What Do Jews Believe About Evil

"If only one country, for whatever reason, tolerates a Jewish family in it, that family will become the germ center for fresh sedition. If one little Jewish boy survives without any Jewish education, with no synagogue and no Hebrew school, it [Judaism] is in his soul. Even if there had never been a synagogue or a Jewish school or an Old Testament, the Jewish spirit would still exist and exert its influence. It has been there from the beginning and there is no Jew, not a single one, who does not personify it.” (From a conversation with Croatian Foreign Minister General Kvaternik, July 21, 1941, cited by Robert Wistrich, Hitler’s Apocalypse, p. 122.)

What's the difference between Evil versus hurtful

"And the Egyptians were evil to us and tormented us, and they imposed hard labor upon us" – Deuteronomy 26:6; part of the Haggadah liturgy.

“Do not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land” (Deut. 23: 8).

Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God … You shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget! (Deut. 25: 17-19)

The whole thrust of the narrative would suggest that if any nation would become the symbol of evil, it would be Egypt.

"If love depends on a specific cause, when the cause ends, so does the love. If love does not depend on a specific cause, then it never ends.”

Does the Same Apply to hate? Hate that depends on a cause vs. hate for the sake of hate?

Why did the Egyptians oppress the Jews- The Egyptians oppressed the Israelites because, in Pharaoh’s words, “The Israelites are becoming too numerous and strong for us” (Ex. 1: 9).

Why did the Amalekites attack the Jews- no reason, they attacked those who were “weary and worn out,” those who were “lagging behind.”

the Egyptians feared the Israelites because they were strong. The Amalekites attacked the Israelites because they were weak.

Did G-d Create Evil- Aron Moss

Goodness exists because G‑d desired it; evil exists because G‑d doesn't want it.

If G‑d decides He doesn't want something, then that decision itself makes that thing exist. G‑d's all-powerfulness means that even His not-wanting creates.

But evil doesn't exist in the same way that goodness exists. G‑d wants goodness, so its existence is true and everlasting. Evil exists as a negative, something G‑d doesn't want, so it exists in order to not exist. Evil is no more than an undesirable non-entity, a path not to be taken. By doing evil acts, we give evil more credit than it deserves. Our bad choices make evil into a truer existence than it really is.

Introduction to the Zohar

To release the holy spark, the encumbering shell of evil must be removed- Evil and impurity are often referred to in the Zohar as "the other side" [sitra achra], meaning the side distinct from, and opposed to, holiness. Evil is also referred to as kelipa, meaning literally "shell" or "bark". The kelipa conceals within it a spark of holiness, which is the vital force by virtue of which the kelipa exists, analogous to a fruit surrounded by a shell or peel. In order to release the holy spark the encumbering shell must be removed.

Blessing Over the good vs. the bad

1. When a very positive event happens, we say- HaTov veHaMetiv

2. When something substantially bad happens- we make the blessing BDE

3. In Messianic times we will say the blessing of HaTov veHaMetiv in all circumstances

Tales From the Past

Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Chassidism, served as reader of the weekly Torah section in his synagogue. One year, Rabbi Schneur Zalman was away from home on the Shabbat on which the section of Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26-29) was read. In the Rebbe’s absence, someone else did the reading.

Ki Tavo includes the “Rebuke” (tochacha), a harsh description of the calamities destined to befall the Jewish people should they forsake the commandments of the Torah. Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s young son DovBer was so greatly affected by the curses of the Rebuke that he fell ill. Three weeks later, when Yom Kippur approached, he was still so weak that his father was hesitant in allowing him to fast.

When the youngster was asked, “Why did the reading affect you so? Don’t you hear the Rebuke every year?” he replied, “When father reads, one hears only blessings, not curses."

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Rabbi Akiva taught: A person should always say: “Everything that G-d does, He does for the good.” Rabbi Akiva was once traveling, when he arrived in a certain town. He asked for lodgings and was refused. Said he: “Everything that G-d does, He does for the good,” and went to spend the night in a field.

He had with him a rooster, a donkey and a lamp. A wind came and extinguished the lamp, a cat came and ate the rooster, a lion came and ate the donkey. Said he: “Everything that G-d does, He does for good.” That night, an army came and took the entire town captive. Said Rabbi Akiva to his disciples: “Did I not tell you that everything that G-d does, He does for good?” (If the lamp had been lit, the army would have seen me; if the donkey would have brayed or the rooster would have called, the army would have come and captured me.)

Why did G-d create evil?

Choose Good by Rabbi David Aaron

For there to be choice, evil has to be an option, and it must be attractive. Kabbalah teaches that the main feature and advantage of this world is the evil in it. This world was not created for what is already good in it. This world was created to be a forum for a new and higher kind of goodness—the goodness born out of overcoming evil and choosing to do good.

How Should We Face Evil?

Transforming Evil into Good- Rabbi Yitschak Ginsburg

The great Kabbalist, Abulafia, said that God’s 4 letter Name stands for “the good inclination and the evil inclination” = 903, the sum of all numbers from 1 to 42.

God’s essence is absolute good. His Name unites the energies of good and evil so that both serve the purpose of good.

The Maggid of Mezritch, the successor of the Ba’al Shem Tov, explained that “evil” in Hebrew simply means “below.” It is lower reality. God created the world with a passion to dwell below. Why? We can’t know. To realize His passion we must transform evil to good.

Dealing With Evil- Rabbi Simon Jacobson

A great Rebbe once told his distressed student: “I don’t have answers for you. But I can cry with you.”

A mind, no matter how brilliant, cannot speak to a bleeding heart. Intellect and emotions speak different languages.

Silence – and only awesome silence – remains the ultimate response in the face of atrocity. “Vayidom Aaron”, Aaron was silent when his two sons were ripped away from him in their prime. “Shetok” – be silent! Is what G-d declares when He was challenged how He can allow good people to suffer; “is this Torah and is this it’s reward?!”…

Approaching Evil- Rabbi Jacobson

The only way to release the Divine spark is by destroying the evil. “Their destruction is their repair.” And when the evil is destroyed we have the power to transform the remaining spark (which once was trapped to the point that it took the shape of evil) into a force for good, the “transgressions become like virtues.”

The crimes themselves (like murder, rape and child abuse, mentioned by Kathi) are completely evil. Their only fate and redemption is total and complete eradication. Yet those that have endured the crime have the ability to not remain “victims” and feel “forever damaged.” They have beautiful souls, which have the power to transcend and grow through the process.

Pninei Halacha, Sefer Zmanim, Chapter 14, Section 4

The Amalekite people symbolize the root of evil in the world, and they introduced Jew-hatred to mankind. The Jewish people face a difficult struggle in this world.

Three mitzvot in the Torah relate to Amalek. The first is a positive commandment to remember what Amalek did to us, as it says, Remember what Amalek did to you on the way when you were leaving Egypt(Devarim 25:17). The second is a negative commandment not to forget what Amalek did to us, as it says, Do not forget(ibid. 25:19). The third is a positive commandment to eradicate Amalek’s offspring from the world, as it says, It shall be that when the Lord your God gives you rest from all your enemies around, in the Land that the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess it, you shall obliterate the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens(ibid.).

Should we negotiate with evil?

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you too become like him- Mishlei 26:4

Negotiating with evil lends legitimacy to an illegitimate entity.

Confronting Evil- Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

To be a Jew is to live within the tension which sees evil as real and therefore rejects premature consolation, acceptance of the world. And it is also to say that God is real and therefore hope is not an illusion. If God exists then life has a purpose. If evil exists then we have not yet achieved that purpose. Until then we must travel: lech lecha – like Abraham and Sarah travelled and as Jews have travelled ever since – el ha’aretz asher are’eka – to the land which I will show you – which is always just over the horizon which is always not quite yet.

A Little Light Banishes A Lot of Darkness