It’s a question that has plagued humanity for millennia. And while theology and philosophy offer their explanations, Jewish mystical tradition, specifically Kabbalah, provides a fascinating, intricate answer.
The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a Kabbalistic text exploring the 49 "gates of wisdom," offers a unique perspective. It suggests that the creation of evil was actually relegated to the very last and lowest of all the spiritual levels. Imagine a hierarchy, a cascading waterfall of divine energy. At the top, pure goodness; at the bottom… well, that's where things get tricky.
This lowest level, according to the text, was originally just a small part of Malchut of Asiyah. Now, those are some big terms! Malchut generally refers to "kingdom" or "realm," and in Kabbalah represents the final, most manifest level of creation. Asiyah, in turn, is the "world of action," the physical realm we inhabit. So, this tiny piece was meant to be part of the divine plan as it manifested in our world.
But because it was just a fragment, separated from the greater whole, it lacked stature. It became the vessel, so to speak, for the emergence of evil. Think of it like a tiny crack in a perfect vase, allowing something unwanted to seep through.
But here’s the twist, the glimmer of hope that shines through this complex picture. The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah suggests that this state isn’t permanent. When the production of evil is no longer necessary – and isn’t that a powerful idea? – this lowest level will reintegrate with the others from which it was separated. It will be reunited, healed, made whole again.
And what then?
Then, all those levels, working together, will once again comprise the complete Malchut of Asiyah. The separation, the fragmentation that allowed evil to emerge, will be undone.
The implications are profound. It suggests a future where the very source of evil is neutralized, not by force, but by integration and healing. The text paints a picture of restoration, where the lower worlds – Atzilut (Emanation), Beriyah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation), and Asiyah – will ultimately return to a state of unity, with the highest realm, Atzilut, revealed over them as it was before what Kabbalists call "the breaking of the vessels" (shvirat hakelim).
As the Etz Chayim (Tree of Life), a foundational Kabbalistic text, puts it, "In time to come... the name of SaG will return to its original status, while the name of MaH will not operate" (Shaar HaZohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkun ch. 3, p. 49b). These are references to specific divine names and configurations, signifying a return to a state of wholeness and divine harmony.
So, what are we left with? A challenging but ultimately optimistic view of evil. It isn’t an inherent, inescapable force, but rather a temporary aberration, a consequence of fragmentation that can – and according to Kabbalah, will – be healed. It's a story of potential, of repair (tikkun olam), and a future where even the deepest cracks can be filled with light. A future where the source of evil itself is transformed, returning to its original, intended state of goodness. What do you think of that?