He frames the question like this: How can the “system [lit. chariot] of impurity and the husks” – the kelipot (more on that in a bit) – emerge from the very sanctity of God? How can God, of all things, maintain and nourish them?
Think about it. The Zohar, a foundational text of Kabbalah, is all about revealing the hidden dimensions of reality, the secrets of the divine. It paints a picture of a universe overflowing with God’s presence. So, where does impurity, where does evil, fit into all of that?
The key here is understanding this concept of kelipot (קְלִיפּוֹת). The word literally means "husks" or "shells." Imagine a fruit. The fruit itself is delicious, nourishing. The husk, on the other hand, protects the fruit, but it's also a barrier. It’s… separate. In Kabbalistic thought, kelipot are the layers that conceal the divine light, preventing it from reaching us in its pure form. They are, in a way, the "shadows" cast by God's infinite light.
So, back to the original question. How can these "husks," these barriers to divine light, come from God? It seems paradoxical, right? That's precisely what Baal HaSulam sets out to explain in his commentary. He's trying to unravel this mystery, to show us how even the existence of evil, or at least the appearance of evil, serves a higher purpose within the grand cosmic scheme.
It's a tough question, and there are no easy answers. But by delving into the teachings of the Zohar and the wisdom of Baal HaSulam, we can begin to glimpse a deeper understanding of the intricate, often perplexing, nature of reality itself. We can start to understand how even the darkness plays a role in revealing the light.