Behold a Place With Me and the Hidden Treasury of Grace

"And He said, Behold, there is a place by Me" (Exodus 33:21). Rabbi Yosi ben Chalafta said: It is not written here "Behold, I am in this place," but rather "Behold, there is a place by Me" — My place is subordinate to Me, and I am not subordinate to My place. "And He said, I will make all My goodness pass before you" (Exodus 33:19). "All My goodness" — this is the measure of good and the measure of retribution. "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious" (Exodus 33:19). At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him all the treasuries of the reward that are prepared for the righteous. He said before Him: Master of the universe, whose is this treasury? He said to him: It belongs to those who perform charity. And whose is this one? Of those who support orphans. And so with each and every treasury. Until he saw one treasury. He said to Him: Whose is this one? He said to him: For the one who has merit, I give to him from his reward; and for the one who has nothing, I act with him for free, as it is said, "And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious." It is not written here "to whom grace is shown," but rather "to whom I will be gracious" [the verb is active and unconditioned: My grace flows from Me, not from the recipient's worth].