Jewish mysticism delves into that very question, and sometimes the answers are surprising. Today, let's peek into some rather esoteric teachings from Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah – that's "46 Openings of Wisdom," a deep dive into Kabbalah.
We've been talking about these… garments. Not literal clothing, mind you, but rather these… structures, almost like filters, that had to be in charge in order for evil to even exist. Why? And what does it mean that they had to "rule"?
The text breaks it down into two parts: First, how the garments ruled. And second, why that rule is actually described as a "fall." Intriguing, right?
So, Part 1: "When it was necessary to give control to the garments by themselves…" What’s that all about? As the text tells us, the root of evil lies in the function these garments carried out while they were in charge. You see, during this period, they were considered "worlds in their own right." Think of it like this: normally, everything is connected, flowing from Atzilut, the realm of divine emanation. And about Atzilut, we are told, "Evil will not dwell with You" (Psalms 5:5).
Think about that verse from Psalms for a second. It's powerful.
But, and this is a big but, if the intention – the divine intention, mind you – was to produce evil, then these garments had to be in control. Only then, acting independently, could they actually bring it about. It's not that the garments are evil, but that their specific function, when isolated, creates the possibility of evil.
It's a complex idea, I know. And we haven't even gotten to the "fall" part yet! But think about it: the Kabbalah often uses metaphors to help us grapple with concepts that are beyond our everyday understanding. These "garments," these structures, are part of a much larger, intricate system. And sometimes, to understand the whole, we have to look at the individual components and how they function, even if that function seems… dark.
What do you make of all this? Is evil an inherent part of creation, or is it simply a consequence of how things are arranged? Food for thought, indeed.