Likutei Moharan 80:1/ליקוטי מוהר"ן פ׳:א׳

1“HaShem Oz L’Aamo Yetein (God Gives His People Strength); God blesses His people with peace.” (Psalms 29:11)

2Behold, the great value of peace is known. As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: The Holy One, blessed be He, found no suitable vessel to contain [Israel’s] blessing other than peace (Uktzin 3:12) .

3What is peace? It is the uniting of opposites. As our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded the verse (Job 25:2), “He makes peace in His heights”—this angel is made of fire and this one is from water (Zohar III, 12b). These are opposites, since water extinguishes fire. Yet God makes peace between them and unites them.

4This is the aspect of Yosef. Yosef joins opposites—benevolences and severities.

5Therefore, of Yosef it is said: “Yosef brought bad reports of them [to their father]” (Genesis 37:2). This is the element of severities, since the left hand pushes away (Sotah 47a). <Yet it is also written concerning [Yosef]>, “I am seeking my brothers” (Genesis 37:16). This is the element of benevolences, since the right hand brings close (Sotah, ibid .) .

6<In addition,> it is written (Genesis 42:6), “Yosef was the ruler,” which is the aspect of severities; “he was the provider of food for all the people,” which is the aspect of benevolences.

7Thus it is said of him (ibid. 41:43): “[those going] before him proclaimed, ‘ AVReiKh (the viceroy)’,” which Rashi explains as: AV (an elder) in wisdom, and RaKh (young) in years. This alludes to expanded and contracted consciousness, {which correspond to benevolences and severities, as is known}.