It’s a question that echoes through Jewish mystical thought, particularly in texts like Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah (which translates roughly as "Forty-Seven Openings of Wisdom"). It's not just about a single moment of creation, but about the process of repair, the slow climb back from chaos.
The text paints a picture of the "Supreme Mind" – think of it as the ultimate architect of reality – carefully calculating the dimensions of creation after its ruin. What does that even mean?
Imagine a sculptor whose masterpiece is shattered. Do they just give up? No! They gather the pieces, reassess, and begin again, incorporating the lessons of the breakage into a new, perhaps even more profound, work. That's kind of what we're talking about here. These "forces of creation" (havayot in Hebrew) emerge specifically from the destruction. It's a powerful image.
Now, the intention isn't to create more evil. Quite the opposite! The goal is to move away from evil. But how? Through what the text calls the "mystery of the Supreme Unity." This is a core concept in Jewish mysticism, the idea that everything, even evil, ultimately serves to reveal God’s underlying unity. Even though evil exists, and even has a purpose, the repair comes through revealing that hidden unity. Think of it like a spotlight slowly illuminating a darkened room, chasing away the shadows.
But here’s the catch. The perfection, the complete repair, isn't revealed all at once. Why not? Because if it were, there would be no more evil left in the world. And, according to this view, evil plays a role. That immediate, total perfection would negate the purpose of everything.
Instead, the perfection is revealed "little by little." The creations, which had been ravaged by evil, begin to endure. Evil no longer has the same destructive power it once did. But… and this is a crucial "but"... their existence isn't entirely secure. Evil can still attack. It can still damage.
This is where it gets really interesting, isn't it? This isn't a story of a single, definitive victory. It's a story of ongoing struggle, a constant process of repair and rebuilding. The world is not simply "fixed" and then left to run on its own. It requires constant attention, constant effort, to maintain its integrity and prevent the forces of chaos from overwhelming it.
What does this mean for us? Perhaps it means that we too are part of this ongoing process of repair. Our actions, our choices, contribute to the gradual revelation of unity and perfection. We are not passive observers, but active participants in the cosmic drama. The fight isn't over, the work isn't done, but every act of goodness, every effort to repair the world, makes a difference. We are, in our own small way, helping to secure the existence of creation itself.