Jewish mysticism grapples with this very question, and the answer, as we find in texts like Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, is surprisingly intricate, involving a cosmic process of…cleansing.
Imagine the universe as a series of nested realms, one inside the other, each vibrating at a different spiritual frequency. We’re talking about the four worlds of Atzilut (Emanation), Beriyah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation), and Asiyah (Action). Think of them as progressively "lower" or more dense, each a step further removed from the pure, unadulterated light of the Divine. Originally, each world contained a mixture of good and evil, light and shadow.
According to Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, what occurred on each higher level of reality mirrored what happened on the level below. This cascading effect was a process of purification. It's as if each level was meticulously cleansed, shifting and transforming until the worlds of Beriyah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah were elevated, in a sense, becoming more refined: Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah. It’s a fascinating concept, isn’t it?
But where did all the "evil" go? Well, that’s where the lowest of the low comes in: Malchut of Asiyah. Malchut (Kingdom) represents the final, most tangible expression of the Divine will in our world. The text tells us that after all the other levels were ready to receive the light, the unenviable task of dealing with the "waste" was left to Malchut of Asiyah. Think of it as the cosmic dustbin.
Now, here's where it gets really interesting. The ARI, Rabbi Isaac Luria, the 16th-century Kabbalist whose teachings revolutionized Jewish mysticism, referred to Malchut as "robbed" or "despoiled," needing to be rescued from the hands of the oppressor. What does that mean? Well, this "oppressor" is the sitra achra, the "other side," the realm of negativity and chaos. Because the rejected "waste" from all the other levels ends up in Malchut, it's forced to contend with and, in a sense, maintain this "other side."
And why does this matter? Why all this cosmic housekeeping? Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah explains that light can only truly spread and take root in a vessel that's been cleansed of evil. The entire process of purification, this grand cosmic sorting, is all about creating a space for the Divine light to shine fully and brightly.
So, the next time you encounter darkness, remember this story. Remember the intricate process of cleansing, the role of Malchut, and the ongoing effort to create space for light. Perhaps, understanding this cosmic struggle can help us find a little more light in our own lives, too.