The Berditchever's Parliament

Before Kol Nidrei, the Imrei Chaim told a teaching he had heard from his uncle, the Ateres Yeshua of Dzikov, in the name of the Berditchever Rav, the Sanegoran Shel Yisroel (advocate of the Jewish people). The Berditchever said, "Master of the World, You have a Jewish parliament made up of the sages of Klal Yisroel of each generation. By Your own laws of Torah You are required to ask their permission before You decree anything harsh. If You wish to give them shefa and beracha, bounty and blessings, You need not seek their approval beforehand. But if You wish, Heaven forbid, to act with harsh judgments, You cannot do so without their agreement." He explained the verse (Devarim 4:35), "Ata haresa l'daas ki Hashem Hu haElokim, ayn od milvado." The name Elokim alludes to harsh judgment, so the verse reads: if You wish to act harshly, then ayn od milvado, You are acting alone, and the parliament does not agree. You cannot decree so without asking them first. Interrupting his own telling, the Imrei Chaim said, "For example, You would have to ask the holy Berditchever, who always sought the best and advocated for Klal Yisroel, or my holy father, the Ahavas Yisroel of Vizhnitz. You need their advice and their agreement." He then continued with the Berditchever's explanation of Tehillim 136:4, "L'oseh niflaos gedolos l'vado ki l'olam chasdo." If Hashem wishes to do great wonders for us and send bounty and kindness, then l'vado, He can do so entirely on His own.