בס"ד
The Gemara discusses the nature of evil saying that it has seven names meaning seven basic qualities. The first of its names is ״רַע״ meaning bad. This was the name given to it by the Holy One, blessed be He, and it refers to the inherent evil that is found in the heart of man. It is possible to look at evil as a characteristic in and of itself like love, hate, kindness, cruelty, righteousness, and others. It means man was created with the ability to be bad, even though he should never turn in this direction. Because Hashem is the paradigm of good, anything contrary to his will is bad.
The Gemara then goes on to describe and illuminate what bad is saying Moses rabenu called it ״עָרֵל״ or foreskin, bringing the quote, “And you should circumcise the foreskin of your hearts”, (Deuteronomy 10:16). In Jewish religious literature the term ahrail ״עָרֵל״ is a strong pejorative. It is a way of calling a person a savage, meaning one who is vulgar and ignorant.
The next description is brought from Psalm 51:12, where King David says, “a pure heart create for me O G-d”. Based on the word pure or טָהוֹר the Gemara states that defilement ״טָמֵא״ is a form of evil. The most common use of the word is sleazy particularly in regards to sexuality and as well as to graft and murder. Other usages are dirty and disgusting particularly in eating or even touching animals the Torah labels as unkosher. Some diseases like leprosy and gonorrhea are also called dirty. Impurity also comes from contact with a corpse which would include burial or even visiting a cemetery. This may be considered a necessary evil because kindness to the deceased is considered an act of true kindness.
King Solomon called it hate, as it is stated, “If the one that hates you is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you” (Proverbs 25:21–22). Do not read it as, And the Lord will reward you יְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ״ but rather as, the Lord will reconcile you ״יְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ״. The implication seems to be that hatred may have some legitimate uses, even though it is from the side of evil.
Isaiah called it a stumbling block, as it is said, “Rebuild, rebuild, clear the road, pick up the stumbling blocks from the path of My people”, (Isaiah 57:14). A person often does not recognize a stumbling block as dangerous, therefore it sets one up for an ambush. The idea is that one of the ways a person is drawn to evil is through pitfalls, lures, treachery, and deceit.
Ezekiel called it stone, as it is said, “I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh”, (Ezekiel 36:26). The idea is that a person should generally be soft and feeling and not hard and insensitive. Softness is associated with the favorable emotions of kindness, love, and compassion. It also gives a tendency towards aborption of new ideas and knowledge.
Joel called it hidden one, as it says, “But I will remove the northern one [hatzefoni] far off from you” (Joel 2:20). The Sages taught concerning the verse: “But I will remove the northern one [הַצְּפוֹנִי - hatzefoni] far off from you,” that this is referring to the evil inclination. And why is the evil inclination referred to as tzefoni? It is due to the fact that it is always hidden [צָּפוּן - tzafun] in the heart of man. The idea is that being hidden, sneaky, or surreptitious is often a tool of evil. Secrecy has a use but typically it is misused. In terms of being hidden in the heart at times a person’s words and deeds may be contrary to the things he really feels. As such being a phony or a hypocrite would be a form of evil. By and large a person should have integrity and be open and honest.
The month of Elul is the time for us to consider our mistakes in the hope of not repeating them and rectifying them. At times, especially in this confusing world, it is difficult to isolate the core cause of a sin. This list reflects the thinking of the sages of Israel. It is not perfect and a person should feel free to add and change things in the hope of having a happy new year and to be written in the book of good life.
לע"נ האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח
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