Corruption of Chesed and Din

                                                                                                                        B-H

All of Creation, on all its levels, in this three-dimensional reality—as well as in the realms of intellect and spirituality, and those levels beyond our comprehension—are channeled to us through different conduits or emanations, known as Sefirot or Midoot, which were revealed to Moishe, the Prophets, and the Sages of blessed memory.

These emanations of Divine energy are generally presented to us in the form of two primary columns. On one side is Chesed—Lovingkindness, and on the other, Gevura—Strength or Din (Judgment/Justice).

Within this framework, there are other Divine energies that exist in relation to one another, and each can coexist to some degree with other energies. For example, some amount of Hod (Glory) or Netzach (Eternity, Perseverance) can be found within Chesed or Gevura.

Everything we experience in our existence is ultimately a combination of these energies or emanations. There is no other source of existence or other channels causing reality known to us, other than those emanating from The Source.

So, how is evil possible?

We won’t delve into the intricate and broad discussion of the nature of evil here, as it is a complex topic. For those interested, I recommend exploring the writings and lectures of Rabbi Akiva Tatz, who addresses this subject in depth.

For now, we can say that the source of evil is man himself. It is man who has the power to use and develop these energies in alignment with the will of the One who provides them to us. However, it is also man who, by corrupting the powers bestowed upon him through the channels of Chesed and Din, restricts the flow of Divine energy, allowing evil to manifest.

The history of mankind begins with the description of Creation, followed by certain rules for the created beings, specifically in the two forms of man. Creation is swiftly followed by man’s rebellion.

Countless books have been written on this topic, as it is one of the most potent and foundational. Every word in the Torah often contains layers of hidden meaning, understood by those who are carriers of the Torah Shebe’al Peh—the oral tradition. Since much of this teaching falls within the realm of Kabbalistic tradition, I do not claim expertise in the specifics of the first sin, but the general understanding is that it involved sin within the area of promiscuity.

Michtav mi’Eliyahu expands on the topic of promiscuity in his commentary on Parshas Lech Lecha. Rav Dessler, building on teachings from the Baal Shem Tov and the verse in Leviticus (20:17), writes:

“A person whose main quality is Chesed is in danger that, he may spend more money than he can afford. Then, he will borrow from others and spend it in turn. Eventually it will be found that his excessive desire to do Chesed was counterproductive, for it led him to cause others loss because he could not repay his debts. There is also the possibility that he will eventually "be merciful to the cruel," leading to "cruelty to the merciful," as we find in the example of Shaul Ha-melech. There is also another more insidious danger that, by becoming accustomed to acceding to everyone's requests, he may then come to accede to the demands of the yetzer hara. This is why certain forbidden marriages are referred to as Chesed (The whole institution of marriage is, of course, a great Chesed. Through it, people bestow a great bounty on mankind by allowing a new generation to emerge. But when this deviates from the bounds set down by Creator, by a person acting simply to gratify his desires or by way of sin, God forbid, then it is called "the Chesed of defilement.") Such is the lot of Chesed, which is not limited by the quality of Gevura.” (Strive for Truth)

The aveira (sin) in this verse, one of many within the category of Giluy Arayos (forbidden sexual relations), is a corrupted form of the Middah of Chesed. There are also other Aveiros out of this category which Rav Desler considers as corrupted Chesed.

The second sin in the history of humanity is the act of violence, which results in the death of Hevel, one of the first two sons of Adam and Chava.

I once heard in a shiur that the Vilna Gaon teaches that even anger is a corrupted form of Din. It’s needless to say that violence is simply anger taken to its extreme. Rav Dessler explores this same concept in his writings.

On an individual level, violence manifests as anger, stealing, harm, jealousy, physical and verbal abuse, and many other forms of destructive behavior. On a societal scale, personal anger, stemming from the inflated egos of political leaders or fanatics, can lead entire groups or nations into violence. The "Hunters of the tongue," as Nimrod and Esav are described, manipulate societies to conquer, oppress, humiliate, and control through force, surveillance, or social engineering, leading to violence, death, and destruction.

Violence is a corrupted form of Gevura/Din, and it is often presented as an act of justice. Indeed, justice itself can sometimes be perceived as an act of violence—but even the greatest acts of violence in history are almost always framed as acts of justice.

This corrupt form of Din is a topic I will return to in many of my future essays, Be’ezras Hashem.