© 2019  by Rabbi Dr. Zvi Aviner

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IDOLATRY-17/Evil in Y*H*V*H eyes

Know your CREATOR, know yourself and know the difference

 

 

  

 I 

1: Evil as an idol

 

In our quest of studying IDOLATRY we’ve covered all sorts of idols, some transient in history and some here to stay.  Some are rooted in ignorance and superstition, others more sophisticated like celestial bodies. Some are imaginary and others derived from the way our psyche is built, like our Ego, our Passions or even our Wisdom. They all can serve as IDOLATRY traps for our trial. In fact, GOD (ELKM) consulted them and made Adam- for our benefit, but also for our IDOLATRY trial.  After all GOD (ELKM) the JUDGE always builds for a trial.

But there is one idol that supersedes all others in its charm and magic, and danger-EVIL.

Has Man ever worshiped it? You may ask.
“Are you kidding?” – Would be my answer, “we’ve recently seen entire civilized nation falling a prey to its charm. Their leaders preached in public that evil is good, that war is a blessing, that the Bible has “poisoned the Arian Race’  soul.”  We’ve also seen the results of this terrible teaching – millions of innocent victims murdered in cold blood. Other cults have worshiped Satan as a powerful entity which parallels G-D.  They commit heinous crimes in the name of Satan.

But worshiping Evil can be done in a subtler way. Our generation has already done this.  We watch Evil played out on our silver screens and in our computer games.  Doing Evil is a major motive for joining ISIS, young people attracted to it by videos glorifying forced slavery, rape of infidels and beheading- in real life. Yes, Evil is worshiped in our lands, and is growing.

Our question, in this class, is:  What is Evil?  Who created it, when and what for?

 

2. “Very Good”

 

What is Evil? Is it a subjective  feeling about something that we hate? Or is it an objective entity that we perceive, see  and hate? Is it something that G-d Feels and Hates, or we see and hate?  Is Evil  imaginary or real? Is Evil  a powerful, ‘bad entity’ against G-d that can control the world? And most profoundly- Who created it, when and why?

The Talmud summarizes “bad things” that were created on the Sixth Day as it turns into the Sabbath.  These bad things  are listed as follows: (Rabbi Riesh Lakish, 3rd Century AD)

  •  1. Pains
  • 2. Suffering
  • 3. Death
  • 4. Natural Calamities
  • 5. Destruction by Man
  • 6. Bad inclination to sin
  • 7. Satan

Some of these entities are subjective, bad feelings, like pains. Others are objective, like  calamities.  Some are caused by nature, others by Man.  Some are embedded in our psyche, like our drive to sin, “the serpent of Eden that has entered our souls.”  The last term on the list, Satan, may relate to the apparent “Cosmic Evil” that seems  to grab our Universe.  It refers not only to pains and suffering but mainly to the fact that they  exist .   This evil entity seems to be responsible for an explosion of Nova and the formation of black holes that swallow entire solar systems every minute.  It is responsible for the fact that calamities occur, that diseases eat our bodies, that animals prey on each other and that parasites take advantage on their hosts. All that is an expression of evil.

But what does Moses think bout the above list? About Satan? About Evil?

To see how  Moses defines Evil, let’s focus again on the transition between the Sixth and he Seventh Days  as follows:.

 


And EloKiM made the animals…cattle…and everything creeping
And EloKiM saw that is was good…
And ELoKim said let us make Adam in our form and our image…
And ELoKiM blessed them saying be fruitful and multiply…
And EloKiM said behold, I have given you all the grass…
And ELoHiM saw everything that He had done and behold, it was
VERY GOOD (Tov Meod) And it was evening, and it was morning,

Y   om  (Day)
H
  a Shishi, (Sixth) (Genesis 1:31)
…………………………the Sabbath ………………………….

V  aYechulu (and they ended)
H  aShamyim (the Heaves)And the Earth, VeHaaretz, and all their hosts,

And ELoHiM finished all the work he had done,
And ELoHiM finished on the Seventh Day His work which He had done,
And He abstained on the Seventh Day from all His work which He had done

And ELKM blessed the Seventh Day…” (Genesis 2: 1-2)

The above is a quotation of Genesis Chapter One showing the transition between the Sixth and the Sabbath Days.
The Sixth Day is colored red- under the rule of GOD (ELKM)
The Sabbath is colored blue- under the rule of the LORD (YHVH)
The dotted line marks the end  of the Sixth Day (our world) as it turns into the Eternal Sabbath

As you can see, the Name  ELKM is mentioned 3 times in the Sabbath, where He “ceases” or “abstains” from His Work and from Judging  (This is what the Hebrew word Shabbat means)

You can also see the Acronym Y-H-V-H  (LORD) entering our Sixth Day from the Sabbath.  Her  front half, Y-H, Dwells in our Sixth Day (“The Dweller,” Shechina) whereas the other half, V-H, still Reigns over the Sabbath.

You can say that here is a cross movement – each Attribute aspires  to enter and “rest” in the other’s Domain: ELKM ‘longs’ (khalah) to cease His work within the Sabbath, while YHVH Desires to “Dwell” or “Rest” in our world, or better – in the human heart.

Now let’s focus on the transition between the Days.  The verse is saying that at the End of the Sixth Day, ELKM will judge “everything that He had done” – from the Beginning to that point in time, meaning the entire CREATION, the whole Six Floors Building. It is the End of Days Judgment.

If GOD (ELKM) would find the World – with Adam in it – Very Good in His eyes, He would ‘finish” His work and enter the  Sabbath, carrying the world with Him.  The Sabbath would engulf the entire Building.  If not, He would “finish” or “:consume”  the world  to nothingness, “khalah,”  as He had done to numerous other  Universes before.  (A similar judgment was done ealier at the end of each Day.  At the end of Days, though, He would judge the entire Universe.)

Good, or maved, Death!

The novelty here is that the words Very Good, tov meod, can be read as ‘tov maved,’ meaning “good (tov) or death (maved)! ”  Hence, at the end of Days , ELKM will post a choice before CREATION: Either be  (very) good, or maved, Death!

The message is,  that at that point in the history of CREATION, Death and its  derivatives listed above came into existence – AS A PART OF GOD (ELKM) ‘s   cycle of sin and punishment. Yes, Death and Destruction, Pains and Calamities were here before, during the Six Days,  but as a part of the Building Process.  As we’ve learned, the BUILDER- GOD (ELKM) -JUDGE created creatures  and destroyed them in due process, as He moved CREATION Day to Day, form one Floor to the next.  But henceforth, with the advent of Adam, Death and its Derivatives would ALSO serve as a GOD (ELKM) JUDGE’s  retribution for Adam’s sin.

And since GOD (ELKM) reacts “measure or measure,” it implies  that Man too can do bad things – cause death, inflict pains, destroy and bring calamities –  for his trial. To warn Man, GOD (ELKM) would give Adam (and his wife) in Eden —the next chapter– the six primordial Commandments: IDOLATRY, ADULTERY, BLOODSHED, THEFT, INJUSTICE, BLASPHEMY.  Adam would not be able to violate them without having the power to commit Death and its seven derivatives.

 

How Adam became capable of causing pains and destruction 

You may ask how was Adam endowed with the ability to cause so much damage to his fellowmen and to his environment?  The answer is obvious –  GOD ELKM made him so, by consulting the Six Days and making Adam.   In fact we can go in the opposite direction and say  that GOD (ELKM) built Nature full of pains and suffering and destruction SO THAT IT WOULD END UP IN ADAM’S HEART FOR HIS TRIAL.

Adam therefore can

Explode like the Big Bang and like Nova

Flood the earth like the waters of the 2nd Day

Errupt like the volcanoes on the 3rd Day

Poison his fellowmen like the vegetations of the 3rd Day

Burns and destroy like the Sun of the 4th Day

Swallow, capture and tear the flesh of his fellowmen like the Fish, Birds and Crocodiles of the 5th Day  do

Prey and bite like the Beasts and the Crawling creaures of the Sixth Day do

But whereas all creatures inflict painns and destruction with no sense of discretion, acting as told by their CREATOR, when Adam perform these bad things- despite GOD (ELKM)’s Laws- he becomes a  SINNER IN GOD’S EYES and fails his trial. .

So don’t ask why there is so much pains and sorrow and destruction in Nature. Just look at the mirror and tell yourself- it is all out there because of me, for me, for my trial. .

Satan

On the words Very Good – tov meod- the rabbis commented that meod can be read as maved, death and its derivatives, Among these derivatives is “Satan.”   The rabbis’ insight fits well, since Satan is a Prosecutor of the Court made especially for our trial.

The Hebrew term “Satan” means An Adversary or a  Prosecutor in the Court .  In the Book of Job, Satan stands in GOD (ELKM) Court, charging Job .   In the  Five Books of Moses, the word “Satan” apears only once, in the story of the prophet Bilaam (Book of Numbers)  who was hired by the enemies of Israel to curse Israel IN YHVH’S NAME. The verse says that  as the prophet went enthusiastically to fulfil his hired mission, his she-donkey encountered “the Angel Of YHVH standing as a Satan against him.”    This  “Angel of YHVH”  was “An Angel of MERCY”  ( Rashi)  standing with its sword  drawn against Bilaam.  Hence it was a good  Angel, with white wings and a cute baby face.  So do not confuse the Hebrew Satan – an adversary- with the European imagination of it.  Satan is born along with GOD (ELKM) judgment of the world.

I know. My students have always said that this point has been the most difficult for them to swallow.  The notion of Satan as an independent anti-god entity is to entrenched in the Greco- Roman-Gnositc tradition that it is hard for them to think otherwise.  But Judaism is adamant- there is only one real power, GOD.  Satan in Hebrew means an adversary, nothing more and nothing less.

 

 Evil is an aspect of YHVH’s eyes

 

So far we’ve seen the verdict Very Good from GOD’S (ELKM) point of view. Creating Adam, At the End of the Sixth Day He checks whether  or not the World has become Very Good in His eyes.

But the same verdict, “Very Good”  is also seen from YHVH’S perspective, as She enters our Sixth Day from Her Sabbath.  Here are the verses-

And ELoHiM saw everything that He had done and behold, it was
VERY GOOD (Tov Meod) And it was evening, and it was morning,

Y   om  (Day)
H   a Shishi, (Sixth) (Genesis 1:31)
……………………………………the Sabbath ………………………….

V  aYechulu (and they ended)
H  aShamyim (the Heaves)And the Earth, VeHaaretz, and all their hosts,

 

 

The verdict Very Good is issued by both Attributes- ELKM and of YHVH.  While “He” looks ‘forward’ to enter the Sabbath, “She” looks back into our world- at  Adam- from Her perspectives.

Let’s recall why YHVH is observing our world from the Sabbath.

During the Six Days, before making Adam, GOD (ELKM) ruled the world “awesomely alone” without YHVH by His Side.  For Six Days He judged only by the harsh, Absolute Justice that knows no Mercy. Under such harsh scrutiny, Adam would  have had no chance to win his End of Days trial (Rashi).     Seeing the inevitable bad outcome, GOD (ELKM) in His Kindness invited YHVH to come over into His World and share with Him the Heavenly Court.

YHVH agreed and entered our world as a Thin Ray of Light, or a Modest Dove or a Beautiful Cherub.  Her entrance is depicted in the verse as Y-H (like in Jerema-YaH, Isa-YaH ).

Entering the world, She also accommodated to Her Groom, ELKM.   In  Her Domain, the Sabbath, the LORD (YHVH) stands for Unconditional Love, Joy and Holiness. But  entering our world  to join the Court-,Her Light assumed the values of MERCY, COMPASSION and FORGIVENESS, to counteract the Absolute Justice of the JUDGE (ELKM).    Her presence in the Heavenly Court would ameliorate ELKM’s Verdict, allowing Adam to win his End of Days Trial.

ELKM never forgives.  YHVH is the Attribute of FORGIVENESS and MERCY.

 In Eden too GOD made “the woman” as a helper “against” her husband

Entering our world, YHVH OBSERVED it (a term reserved to the Shechina)  not unlike a Bride entering Her Groom’s home for the first time, assessing whether or not She would feel comfortable there.  Observing our world’s  inhabitants , She said:  “How can I share your world, ELKM, where I there is no heart capable of comprehending me, no creature that can perform my work?”   Indeed, would the Snake, the Spider, the Bee, the Beast, the Crocodile, the Bird, the Fish, , the Sun, the Vegetation, the Volcanoe, the Ocean or the streaming  Lava and the Big Bang comprehend Her?

ELKM then said to Her, not unlike a Groom Longing for His Bride: “Let Us Make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image.”   Adam would be able to recognize you, invite you to dwell in his heart. He would do your work and rest on your Sabbath.  If he does that, he would be VERY GOOD in my eyes and your eyes!”.

YHVH agreed and the two Attributes flew over CREATION and consolidated it by their mutual Love and Oneness, as shown in Genesis Chapter 2.

A room  for YHVH in our heart

First GOD (ELKM) said “Let Us make an Adam,” in plural voice, yet the next verse says that GOD (EKM) made Adam in His Image.  Why first in plural then in singular?

Because the plan was to make Adam in the Image and Form of the two Attributes.  GOD (ELKM) the JUDGE would endow Adam with all the features in His Image, but He would not plant MERCY, COMPASSION and FORGIVENSS in Adam’s heart , because this is not what He does.   However, He would carve out a room in Adam’s heart capable of hosting YHVH’s features.  Adam would have to fill that room with a content- YHVH’s features.

This room is the Mammals mercy and compassion to their offspring.  It would grow to a larger room in Adam’s heart.  Adam would have to invite YHVH, accept Her on himself day by day, all his life.  Adam would have to spread Her work of Mercy, lest She returns to Her Domain with disappointment,  leaving us in the hands of the JUDGE (ELKM) – under whom we have no chance to win our trial.

 

YHVH assessing Adam

Adam needs to invite YHVH and host Her in his heart, to be deemed Very Good in GOD (ELKM) eyes.  But would She enter Adam’s heart? For that, She assesses him too.

The Universe that YHVH observed when entering our world is not the one that She would have built “alone.”  Our world, with all its pains, calamities, sorrow and death,  looks in Her eyes as if needed a “correction” – tikun- according to Her specifications.  Still, our Universe does not seem in Her “bad” since it does comply  with GOD (ELKM) orders. it is a harsh world, yet JUST.  Its creatures eat and are eaten, cause pains and suffer pains in absolute Justice, yet YHVH would accept it – after all, it is a world built by Her Groom.  .

Observing Adam, though, is different.  If Adam perform death, calamities, sorrow- She would hate him and regard him as evil.  She would expect Her child Adam – whose heart is capable of knowing Her – to behave differently than Nature.   Her child Adam, into whose heart She aspires to Dwell, is equipped with a Free Will and he has a choice.  Every normal person does have some awareness of Her. And If that person shows cruelty, if he is merciless, lacking compassion and unforgiving- She would regard him as an evll person. isappointed, grieved  and even angered. .  .

 

“Evil in YHVH eyes”    

The term evil in Hebrew is always a category seen by someone’s eyes.  Throughout the entire Bible, the term evil is always mentioned  as seen in the LORD (YHVH)’s eyes, never in GOD (ELKM) eyes.

Because a person who has transgressed the Law is a SINNER in GOD (ELKM) ‘s eyes.

But a person who shows cruelty and indifference to other people’s pains is evil in the LORD (YHVH)’s eyes.

For instance- the wicked kings of Judea were “Evil in YHVH eyes” not only because they worshiped idols that She hates, but rather because they took advantage of the orphans, widows  and the poor. .Similarly, the people of Sodom were “evil to YHVH exceedingly” because of their extreme cruelty.  “They knew YHVH yet performed her opposite” (Rashi)

 

A new dimention of sin 

On one hand, the advent of the Merciful YHVH in the Heavenly Court protects us.   She may ameliorate ELKM’s verdicts- if we qualify in Her eyes.  That means that Her presence also increases our liability, since we must also meet  Her expectations from us, in addition to complying with ELKM’s Laws.

In fact, the advent of YHVH in this world adds a new dimension to the concept of sinning. Thus-

IDOLATRY is not only a sin in ELKM’s eyes, but a betrayal of Love in YHVH’s eyes

ADULTERY is not only a violation of the family integrity and ELKM’S Laws, it is a filthy act in YHVH’S eyes, something that is the opposite of Her pure Love

BLOODSHED is not only a violation of ELKM’S Law but also an extremely cruel act that YHVH  hates!

THEFT is not only a transgression of ELKM’S Law but also an act of cruelty that  YHVH hates

INJUSTICE is not only a violation of ELKM’S Law but also a cruel act that YHVH hates

BLASPHEMY is not only a violation of ELKM’S Law but also a ‘filthy’ act against the holiness of YHVH

 

Evil is “Very Bad” in YHVH eyes   

In summary so far- .

From GOD (ELKM) side, the term Very Good means a choice- “good or maved, death.”   Death also refers to Satan- an angel appointed by the Court as our  prosecutor.

From YHVH’s side, the term means ‘good or evil’,  where the term evildoer may refer ONLY to a human.  Nature and animals are never evil since they comply with ELKM’s wish.

 

In GOD (ELKM) eyes a person who has failed is a sinner or wicked, “rasha”

in the LORD (YHVH) eyes a person who enrages her is evil, “raa”

 

While GOD (ELKM) weights our objective deeds on His scale

The LORD (YHVH) also assesses our hearts.

 

 is the world full of evil?

The more we have the notion of YHVH in our heart, the more we see the world as needing a correction- tikun. We should remember, however, that the only evil we can eradicate is the one inside our heart.

 

 

Damage done by Evil 

 

As shown by the verses, Man’s evildoing – tov maved- can be so great that it may sever our connection to YHVH.

YHVH can be saddened by it and retract from us – as it happened before Noah’s Flood (Genesis 6: 6),
YHVH can be enraged by our evil so much that She would turn into a warrior against the evil doers- like in Sodom.   ,
YHVH can be so disappointed by our evil that She would fly away from us back into the Sabbath,leaving us n the hands of ELKM – with a very bad outcome! .

 Evil can grow so big that it might “brake”  YHVH’s name to “YH” and “VH”.  This happened when the evil nation Amalek attacked Israel  (Exodus 17: 16)

 

When will evil end?

King David addresses this in his Psalm:

“A song for the Sabbath
which the Levites Choir chanted every Sabbath
A brutish man cannot know, a fool cannot comprehend this,
When the wicked men thrive like grass,
and the evildoers flourish,
It is in order that they may be destroyed forever,
But you, YHVH, is exalted forever.

Indeed, your enemies YHVH, your enemies shall perish,
all evildoers shall be scattered.
A righteous man shall bloom like a palm tree,
Like a Cedar of Lebanon shall he be exalted…” (Psalm 92)

As the Sabbath approaches, King David says, evildoers will flourish like dry grass, so that they will be easily burn. YHVH’s Light  will burn them to ashes.
Then, King David says, a ‘righteous man’ shall flourish like a Palm Tree.
“Who is this righteous Man?” the rabbis asked,
and they said: “It is Noah!”

 

***

Read also: “Genesis Vs. Science, Can They Match?” By Zvi Aviner, at www.smashwords.com

END OF IDOLATRY CLASS 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

1: Evil as an idol

In our quest of studying IDOLATRY we’ve covered all sorts of idols, some transient in history and some here to stay.  Some  are rooted  in ignorance and superstition, others more sophisticated like   celestial bodies. Some  imaginary and others derived from our psyche, like our Ego, our Passions or even our Wisdom. They all can serve as IDOLATRY traps for our trial. .

But there is one idol that supersedes all others in its charm and magic, and danger-EVIL.

Has Man ever worshiped it? You may ask.
“Are you kidding?” – Would be my answer, “we’ve recently seen entire civilized nation falling prey to its charm. Their leaders preaching in public that evil is good, that war is a blessing, that the Bible has poisoned the Airan Race’s  soul.  We’ve also seen the results of this terrible teaching- millions of innocent victims murdered in cold blood.

But  worshiping Even can be done in a subtler way. Our generation has already done this.  We watch Evil played out on our silver screens and in our computer games.  Evil is a motive for joining ISIS, young people attracted by videos glorifying rape and beheading. Yes, Evil is  worshiped in our lands, and is growing.

There is a debate  among scholars whether Evil is objective or subjective. If something is bad for me, it may be good for someone else.  Most faiths on Earth believe in an objective evil like Satan which is perceived as independent, anti-God and evil power.

Judaism rejects these ideas wholeheartedly. There is only One power, G-d. The Book of Revelation that peaches otherwise was  written by an Hellenistic Jew who had nothing in common with Judaism. Satan in Hebrew is an adversary.  It may be an Angel with white wings and baby face, APPOINTED by the Heavenly Court to find out the truth about us and to act as our Prosecutor.

A proof: When the prophet Bilaam wished to curse Israel, he rode on a she-ass that saw something he did not see – the ‘Angel of YHVH’ standing her way with a drawn sward.  The verse says that the Angel of YHVH stood as a “Satan against him.”   How could the Angel of MERCY be called a Satan? But in Hebrew the words “Satan against him”  means that the Angel was an adversary to Bilaam, that it wished to stop Bilaan from pursuing his goal of cursing Israel.  Hence it was a good Angel, yet called Satan!

So do mix the European imagination of Satan and Demon with the Hebrew Satan.

Maimonides distinguishes between three types of EVIL:

1. Evil that Man can do to his fellowman– like wars, bloodshed, stealing, committing injustice,adultery that disrupt the family life, in short violating the seven Commandments of Noah

2. Evil that Man does for himself– like eating the wrong foods, living an unhealthy life, falling a prey to our desires

3. Evil that comes from our being made of matter. Any matter is destined to fall apart and end.

The question is, however, why do we feel that this world is full of Evil? Where does this feeling come from? And here we talk not only about bad things that happen to me, an individual, but to the creatures in the world at large? Why is there so much suffering in the world?  And why I perceive this suffering as evil?

So what is Evil?
So though there is no an objective power called Evil, we FEEL its existence. We feel it when we observe people suffering, and when we observe nature.   We feel it when we see animals preying on each other, when earthquake struck and  destroys whole communities, when volcanoes erupt and bury under ashes forests, animals and towns. We feel the existence of Evil when diseases inflict our bodies and damage them, and when we suffer pains.  We feel the existence of Evil when accidents and catastrophes hits us and our Planet.  We feel it  when we face death.

That feeling of Evil brought the ancients to believe in an ‘evil  god’ that took a hold on Earth, having killed the ‘good god.’  Such was the Gnostic faith, which was extremely popular in first century Rome.   At spring time the Good God is resurrected or recovered and takes over the world again, only to fall again into the hands of the Bad God when winter comes.  The city  of Tarsus in Asia Minor , where St Paul was born, was known for the parades held each spring announcing the good news of the Good God resurrection.   .

The Torah however rejects duality.   Both good and evil were created by the same G-d.  To make that point, the rabbis in the 4th century BC had already composed a daily prayer declaring that  G-d “created everything” including Evil (based on Isiah.)

 King David describes in Psalms the ‘evil people’  who stab their friends from behind and take advantage of the weak and poor. This sort of evil between ‘man to man’ can grow into a monstrous level, as we’ve seen recently in the Holocaust.

So what does the Torah say about Evil? Who created Evil and When? Where does Evil show up in the verses of Genesis the first time? When will evil perish and disappear from our world|?  

  1. 2. Evil is in YHVH eyes

The term “Evil” is used in the Torah only as YHVH’S perspective, never in ELoKiM’S eyes.   Evil is YHVH’s ‘emotional’ reaction to something She exceedingly hates IN MAN. Not in nature, but in US.

Evil is the opposite of what the Merciful YHVH loves. A person is ‘evil in YHVH eyes’ if he is merciless, lacking compassion and is unforgiving. A person is evil in YHVH’s eyes when he is indifferent to the suffering of others, or when he is  cruel.

For instance, the Bible says about certain kings of Judea that they were “Evil in YHVH eyes.”  Besides worshiping idols, these kings took advantages of the weak and the poor, of widows and orphans.

Terminology: sinner Vs evildoers
YHVH assesses our hearts and our characters,
ELoKiM judges us by our abiding by His Laws.
We are  sinners in ELKM’s eyes, when we transgress His Law.
We are evil in YHVH eyes, when we are cruel, indifferent and  lacking compassion.

Adding a dimension to sin
The advent of YHVH in the Heavenly Court adds a dimension of evil to our sins. Thus,
Idolatry is not just a transgression of the Law. It is a betrayal of YHVH’s Love  for us. Idolaters are therefore evil in YHVH eyes.
Adultery is not just violating the Law. It is a shameful deed that taints us in YHVH’s eyes (as seen in the story of Eden), Adulterers are therefore evil in YHVH eyes.
Killing is not only violating the Law. It is a cruel action that YHVH hates.  . .
Stealing and committing injustice are more than violating the law. They have a cruelty component that YHVH hates.

 

 When the Attributes clash or concur

A  sinner in ELKM’s eyes, may also  be ‘evil’ in YHVH’s eyes.   The Bride hates what the Groom hates.   .

But one may be ‘righteous’ in ELKM’s eyes,  yet evil’ in YHVH’s eyes. .

Examples:   On Noah it is said: : :

“Noah found face in YHVH eyes,” (Genesis 6: 8)
“Noah was a righteous man, with ELKM Noah walked (Genesis 6:9)

Noah was ‘righteous’ in ELKM’s eyes, because he walked in His Laws.
Noah also found face in YHVH’s eyes, because he was compassionate and merciful enough to care for animals and peoples.
Another example: On the the people of Sodom it is said that they were “exceedingly evil to YHVH.”  Rashi says: “They knew YHVH yet rebelled against Him”  (Her).  They excelled in cruelty..

 

3: Does YHVH see Evil in Nature?

When YHVH entered ELoKiM’s world, as shown in Genesis Chapter One, She OBSERVED it  She saw in it much pains, sufferings, diseases, calamities and death, things She would not have created in Her Domain, the Eternal Sabbath.

Since all those  pains and sufferings reflect ELKM’s  Absolute Justice, paying ‘measure for measure’, YHVH would NOT deem it Evil.   After all, ELKM and YHVH are two attributes of the One  CREATOR.  And since the animals have no sense of discretion or Free Will, they are not “Evil in YHVH eyes.”

Had YHVH created this Universe by Her standards, it would have been a world with no sorrow or death, no sin and no retribution.  Yet the Bride respects the Groom and would not see His World as Evil, since it operates on Absolute Justice.  One eats, to be eaten himself. One kills, to be killed himself. One inflicts pains, to suffer pains himself. This is not Evil in YHVH eyes.

YHVH’s world would have been different
But when we, humans, observe Nature with the prism of YHVH in our heart, we feel that the Universe could have been built differently.  Had YHVH created it alone, it would have had in it no pains, sorrow or death. Her world would have had in it only joy, happiness, warmth and holiness. To us, the world of ELKM needs improvement, tikun. The more we harbor YHVH in our hearts, the more distorted our world seems. IT IS PAINFUL TO LIVE IN ELKM’S WORLD AND SEE IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF YHVH IN OUR HEARTS. But if we understand that the world as it is reflects ELKM values, we would also not deem it evil.

To taste Her world, YHVH gave us our weekly Sabbath. It is a day we feel Her holiness, joy and happiness.

Inside Noah’s Ark
When the Eternal Sabbath will arrive, we will all know how She looks alike. Meanwhile we have only our weekly Sabbath to taste Her joy. Yet at one point in our human history there was a man who lived under YHVH in this world.  I refer. of course, to Noah. While ELKM executed the Food, Noah and his companion lived in his Ark under YHVH’s protection. In the Ark the wolf did not prey on the lamb, and a child could safely play on a snake’s pit.   In the Ark there was no access to the Angel of Death. As you see, the reality in Noah’s Ark has inspired the prophets of Israel for the future.

Only Man can be Evil in YHVH eyes
As we’ve said, Nature is not evil in YHVH eyes.  In fact the only evil that can be in Her eyes is Man. For unlike Nature and its creatures, we have awareness of YHVH and Her values.  We have in us Free Will, and we were given a guidance in the form of the Torah.  So if we ignore YHVH and behave like animals, we are deemed evil in Her eyes. Remember: the only creature that can be deemed Evil in YHVH eyes is Man.

No evil during the six Days
During the Six Days, when ELoKiM ruled awesomely alone, no Evil existed.  Since no creature had any perception of YHVH, none  could do Evil or be Evil.  The creatures could abide by ELKM Commands, and nothing else. Hence they were not evil.
It is only Adam, who harbors the perception of YHVH and possesses a Free will, can be Evil in YHVH eyes.

we need to see all that in the verses. But how did Evil become a potential idol? The story goes like this:

 

3: ELoKiM consulted Evil and made Adam

When Evil heard that ELKM was creating Adam, the story says, it ran forwards and prostrated before His throne. “My King,” Evil complained, “what about me? I have no place in your world!”

Indeed, evil does not exist in this world outside Adam’s heart. The Crocodile which tears flesh apart, is not evil since it is unaware of YHVH (and does not have a Free Will.)  The Volcano that erupts, the snake that bites, the lion that kills are not evil. Hence, Evil had a valid claim: it did not have a room in ELKM’s world.

So ELKM said: “I shall carve out a room for you inside Adam’s heart, side by side with the room for YHVH.  You may enter it, grow in it, conquer it and make is large as you can.”

ELKM then said to Evil:

“Let Us Make and Adam in Our Form and Our Image.”

ELKM  ‘consulted’ Evil the way a builder consults his Master Plan, and carved out a room for Evil in Adam heart.  And ever since then, Evil is capable of entering Adam heart, growing inside  and chasing out the presence of YHVH.

So as we move on in history towards the Sabbath, and as we feel more the presence of YHVH,  we would also feel the desire to do the opposite of Her,  to be evil.  Until we finally accept YHVH and chase Evil away from our heart forever. . .

 

4: Where is Evil in the text?

At the end of the miraculous Chapter One, the acronym YHVH enters our Sixth Day. Observing our world, what does She see? :


And EloKiM made the animals…cattle…and everything creeping
And EloKiM saw that is was good…
And ELoKim said let us make Adam in our form and our image…
And ELoKiM blessed them saying be fruitful and multiply…
And EloKiM said behold, I have given you all the grass…
And ELoHiM saw everything that He had done and behold, it was
Very Good (Tov Meod),
And it was evening, and it was morning,
Y  om  (Day)
H
  a Shishi, (Sixth) (Genesis 1:31)
………………………………………………the Sabbath ………………………….

V  aYechulu (and they ended)
H  aShamyim (the Heaves)
And the Earth, VeHaaretz, and all their hosts,
And ELoHiM finished all the work he had done,
And ELoHiM finished on the Seventh Day His work which He had done,
And He abstained on the Seventh Day from all His work which He had done…” (Genesis 2: 1-2)

The above is a quotation showing the transition of the Sixth Day into the Sabbath.
The Sixth Day is shown under the rule of ELoKiM (in red)
The Sabbath is shown under the rule of YHVH (in blue)
The dotted line marks the transition from the Sixth Day (our world) to the Sabbath

You can clearly see here the Acronym Y-H-V-H entering our Sixth Day from the Sabbath,
The Y-H Dwells in our Day, (the Dweller, the Shechina)
The V-H still Dwelling in the Sabbath.

We live under the Heavenly Court comprising of Y-H and ELKM. We move in history towards the Day that we will be ruled by YHVH ELKM, (like in Eden) and then by YHVH alone.

Look at the verses.  Observing our World, YHVH ‘sees’ the verdict ‘Very Good.’
But in Hebrew, the word for ‘Very Good,’ tov meod can be read as ‘tov maved,’ death, suffering, evil (Talmud.)

Thus, again, observing our World, YHVH sees two outcomes:
Either tov meod, Very Good
Or tov maved, Very Bad, Evil.

Who can be Very Bad, Evil in YHVH eyes? The verse behind Very Good talks about Adam. Hence Adam can be  either ‘Very Good’ or “Very Bad,” evil.

How much damage can Evil inflict?
The stories through the Book of Genesis show that YHVH’s reaction to Man’s evil.
YHVH could be saddened by Man’s evilness, as the verses show before Noah’s Flood (Genesis 6: 6),
YHVH could be enraged and become a warrior against Evil.  This happened before She overturned Sodom. Imagine how evil a person must be to turn the Merciful YHVH in vengeance against him!   ,
YHVH might fly away  from Man with disgust, caused by Man’s evilness.  This would be the worst, since Her absence would leave Man in the hands of ELKM, our prosecutor.  This happened before the destruction of the Holy Temples by Babylon and Rome.  They saw a crying Dove coming out of the Temple and flying away to the desert.

 Evil can get so big that stops our Universe from proceeding to the Sabbath.  In other words, “Very Bad” or tov Maved can hold back the progress of out Universe forwards.

But Evil can be so great that e  it severs  YHVH name to two halves: the YH and the VH. This happened once by the evil nation Amalek   (Exodus 17: 16).  They came from nowhere and without any reason, just be sheer hate, they fought Israel. Moses then stood on the Mountain and raised his hands up. When his hands were up, Iarael prayed and they won,  When his hands were heavy and down, Israel lost.  Finally Joshua smote them.  Yet the verse says “For there is a swear by the Throne of YH, that there would be a war waged against Amlek for generations.  Here the Name of YHVH is broken to YH (and VH).  Then came the prophet Ezekiel and told us that a day will come and Her Name would be ‘completed again’ (the Kadish prayer.)

 

5: Evil as an Idol

As a rule, everything with whom ELKM consulted to make Adam, has become enormously attractive in our eyes, a FALSE BRIDE. This holds true also in regards to evil.
It is as if the very consultation of ELKM  has rendered it an enormous charm in Adam’s mind and heart. Adam would be attracted to evil, to watch it, to perform it, and even to worship it. Evil is our attractive False Bride.
The more we are aware of YHVH, the more we would be tempted to do Her opposite: becoming evil.
If we are not careful, the crimes of the Nazis might  pale in comparison of the evilness that Man CAN do today.

When will evil end?
King David addresses this in his Psalm:

“A song for the Sabbath Day
(which the Levites Choir chanted every Sabbath)
A brutish man cannot know, a fool cannot comprehend this,
When the wicked men thrive like grass,
and the
evildoers flourish,
It is in order that they may be destroyed forever,
But you, YHVH, is exalted forever.

Indeed, your enemies YHVH, your enemies shall perish,
all
evildoers shall be scattered.
A righteous man shall bloom like a palm tree,
Like a Cedar of Lebanon shall he be exalted…” (Psalm 92)

As the Sabbath approaches, King David says, evildoers will flourish like dry grass, so that they will be easily burn. YHVH’s Light  will burn them to ashes.
Then, King David says, a ‘righteous man’ shall flourish like a Palm Tree.
“Who is this righteous Man?” the rabbis asked,
and they said: “It is Noah!”

The rue is that once we have recited this Psalm at the end of Friday, the Sabbath officially enters. .

6: So why is there is so much pains and sorrow in Nature?

 

So why do Tsunamis sweep and kill?
Why do volcanoes erupt and burry?
Why do the trees produce poison,
the sun burn,
the fish swallow other fish,
the bird dive to attack the fish,
the crocodile snaps the birds,
the cattle consume the vegetation,
the beast preys on the cattle,
the snakes bit
and the cats torture mice, and attack the snake?
Why do parasites take advantage of their hosts?
Why do bacteria and viruses infect and cause diseases?
Why do accidents occur?
The best answer: ELKM made all that ‘evil’ in Nature, so that it would end up in our heart, through Evolution, FOR OUR TRIAL. So,

Novas Explode so that we could explode and destroy
Water Sweep away, so that we would be able to wash away our fellowmen
Volcanoes Erupt so that we could erupt and destroy and burry
Trees can Poison so that we could do the same to our fellowmen
The Sun Burns so that we could stir fire and burn
The Fish Swallow others fish, so that we could do the same to our fellowmen.
Birds Dive to kill fish, so that Man could kill.
Crocodiles tear flesh so that we could do the same to our fellowmen.
Cattle Consume so that we could do the same.
Beasts Prey in cruelty so that we could do the same.
Cats torture the miceso that we could torture our fellowmen
Snakes Bite so that we could bite

Only that when the creature inflict these pains and destruction, they comply with ELKM Will. They are not ‘Evil’ in YHVH eyes, since they have no perception of Her.
But when we, Adam, who are equipped with Free Will and awareness of YHVH, do these cruel deeds, we are deemed Evil in YHVH eyes.
The only Evil or Demon that the Torah recognizes, is Man showing cruelty.
So don’t ask why there is so much pains in Nature.
Ask rather, what can I do to eradicate the evil from my heart.

A true story: years ago, a Biology Professor in one of our ivy league institutions, made himself a name among the students: Whenever he taught about parasites and diseases, he raised his hands to the ceilings and shouted for all to hear: “Where are you, Good God?” Implying: There is no morality in Nature! There is no G-d!”
The students loved him. If there is no G-d, what would stop them from doing anything they wish?

Had I attended his class, I would have told him:
The parasites are in nature, so that they would end up in your soul through evolution, for your trial!
The animals are harsh to each other, so that you can do the same to your fellowmen, and stand for that on a trial.

I doubt whether the famous professor would have understood my points. His Bible training had none of that.
The time has arrived to change, and teach the Bible as it is. </font size>

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Read also: “Genesis Vs. Science, Can They Match?” By Zvi Aviner, at www.smashwords.com

END OF IDOLATRY CLASS 17