Description: Chapter 5 - 03
Derech Hashem
Chapter 5 – 03
Hashem constructed this world in a fashion that everything that is associated with man’s choice, is dependent on bechirah chofshis, free choice, and will be affected by man’s choice. The effect is commensurate to Hashem’s decree, but not only does a person’s actions have an effect, but so does his speech and even thought. But the amount of difference it makes is predetermined by Hashem, and limited accordingly.
Once a person makes a choice, and causes an effect in this world, other forces come into play, even the forces which aren’t subject to bechirah, but they will react according to the actions a man took. All these concepts are very intricate and complex, and Hashem created the world with hundreds and thousands of natural laws and spiritual laws, and Hashem’s approach to the guiding the world revolves around these secrets which Hashem embedded into the fabric of the world.
We have already discussed that Hashem decreed that the world contain both good and bad, meaning both aspects which bring a person close to Hashem, and both aspects which distance him from Hashem. Those that distance him from Hashem are there to create a challenge so that every person has to work to achieve closeness to Hashem, and make it their achievement. These aspects of good and bad have their root in the spiritual world as well, and are then mishtalsheil into this physical world. In all the upper spiritual worlds, there are both good situations and bad situations, good being when Hashem’s light shines upon them, and the opposite is when Hashem turns away from them, and the result in this physical world plays out in this fashion as well – for good or for bad.
When we discuss that which is evil and bad in the world, it’s important to understand something. Hashem is the source of all good, and more specifically, if Hashem shines His countenance, and we can benefit from giluy, from recognizing and connecting to Hashem, all good comes from that. All which is evil in the world comes from the lack of Hashem’s light and presence, yet it’s incorrect to say that Hashem is the source of that which is bad in the world. The medrash says, ‘Ain Hakadosh Baruch Hu meyachaid shemo al harah,’ Hashem doesn’t allow His name be associated with evil. The lack of Hashem’s presence makes evil possible, but the source of evil was created by Hashem in His infinite wisdom. It is a koach, a power that Hashem created, to bring evil to it’s purpose in this world (to challenge us,) and this is what we refer to when we say, ‘Yotzair ohr u’borai rah,’ which is the way the original pasuk is read in Yeshayah. (In the brachah Chazal changed it to ‘Choshech.’ Hashem created the power of darkness in this world.
Derech Hashem
Chapter 5 – 03
Hashem constructed this world in a fashion that everything that is associated with man’s choice, is dependent on bechirah chofshis, free choice, and will be affected by man’s choice. The effect is commensurate to Hashem’s decree, but not only does a person’s actions have an effect, but so does his speech and even thought. But the amount of difference it makes is predetermined by Hashem, and limited accordingly.
Once a person makes a choice, and causes an effect in this world, other forces come into play, even the forces which aren’t subject to bechirah, but they will react according to the actions a man took. All these concepts are very intricate and complex, and Hashem created the world with hundreds and thousands of natural laws and spiritual laws, and Hashem’s approach to the guiding the world revolves around these secrets which Hashem embedded into the fabric of the world.
We have already discussed that Hashem decreed that the world contain both good and bad, meaning both aspects which bring a person close to Hashem, and both aspects which distance him from Hashem. Those that distance him from Hashem are there to create a challenge so that every person has to work to achieve closeness to Hashem, and make it their achievement. These aspects of good and bad have their root in the spiritual world as well, and are then mishtalsheil into this physical world. In all the upper spiritual worlds, there are both good situations and bad situations, good being when Hashem’s light shines upon them, and the opposite is when Hashem turns away from them, and the result in this physical world plays out in this fashion as well – for good or for bad.
When we discuss that which is evil and bad in the world, it’s important to understand something. Hashem is the source of all good, and more specifically, if Hashem shines His countenance, and we can benefit from giluy, from recognizing and connecting to Hashem, all good comes from that. All which is evil in the world comes from the lack of Hashem’s light and presence, yet it’s incorrect to say that Hashem is the source of that which is bad in the world. The medrash says, ‘Ain Hakadosh Baruch Hu meyachaid shemo al harah,’ Hashem doesn’t allow His name be associated with evil. The lack of Hashem’s presence makes evil possible, but the source of evil was created by Hashem in His infinite wisdom. It is a koach, a power that Hashem created, to bring evil to it’s purpose in this world (to challenge us,) and this is what we refer to when we say, ‘Yotzair ohr u’borai rah,’ which is the way the original pasuk is read in Yeshayah. (In the brachah Chazal changed it to ‘Choshech.’ Hashem created the power of darkness in this world.