But Jewish tradition offers a powerful reassurance: evil can never truly have the last word.
How can we be so sure? Well, let's think about it logically. If evil had absolute, unchecked power, it would essentially be its own independent kingdom, right? A force unto itself. But here’s the thing: we believe in Eyn Sof, blessed be He – the Infinite, the ultimate source of all being. Eyn Sof's existence is, by definition, absolutely necessary. It has to be.
And if that's true, if there is a singular, necessary source of all goodness and existence, then there's simply no room for a separate, all-powerful domain of pure evil. As the Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a text of profound wisdom, makes clear, even when we're surrounded by negativity, we have to acknowledge that there's a force of goodness that necessarily exists and, therefore, holds sway.
Think about that for a moment. Even if you add up all the suffering and darkness in the world, you simply cannot escape the conclusion that a domain of goodness is there, fundamentally, irrevocably.
This doesn't mean evil disappears. It means it's always, ultimately, under a higher authority. It means evil can never completely destroy the entire world.
Now, sometimes this necessary existence of goodness can be hidden. The Divine light can be concealed – as much as God wants, the text says. We might not always see the goodness, we might struggle to find it. But that doesn't mean it's not there.
His existence cannot be nullified. Even within the deepest concealment, His unity cannot be negated.
This is incredibly comforting, isn't it? Even when things look bleakest, when the world feels overwhelming, the foundation of goodness remains. It is always present, interwoven into the very fabric of reality. The world, therefore, cannot be destroyed.
So, the next time you feel surrounded by darkness, remember this: the light is still there, perhaps hidden, but undeniably present and ultimately, unconquerable. Perhaps our task is to simply search for it, to reveal it, to trust that it exists even when we can't see it. Because, as the Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah reminds us, the very nature of reality guarantees it.