The Idra Zuta, a profound section of the Zohar, wrestles with this very question, specifically in relation to Zeir Anpin, often described as the Lesser Countenance, a crucial aspect of the Divine structure.
The text paints a fascinating picture of Zeir Anpin's eyes. They are described as eyes "that the wicked do not beware." What does that mean? It means that those who choose to do wrong don't believe they are being observed, judged, or held accountable.
These aren't just any eyes; they are eyes that are "asleep yet not asleep." A paradox, isn't it? This idea, that God's attention flickers, perhaps even appears absent at times, is a powerful one. It creates space for free will, for choice. But it also raises the stakes: If the Divine seems inattentive, how do we ensure justice prevails?
The Idra Zuta then draws a beautiful connection to the Song of Songs (Shir Hashirim 5:12), saying "His eyes are like doves (yonim)." But it doesn't stop there. It cleverly links yonim to the verse in Leviticus (Vayikra 25:14): "you shall not defraud (tonu) one another." This is more than just a play on words. It's a profound moral lesson.
The text is specifically referencing price gouging, a form of economic exploitation. The wicked, the text suggests, believe they can get away with such actions because they perceive God as being "asleep," not paying attention to their transgressions. They think they can cheat and exploit without consequence.
This echoes sentiments found elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. As we find in Psalms (Tehillim 94:7), the wicked might say, “Yah shall not see, nor shall the Elohim of Yaakov regard it." They arrogantly assume their actions are hidden from divine scrutiny. The very next verse in Psalms (Tehillim 94:9) throws this assumption back at them with a biting question: “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?” In other words, how can the source of all perception be unseeing?
The Idra Zuta isn't offering a simple answer to the question of divine presence. Instead, it's presenting a complex, nuanced perspective. It acknowledges the perception of divine absence, the feeling that injustice goes unnoticed. But it also subtly reminds us that such a perception is a dangerous illusion. Perhaps the Divine isn't always intervening directly, but the potential for justice, the awareness of right and wrong, remains. It is up to us to choose to see, to choose to act ethically, even when it seems no one is watching.