That feeling, that sense of diminishing returns, is at the heart of a powerful concept explored in the Kabbalistic text, Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, "30 Openings of Wisdom."
The text speaks of a descent, a gradual decline from an initial state of utter perfection. Imagine a pure, unadulterated light. Now imagine that light passing through layer after layer of veils, each one dimming its brilliance, obscuring its essence.
That's essentially what's happening here. With each level of descent, "what remained of the initial perfection became less and less." Why? Because of hester panim – concealment. This idea of concealment is vital in Kabbalah. It suggests that the Divine is not always readily apparent. It's veiled, hidden, for reasons that are complex and often debated.
And the consequences of this concealment? Deficiency. The further we move from that original perfection, the greater the lack, the greater the void. According to Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, this deficiency can grow so profound that "actual evil started to develop."
But here's a crucial point: even at this stage, what emerges is only "the beginning of evil." It's not the complete, unadulterated opposite of perfection just yet. It's the potential for it.
Think of it like a seed. A seed contains the potential for a mighty tree, but it also contains the potential for rot and decay if it's not nurtured properly. The same is true here.
The text continues, stating that with "further intensification of the concealment level by level, the deficiency eventually becomes so great that actual evil comes into being." Actual evil. The direct opposite of perfection.
It’s a stark warning, isn’t it? A reminder that the further we stray from our source, from that initial spark of goodness, the more vulnerable we become to the forces of negativity. But it's also an invitation. An invitation to seek out those hidden sparks, to pierce through the veils of concealment, and to reconnect with the perfection that lies at the heart of all things.
So, what does this mean for us in our daily lives? Perhaps it's a call to be mindful of the choices we make, to strive for goodness even when it's difficult, and to remember that even in the darkest of times, a spark of the original perfection still remains. It might be hidden, it might be faint, but it's always there, waiting to be rekindled.