With the developments of the recent attacks in Israel, many are wondering in their minds and out loud: "How can this happen? How can a human being with a conscience purposefully and intentionally murder innocent women, children, infants, and the elderly?" It seems to be impossible to the rational thinking human being. Most people get angry or hurt by another and want to lash out but in their hearts they know that violence is wrong so they dismiss those thoughts and go about their business never really entertaining the idea of carrying out those thoughts.
But then we read in the news outlets and watch on Television, YouTube, FaceBook, these horrendous acts of violence and wonder how it is that such heinous acts can occur. How is it that such hatred can be present in one's heart to the point of slaughtering another human being in cold blood? Worse yet, there are some who question HaShem and wonder how He can possibly allow these things to occur in the world? If HaShem is so loving as the Bible claims, how can He allow women, children and infants to be murdered? The very existence of evil in the world is a blockade for many to faith in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The answer is not simple by any means. I do not claim to have the all encompassing answer that would set everyone's mind at ease. I, myself, am horrified at the acts that have been committed and I also can't fully comprehend why G-d would allow such things to happen. What follows is just a bit of my thoughts as I try to wrestle with what I know to be true about HaShem and what I see in the world.
Evil's origin
Let's first begin with the question: What is the origin of evil?
Isaiah 45:6-7 "That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; 7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’"
This version of the Bible (NKJV) translates it as calamity but the Hebrew word is רָ֑ע = evil. You see the translators of the NKJV couldn't quite wrap their minds around the idea that HaShem is the creator of evil so they decided to change the meaning of the word by translating it as calamity instead of evil. There is a misunderstanding about the origin of evil.
The prevailing theology about evil is that HaSatan (with his free will) rebelled against HaShem and took a third of the angels with him as an opposing force against G-d. According to this view, there are now two opposing forces in constant battle with one another; G-d against the realm of Satan and his demons. However, if HaShem created evil, as we've already established in Isaiah 45:6-7, then HaShem created a force against Himself? This is irrational. It makes no sense that HaShem would create a force in opposition to Himself. The logical outcome to this line of thought is that if HaShem is the creator of the forces that oppose Him, He will ultimately prevail over them because that which created is greater than the creation. Unfortunately, this is the view that has been adopted by mainline Christianity. The truth is HaShem did not create an opposing force against Himself. This is ludicrous.
HaShem is One!
Instead, we need to understand
Deuteronomy 6:4 "“Hear, O Israel: HaShem our G-d, HaShem is One!"
What is the Oneness of HaShem? Does this mean that there is only One G-d? As though there are no other gods? Take also into consideration
Deuteronomy 4:39 "Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is G-d in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other."
Just a cursory investigation into the word "elohim" in the Bible produces these results:
Deuteronomy 12:30-31 "take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your G-d in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods."
In this passage the Hebrew word elohim is used five times. Four times referring to the gods of the nations and one time it is used of HaShem. If Elohim is a reference to HaShem and it means G-d, then how can it be used of the gods of the nations and not mean god? The text does not use the word "false" before each time using the word elohim. The implication is that there are other gods besides HaShem.
Think about it in this way: What kind of G-d destroys other gods when there are actually no other gods to destroy? We call this a straw man argument. There are false gods that are not actually gods that HaShem is going to destroy? That's not an Omnipotent G-d. HaShem rules over and totally dominates something that doesn't even exist? Some will say that they are gods that man has made up and has placed them as gods in their minds and lives above HaShem. Although this may be an aspect of following a false deity, it doesn't rule out the prospect of there being others gods.
Psalm 82:1 "G-d stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods."
How about:
Psalm 8:4-5 "What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels...וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְּעַט, מֵאֱלֹהִים;.
That highlighted word is "mei'elohim". Man is created a little lower than G-d as the Talmud understands it (Rosh Hashanah 21b:11). However, the translators obviously thought of angels as gods or they wouldn't have translated it that way. They are in good company because Rashi also understands it this way:
Rashi: Yet You have made him slightly less than the angels, etc. Heb. מאלהים, which is an expression of angels, for You gave power to Joshua to still the sun and to dry up the Jordan, and to Moses to split the waters of the Sea of Reeds and to ascend to the heavens, and to Elijah to resurrect the dead.
Having established that there are gods (principalities and powers) other than HaShem, let us continue our exposition of the Oneness of HaShem. Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto) an eighteenth century sage from Padua, Italy writes:
The understanding that we must attain is exactly what is expressed in this verse, 'You have been shown with clear knowledge [that G-d is the only power;] there is nothing beside Him" (Deuteronomy 4:35). Our Sages explained that this verse is telling us that even the forces of sorcery [ -- the most powerful forces of evil -- ] have no power of their own and are totally subject to G-d's control (Sanhedrin 67b). Therefore when we say that G-d is One, it is not sufficient just to understand that only one G-d exists -- meaning that He is the only being that must absolutely exist and that He is the only Creator. We also need to understand that there is no power or authority in the world except His. He is the only One who controls the universe and each creature in it. There is nothing that can oppose G-d's decrees and nothing that can prevent His will from being carried out (Da'at Tevunot- pg. 31-33)."
Ramchal explains what we have already stated here: HaShem exists and is the only one that must exist. Furthermore, there is none other that can create. The natural outworking of this understanding is that everything else that are called gods exist only by the will of HaShem and they have no power that exists outside of HaShem's authority. There is no opposing force of G-d! Therefore, HaShem is One! Whatever happens in the universe is ultimately allowed by HaShem.
In 2 Samuel 16 we read of Shimei the son of Gera who curses King David:
Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8 The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust.
We have established that nothing happens outside the will of G-d. There is no power greater than Him that can resist His will. The question still remains: If G-d is a loving G-d then why would He allow women, children, babies, and elderly to be slaughtered like animals? Senseless and baseless hatred permeating throughout the world when He has the power to stop it?
The answer may seem simplistic but it's true. Man has free will to do as he pleases to one another. HaShem created man with the ability to choose what path he is going to take. He can either choose to do what HaShem has instructed through His Torah, or he can choose the path he desires for himself. HaShem is not going to interfere with man's ability to choose. We want Him to stop and prevent what these men are doing but that only begs the question: Do we want G-d to interfere with how we live our lives? When we are about to choose the desire of our own hearts (to sin) would we advocate for HaShem to step in and prevent what we are about to do? That is to abrogate free will. Man then becomes nothing more than a robot. Evil exists to give man a choice. If there is no choice, then there is no free will to decide which path to take. No choice makes us robots and that is not what HaShem desires. He desires the heart of man to willingly choose relationship with Him.
This is the path that Messiah Yeshua has shown us by way of example:
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
We can't prevent what other people do in the world, but we can certainly respond in a way that is honoring to HaShem, the Torah, and His Messiah! Why does evil exist? In the end it will be revealed that HaShem is One and that everything that has happened is leading to an end purpose. That purpose may be concealed to us in this world of concealment but we must have faith and know in our hearts that what they meant for evil, HaShem has meant for good. I want to leave you with a quote from Ramchal:
His Oneness is defined in negative terms, by realizing that there is nothing that can go against G-d's will and nothing has any power of its own. This necessitates the creation of evil, which creates the illusion that it can go against His will. When we realize and then experience that even the most powerful evil had no power at all and that everything comes from G-d, His Oneness becomes revealed (Da'at Tevunot Pg. 52, footnote 32).
As I stated in the introduction to this article, I am not qualified to explain every action that HaShem allows in the world and its purpose. I, too, am deeply disturbed, angered, and horrified by what has happened. I can't even begin to comprehend the anguish the families of the victims must be feeling in their hearts. Or how the nation itself feels collectively. I mourn for the people of Israel and I fully support their right to defend their nation and mete out justice against those who have perpetrated those atrocities. G-d may have allowed it but it doesn't mean that G-d made it happen nor is He responsible for it on any level. Man has the right to choose and some choose not to listen to His voice.
What I do know is this: As C.S. Lewis stated: Pain is G-d's megaphone. When atrocities happen, G-d is trying to get our attention! We pray harder and we make more of an effort to be in unity when evil rears its ugly head. Maybe the lesson for us is to pray harder and walk in unity without being prompted by pain and atrocity. Just a thought.
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