNAL IMA BY THE LIGHT OF CHESED IN A NEVER ENDING UNION, IN THE SECRET OF THE VERSE, "BECAUSE HE DELIGHTS IN MERCY (HEB. CHESED)" (MICHAH 7:18).