זוהר שמות — דף נב ע”א

The Zohar discusses here the secret of the perfect King. The King is complete in all: complete in His knowledge and in His judgment. When the King sits in judgment, He must hide His anger and conceal Himself, and I see that in this light He sits in judgment and conceals Himself. The Community of Israel is the bride and the Holy One is the King; at the coming of redemption the completeness of the Unity will be revealed. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire are the secret of the alternation between the supernal levels, Mercy and Severity.