Description: Chapter 2 - 04
Derech Hashem
Section III – Chapter 2 – 04
When Hashem created the world, He created the power of evil to balance the power of good. In every aspect of the world, where there is good, there is the potential for evil as well. Every person’s avodah and test in this world, and mankind as a whole are expected to eradicate evil through denying it power, by refraining from committing evil deeds.
Hashem is perfect and there is no possibility of evil or chisaron, but in the creation, it is possible for there to be the potential for evil, as ‘chisaron’ or deficiency, lack of perfection, is an aspect of creation, as we have discussed in the past.
Therefore, whatever good is in the world, has an equal power of evil, and the work of a person is to identify the evil and banish it from the world, through connecting and becoming close to Hashem, who is the ultimate good. Through this, good becomes the definition of the world forever. This is what the pasuk in Koheles is referring to when it says, ‘gam zeh le’umas zeh asah Elokim.’
In only one respect does good have an advantage over evil, and that is because good has its root in the perfection of Hashem, and therefore it is eternal, whereas evil is just a by-product of creation, and is there only to test a person’s motivation and perseverance.
The same way Hashem created the ability to achieve divine wisdom and understanding, and to grasp things which aren’t humanly possible, because of Ruach Hakodesh, likewise Hashem made the potential for the opposite, that a person can bring upon himself a Ruach Hatumah, which is also not natural. This is the concept of magic and witchcraft, and communing with dead spirits, which the Torah prohibits. They too, through utilizing certain names and words, under certain conditions, one can bring upon himself a power of evil and tumah and defilement, which takes him far away from Hashem, the exact opposite of devaikus in Hashem. This power comes from the potential evil which resides in this world, created by Hashem to balance the good. Utilizing this power can also change the nature of the world and cause miracles to occur, because Hashem decreed that this power should be available to evil as well. This is what the Chartumim of Mitzrayim did. They can only do certain things as Hashem granted the ability, and only within certain contexts, as we find in Chazal that they have no power over creatures smaller than a lentil, and others don’t have power over water and so on. However, within their ability is to control the Malachim appointed over the natural world, and once again force them to do their will.
This is what Chazal mean when they say that the word ‘keshafim,’ witchcraft, is from the root of, ‘she’makchishim pamalyah shel ma’alah,’ they weaken the host of heaven, meaning they are given control over the Malachim and can force them to do as they want. They are limited as we explained, but in addition, one who is connected to Hashem can be immune to their power, as it says, ‘Ain od milvado, afilu keshafim,’ if someone is a great tzaddik and is fully davuk in Hashem, magic can’t affect him as he will be saved from Heaven, as it says regarding Rav Chanina, who had great zchusim.
Derech Hashem
Section III – Chapter 2 – 04
When Hashem created the world, He created the power of evil to balance the power of good. In every aspect of the world, where there is good, there is the potential for evil as well. Every person’s avodah and test in this world, and mankind as a whole are expected to eradicate evil through denying it power, by refraining from committing evil deeds.
Hashem is perfect and there is no possibility of evil or chisaron, but in the creation, it is possible for there to be the potential for evil, as ‘chisaron’ or deficiency, lack of perfection, is an aspect of creation, as we have discussed in the past.
Therefore, whatever good is in the world, has an equal power of evil, and the work of a person is to identify the evil and banish it from the world, through connecting and becoming close to Hashem, who is the ultimate good. Through this, good becomes the definition of the world forever. This is what the pasuk in Koheles is referring to when it says, ‘gam zeh le’umas zeh asah Elokim.’
In only one respect does good have an advantage over evil, and that is because good has its root in the perfection of Hashem, and therefore it is eternal, whereas evil is just a by-product of creation, and is there only to test a person’s motivation and perseverance.
The same way Hashem created the ability to achieve divine wisdom and understanding, and to grasp things which aren’t humanly possible, because of Ruach Hakodesh, likewise Hashem made the potential for the opposite, that a person can bring upon himself a Ruach Hatumah, which is also not natural. This is the concept of magic and witchcraft, and communing with dead spirits, which the Torah prohibits. They too, through utilizing certain names and words, under certain conditions, one can bring upon himself a power of evil and tumah and defilement, which takes him far away from Hashem, the exact opposite of devaikus in Hashem. This power comes from the potential evil which resides in this world, created by Hashem to balance the good. Utilizing this power can also change the nature of the world and cause miracles to occur, because Hashem decreed that this power should be available to evil as well. This is what the Chartumim of Mitzrayim did. They can only do certain things as Hashem granted the ability, and only within certain contexts, as we find in Chazal that they have no power over creatures smaller than a lentil, and others don’t have power over water and so on. However, within their ability is to control the Malachim appointed over the natural world, and once again force them to do their will.
This is what Chazal mean when they say that the word ‘keshafim,’ witchcraft, is from the root of, ‘she’makchishim pamalyah shel ma’alah,’ they weaken the host of heaven, meaning they are given control over the Malachim and can force them to do as they want. They are limited as we explained, but in addition, one who is connected to Hashem can be immune to their power, as it says, ‘Ain od milvado, afilu keshafim,’ if someone is a great tzaddik and is fully davuk in Hashem, magic can’t affect him as he will be saved from Heaven, as it says regarding Rav Chanina, who had great zchusim.