The Proliferation of Good and Evil
The Proliferation of Good and Evil
Hashem can cause things to move or stop. The emanations of Hashem is how he expresses his awesomeness. The goodness of Hashem is expressed in His Torah.
When we do מצוות, we are increasing the emanations of Hashem which, in our world of action, reveal the goodness of Hashem. The Nation of Israel merited to exist and have the sun stop in our merit. This is can be explained via the relationship between the divine energy and the existence of mankind.
The Satan (שטן) is the essence of spiritual impediment. The existence of the שטן allows for freewill to exist. By having this contradictory spiritual force, we have freewill. If everything flowed without a contradictory force, then there wouldn’t be freewill which requires a perceived choice to exist.
Evil increases itself via impediments that prevent מצוות from coming into action. Through our actions of good deeds, we can elevate the suppressed holiness that’s trapped in this world which is a world of action. The emanations of Hashem are on the highest plane of reality.
The increase of holiness, in this world, subjugates evil. The subjugation of evil is part of how we can further increase the שפע ברכות that come from Hashem. Thus, the שטן tries to take the holiness of the Jewish people via the Yetzer Ha-Ra (יצר הרע) – The Evil Inclination.
The שטן wants holiness to exist because it needs that same divine energy in order to deter the spiritual growth of Torah which is the Orah – light of Hashem. That energy is then given to the other nations. Much like how the שטן is the contradictory spiritual force that prevents our growth, the enemies of Yisrael are a contradictory physical force that prevents our growth in this world.
The growth of holiness in this world requires two different things. The first is connecting to the divine presence (holy energy) that’s emanating from the unrestricted illuminating energy of Hashem found in the highest plane of reality. The second is the subjugation of the contradictory force.
Yaakov was meant to merely do the first one. He was meant to learn about Mitzvot which help a active the divine sparks and elevate the suppressed holiness.
Eisav (Esau) has the power of subjugation which is the essence of the sociopolitical movements of the Roman Empire. The other name for Eisav is Edom – Red. This was the primary color of Rome.
Because Eisav was meant to perform the latter, the יצר הרע was stronger as such an Eisav would merit to give evil the final blow. Thus, the שטן was able to help make Eisav the contradictory force against Yaakov. When the Angel of Eisav fought against Yaakov and lost, Yaakov acquired the name Yisrael (ישראל) – one who struggles to get to G-d.
Now, Yisrael has to elevate the light and subjugate the darkness. And the cosmic consequences of Eisav is that he is the Challenger to his brother. Thus, he is aligned with שטן.