In other words, the Sefirot relate to His intrinsic essence, but the way they appear to us is subject to His will, and accordingly, His intrinsic Godliness is not visible to us. We may say that the Sefirot are Godliness in respect of their own intrinsic essence, but they are not Godliness inasmuch as they are visible to us, and the way they appear is bound up with the nature of the observer. If so, the radiation of the light was a willful act of God, yet at the same time, the radiating light is bound up with its Owner.
It is freely chosen in respect of the form in which it appears, but bound up with Him in its essence, inasmuch as it is a revelation of the Owner of the radiance. This explains the phrase of the sages describing the Tzaddikim in the future world as “enjoying the radiance of the Divine Presence” (Berachot 17a). They do not see the Divine Presence itself but attain a perception of the glory standing over them.