Ó
Copy Right 2022
Rabbi Dr Zvi Aviner
IDOLATRY-19/
Evil: Who Created It? When? How?
Our class today is perfectly situated in the transition
between Genesis Chapter 1 and Chapters 2-4,
between the story of CREATION and the Story of the Garden of Eden,
between Noah’s Commandment number one, IDOLATRY,
and Noah’s Commandment number 2, ADULTERY.
We want to find out, what is Evil? Who created it and how?
And most importantly – Why is Evil so attractive in our eyes?
Why are we so fascinated by it? How did Evil enter our heart?
Man’s Fascination with Evil
You see that fascination with evil in the Cave Man’s drawing
On his cave walls. You see how much he was fascinated by
The scene of hunting, of struggling for life.
You see that fascination with Evil in the Roman Colosseum,
where people used to come for lunch, to watch for fun
how people are devoured by lions, how gladiators kill each other,
all that while eating bread provided by Caligula.
How amazing it is that the Romans built the Colosseum
by gold taken from the Holy Temple of Jerusalem,
that was dedicated to the Merciful YHVH!
And you can still see Man’s fascination with Evil
In the way we watch for hours action movies on our silver screen.
Our lust for Evil scenes has been only moderated by civilization
yet at the core we are still the same people at the Romans were.
Did ELKM plant Evil in our hearts?
We’ve just learned that when ELKM planned the making of Adam,
He “consulted” all the entities mentioned in Chapter One,
Saying to each one: Let us Make an Adam in Our Form and Our Image.
Thus, He consulted the Six Days, His Wisdom, His Art, Hi sSelf
and made Adam accordingly. Each “consultation” provided
a layer in Adam’s body and soul. Moreover, each “consultation”
became a source of IDOLATRY, a source of fascination for Adam.
In that token, could we say that ELKM also “consulted” Evil,
and planted it in Adam, so that Adam would be fascinated by it?
We can’t really say that, since ELKM would not consult Evil for anything,
and secondly, is there such an independent entity called Evil?
And thirdly, where in Chapter One do we see Evil, so that
ELKM would consult with it?
The truth is that Evil is not an independent entity
with which ELKM would consult to make Adam.
Evil is a Subjective Feeling
Evil, rather, is a subjective term, expressing bad feeling
against something we hate, be it a person or an event.
It is subjective, since if something is bad in my eye,
it is not necessarily bad in your eyes.
For instance: If my stock’s price goes down, it may be bad in my eyes,
Yyt it might be good news in someone else’s eyes.
But the term evil differs from the term bad.
Evil designates something inherently cruel, ugly,
the opposite of mercy and compassion.
Indeed, “Evil” – Rah – throughout the Torah,
is whatever YHVH hates.
Since YVH stands for MERCY, COMPASSION, FORGIVENESS
and HOLINESS, then whoever performs the opposite,
with Free Will and full choice, is called:
“Evil in YHVH’s eyes.” In short: evil.
Evil is an emotional reaction of the Merciful YHVH
towards CRUELTY, INDIFFERENCE to PAINS OF OTHERS,
and towards those who take advantage of the poor and socially weak,
and towards those who worship idols despite knowing Her.
So, don’t mix ‘Evil in the Torah,’ with the European imagination
of Satan or the Devil. These are pagan ideas incorporated
somehow into the common general faith.
(The only Satan in the Torah is mentioned in regard to the
Prophet Bilaam as he was going to curse Israel.
It is said that the Angel of YHVH, “the angel of mercy” (Rashi)
stood before him with drawn sword to stop him from going.
It stood “as a Satan to him” (Numbers 22: 32).
Hence this Satan was a good angel, with baby face
and white wings, who was sent as an adversary to Bilaam!)
Let’s pay attention to the terminology:
While a person who violates ELKM’S Law is a SINNER,
one whom YHVH hates is EVIL
Examples:
The wicked kings of Judea were “evil to YHVH” for
not only worshipping idols, but also for taking advantage
of the orphans and the widows, as the prophet of Israel charged.
The Sodomites were “exceedingly evil to YHVH” (Genesis 13: 13)
because they were exceedingly cruel, despite the fact that
“they knew YHVH, yet they rebelled against Him” (Rashi.
Since Evil is a perspective seen by YHVH, Her assessment,
let’s see what is Her assessment of our world?
Is Our World Full of Evil in YHVH eyes?
To learn about YHVH’s assessment of ELKM’s world
Let’s go to the end of Genesis Chapter One, where
YHVH is seen entering our world from Her Sabbath.
And EloHim said let us make Adam in our form and our image…
And EloHiM blessed them saying be fruitful and multiply…
And EloHiM 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 Day ………………………………………
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)
YHVH entered our Sixth Day, we’ve said,
like a shy BRIDE entering her GROOM’S home for the first time.
Would She be comfortable here? Would She find REST here?
Would She find a heart here, in which She could Dwell?
Observing the Six Days, what does She see?
Observing the Six Days and the creatures of nature,
YHVH sees a world full of agony and death, of natural calamities,
catastrophes, diseases, full of animals preying on each other
struggling to stay alive.
Even seeing the Cosmos, YHVH finds in it death,
exploding Nova, Black Holes swallowing millions of star systems
by the minute.
This world of ELKM, is certainly not the world that
YHVH would have built ALONE. Her putative world
would have been different, lacking agony and death,
lacking trials and tribulations.
But the fact, the reality is that this world was created by ELKM
along His criteria of Absolute JUSTICE, of Measure for Measure,
where animals eat and are eaten, cause pains and suffer pain.
Such a world full of JUSTICE is not “Evil” in YHVH’s eyes
since implementing JUSTICE is not “evil.”
After all, since the creatures in it operate with no self-discretion,
doing whatever ELKM had made them to do,
they are not “Evil” despite the agony and pains.
ELKM is not “evil” in YHVH eyes
(Here is the difference between Roman Gnosis and the Torah.
The Gnostics believed that our world is captured by a wicked god,
responsible for the pains and suffering in it,
whereas the Torah teaches that our world is harsh yet JUST,
built and run by ELKM.)
Now what does YHVH Observe in Adam?
The text shows that at the end of the Sixth Day, our Day,
Adam stands a judgment by the two Attributes.
As it is said:
“ELKM saw everything that He had done
and behold, it was Very Good.” (Genesis 1: 31)
This “End of Days’ Judgment” pertains mainly to Adam.
Since Adam presents the entire Six Days,
being made by ELKM’s consultation with the Six Days,
our judgment is equivalent to judging the whole world.
The text shows that Adam is judged by the two Attributes,
By ELKM from one side, and by YHVH from the other side.
Thus, to be deemed Very Good in the two Attributes’ eyes
Adam needs to comply with ELKM Laws, be “righteous,”
and adapt YHVH values, being LOVED by Her.
If Adam wins, he is entitled to proceed towards the Sabbath, the Khalah, the BRIDE,
If Adam fails to be Very Good, he and the rest of our world would be ‘finished,’ khalah.
To be Very Good in ELKM’s eyes means to have complied by His Laws.
To be LOVED by YHVH, Adam need to be Merciful, Compassionate,
Forgiving and Holy,
MEETING HER EXPECTATIONS FROM US.
If Adam fails and he is Evil in YHVH eyes,
he would be VERY BAD in Her eyes, the opposite of Very Good.
Indeed, the Talmud reads the words “Very Good”
with the inherent option of “Very Bad, Evil,”
for ‘very ‘– meiod in Hebrew, can be read as maved,, DEATH, Evil.
Evil behind Every Sin
On the surface, ELKM and YHVH uses two different set of values.
But deep inside, these two systems meet, and they are actually ONE.
How?
In fact, there is a component of evilness in any sin.
Thus,
violating IDOLATRY is not only a sin in ELKM’s eyes,
but also, an evil doing in YHVH’s eyes.
Because YHVH hates idol worshippers who are aware of Her
And have replaced Her by idols. Yes, She is Jealous!
Violating ADULTERY, too, is not only a sin in ELKM’s eyes,
It is a repulsive action which YHVH despises, an evil in YHVH eyes.
We’ll soon learn about that in the Story of Eden.
Violating BLOODSHED, MURDERING, is not only a Sin in ELKM’s eyes.
It is rather a cruel deed, a sheer evildoing in YHVH’s eyes.
As you see in Her voice accusing Cain for killing Abel.
Similarly, Violating THEFT, STEALING, is not only a sin in ELKM’s eyes
It is also a cruel deed, violating private ownership, causing pains
Which YHVH considers as Evil.
Violating JUSTICE, is not only a sin in ELKM’s eyes,
but also, a cruel, evil doing in YHVH eyes,
especially when it involve taking advantage
of the orphans and the widows.
Thus, underlying every law of ELKM,
there is a deep aspect of YHVH’s perspectives.
In fact, that is one of the meanings of saying
that YHVH and ELKM is One.
This is what Kabbalah means by saying that
YHVH not only entered our world in the Sixth Day
but rather filled the entire Sixth Days deeply,
inside everything, deeper than ELKM.
So far, we’ve seen that Adam can be seen as Evil in YHVH eyes
even when transgressing ELKM’s Laws.
Electing to Behave like Animals
But Adam can be seen Evil in YHVH eyes when
he chooses to behave like all natural creatures,
struggling for life and livelihood, as if he is in a jungle,
forgetting YHVH and Her values.
Such an Adam would not hesitate to kill,
to invade other people’s territories,
to perform ethnic cleaning, holocausts,
all in the name of his sole success.
Such an Adam, opting to ignore YHVH
despite the fact that he knows Her,
is “exceedingly evil,” not less than the Sodomites.
Has not the German philosopher Nietzsche declared
that, like in the Jungle, only the strong people prevail?
Has he not declared that the “Jewish” Bible is a “poison”
on the Arian “natural” mind and heart, “which despises
MERCY and COMPASSION” as a sign of weakness.
It comes out that in YHVH’s eyes,
Adam is the only creature here that can be deemed Evil.
For only Adam can cause pains and destruction
With full choice, unlike the animals around him.
The only “Satan” or “Devil” in the world, in YHVH eyes,
Is Adam!
No other creature or entity would have that “honor.”
YHVH differs from ELKM
An important distinction:
While ELKM judges us according to our deeds,
by the tilt of our deeds on ELKM’s scale, disregarding our hearts,
YHVH is concerned about what is in our hearts,
even before any action was done.
You see that in Cain, when YHVH warned him
“Cain! Sin crouches at the door of your heart! (Genesis 4” 6)
Here She senses the Evil in Cain’s heart as it was brewing.
And you can see that also in Noah’s Flood.
The Torah presents the Heavenly Court in session
before the Flood, as follows:
“And YHVH saw that the evilness of Adam was great on Earth, and
That all the impulses of his heart are evil all day long, and YHVH
Regretted that He had made Adam on Earth, and was
Saddened to His Heart, and YHVH said,
I will wipe out Adam whom I had
Made from the face of the
Earth, both Man and
Cattle to creeping
Things and the
Bird of the air,
For I regret
Making them.”
“And NOAH found face in the eyes of YHVH
These are the generations of NOAH
NOAH was a complete, righteous man in his generations
with ELoHiM did NOAH walk, NOAH begot three sons
Shem ham and Yafet
And the Earth corrupted
before ELoKiM, And ELoKiM saw
, the Earth and behold it was corrupt
for all flesh filled with hamas, ad corrupted
its way On Earth. And ELoKiM Said to NOAH
The end of All flesh has come before me, for the Earth
is filled with their hamas, and I shall destroy them with Earth
, and I, MYSELF, shall bring the Flood on Earth to destroy all flesh
in which is breath of life from under the Heavens and everything that is
on Earth shall die
Here is the trext presented as two Wings,
One Wing (in Blue) presenting the view of YHVH, assessing Mankind than Noah,
One Wing (in red) presenting the view of ELKM, assessing Noah then Mankind.
These two symmetrical wings (each carrying its Attribute 4 times)
Decide to save Noah and his family, while condemning Mankind.
What interests us here is the way each Attribute
assesses Mankind and Noah.
In the blue Wing, YHVH’s Wing, it says that
“And YHVH saw that the evilness of Adam was great on Earth, and
That all the impulses of his heart are evil all day long….
In YHVH’s Wing, the only issue described is
Adam’s evil THOUGHTS in his heart, all day long.
No mention here of any real sin performed by Adam.
In contrast, ELKM’s Wing (in red) describes how
Noah’s generation had transgressed all
the Six Commandments of Adam, one by one.
No mention here of Adam’s heart.
Assessing Noah
“Noah found face in YHVH’s eyes” – She liked him,
for he was a compassionate person who took care
not only of people, but also of animals.
Noah was also
“A complete righteous man, with ELKM did Noah walk.”
He was Righteous in ELKM’s eyes.
Hence he followed YHVH ELKM’s Oneness.
How does YHVH react to our evilness?
From Noah’s story we also learn that seeing Man’s Evildoing,
YHVH saddened to Her heart,
YHVH regretted making Man,
YHVH retracted to her domain (into Noah Ark)
In contrast, reacting to the evildoing of Sodom,
YHVH was angered, and overturned the city
by brimstones and fire.
Can Adam perceive Evil?
We see so much pains and agony and suffering around us.
Do we see Evil out there? – Only if we have YHVH’s perception
In our heart, only if we wear YHVH’s spectacles over our eyes.
All other creatures created before us, would neve be able
to perceive Evil in nature, or in the other creatures,
since they all were created by ELKM, without YHVH.
Take for example social creatures created on the Sixth Day
just before Adm. Like Ants, Spider or certain Snakes.
Let them grow over the next few million years into a sophisticated
societies of their own, capable of inventing technology and science,
even their own I Phones.
Those creatures, smart as they might be, would never
appreciate what MERCY, COMPASSION and FORGIVENES are.
Since they are made by ELKM alone, they would never conceive
of a different Universe, made according to YHVH’s values.
The Serpent in Eden, for instance, could not know YHVH
Because, as a Beast of the Field, it was created by ELKM.
Hence you don’t see any mention to YHVH in its speech,
only to ELKM.
In conclusion, the perception of YHVH and the perception of Evil,
are inherently intertwined.
The moment Adam became aware of YHVH, like eating the forbidden fruit,
he and his wife became also aware of Evil, as the name of the Tree impl
What then is the source of Adam’s fascination with Evil?
From our discussion so far, we can say that
Adam’s fascination with Evil comes from our fascination with YHVH.
How did that happen? For that we need to learn the story of Eden.