Nordic Beit Midrash

Darkness and evil this world - and how to relate to them

Questions for discussion:
Source 1.
Read the beginning passages of the Torah in Genesis which describes the creation of the world.According to the passa ge was darkness was created alongside light?
Source 2.
Does the passage in Isaiah have the same understanding as Genesis regarding darkness?
Which elements are juxtaposed with each other?
Source 3.
What is the meaning of the word evil or bad? Can evil be created?
Source 4.
In what way does the siddur change the passage in Isaiah. why do you think we have this change in our daily prayer?
Do you agree with this change?
Source 5.
According to Talmud Chagiga, it is clear that darkness was an element of the creation. How do you understand this?
Does darkness exist by itself or only in relation to light?
Source 6.
Daniel says that light dwells with God, whereas God knows what is in the darkness. Explain the difference between this and the passages we saw above.
Source 7.
Do you believe that it is possible to bless over the bad and evil like the good?
What does this come to teach us?

בראשית א׳:א׳

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃

Genesis 1:1

When God began to create heaven and earth— the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water—

ישעיהו מ״ה:ז׳

יוֹצֵ֥ר אוֹר֙ וּבוֹרֵ֣א חֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁל֖וֹם וּב֣וֹרֵא רָ֑ע אֲנִ֥י ה' עֹשֶׂ֥ה כָל־אֵֽלֶּה׃ (ס)

Isaiah 45:7

I form light and create darkness,
I make peace and create woe (evil) -
I GOD do all these things.

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, ברכות קריאת שמע, יוצר אור א׳

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה אֱלֹ-הֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם יוֹצֵר אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא חֽשֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא אֶת־הַכֹּל:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Blessings of the Shema, First Blessing before Shema 1

Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Former of light, Creator of darkness, Maker of peace, Creator of all things.

חגיגה י״ב א:ה׳

וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ, אוֹר וָחֹשֶׁךְ, רוּחַ וּמַיִם, מִדַּת יוֹם וּמִדַּת לַיְלָה.

Chagigah 12a:5

§ The Gemara continues to discuss Creation: Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Ten things were created on the first day of Creation, and they are as follows: Heaven and earth; tohu and vohu, i.e., unformed and void; light and darkness; wind and water; the length of day and the length of night.

דניאל ב׳:כ״ב

ה֛וּא גָּלֵ֥א עַמִּיקָתָ֖א וּמְסַתְּרָתָ֑א יָדַע֙ מָ֣ה בַחֲשׁוֹכָ֔א (ונהירא) [וּנְהוֹרָ֖א] עִמֵּ֥הּ שְׁרֵֽא׃

Daniel 2:22

He reveals deep and hidden things,
Knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.

ברכות ס׳ ב:ז׳

חַיָּיב אָדָם לְבָרֵךְ כּוּ׳: מַאי ״חַיָּיב לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ עַל הַטּוֹבָה״? אִילֵּימָא כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ עַל הַטּוֹבָה ״הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״, כָּךְ מְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה ״הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״, וְהָתְנַן עַל בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת אוֹמֵר ״הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״, עַל בְּשׂוֹרוֹת רָעוֹת אוֹמֵר ״בָּרוּךְ … דַּיַּין הָאֱמֶת״! אָמַר רָבָא: לֹא נִצְרְכָה, אֶלָּא לְקַבּוֹלִינְהוּ בְּשִׂמְחָה.

Berakhot 60b:7

We learned in the mishna: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he recites a blessing for the good that befalls him. The Gemara asks: What does it mean: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad just as for the good? If we say this means that just as one recites a blessing for a positive event with the formula: Who is good and does good, so too one recites a blessing for a calamity with the formula: Who is good and does good, didn’t we learn in our mishna that over good tidings one recites: Who is good and does good, while over bad tidings one recites: Blessed…the true Judge? Rather, Rava said: The mishna’s statement was only necessary to instruct us to accept bad tidings with the same joy with which we accept good tidings, not to instruct with regard to which blessing to recite.