Mituk HaDinim - To Neutralize Severity
By Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok. Copyright (c) 2000 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All
rights reserved.
How to Put a Deep Kabbalistic Concept to Practice Use
A Selection from the Kabbalistic Siddur HaRashash with full
commentary and guidelines for usage
The Kabbalah is full of complex ideas and concepts veiled in multiple
layers of metaphor and symbolism. One of these profound concepts is
called Mituk HaDinim, the sweetening of judgments. This is considered
one of the elemental purposes underlying all Kabbalistic practice.
Many will perform the meditations and prayers associated with Mituk
HaDin, yet few are those who truly understand the concept fully, thus
few are those who really know what it is they are doing, and for that
matter, what they are not doing.
This essay is written to assist all to understand just what the Mituk
HaDinim actually is and how we can perform this sacred Kabbalistic
task practically and realistically, with full understanding of the
metaphors involved, joined with the proper actions on our part and the
necessary alteration of our perceptions. In order to accomplish this,
as with all things, we must start at the beginning . . .
As we know, G-d is the Creator of all. G-d is the Creator of good, but
it is clearly written that G-d is also the Creator of evil (Is. 45:7).
Yet, we must ask, although G-d has created both good and evil, what
relationship do these concepts have to do with mankind?
Granted, as human beings our innate nature consists of both good and
bad tendencies. Yet what exactly are the parameters of good and evil?
Are good and evil attributes that exist exclusively within the domain
of the human character, or are there other autonomous expressions of
these characteristics? In other words, are good and evil exclusive to
man, or do they exist also in nature?
The full body of Torah literature teaches us that other races of
beings inhabit our universe along side of us. In traditional
literature, these being are also said to be good or evil. The good
races we call angels, and associate them with G-d. The evil races we
call demons and associate them with a devil. Regardless of whether
angles and demons really exist as autonomous entities or whether they
are merely psychological archetypes, the question remains, does evil
exist in nature, or is it merely limited to the realm of mind.
We interact with many things in our environment in a negative way.
Certain plants and herbs are deemed evil and thus made illegal based
on the manner in which we interact with such plants. The cannabis
plant and the cocoa plant are both G-d’s creations. As such, they must
serve some good in the greater schemes of things. I do not believe it
was G-d’s design to create these plants for the exclusive purpose of
them being used to create the illegal drugs marijuana and cocaine, and
for humans to abuse these drugs to their own harm.
The question is are these plants in and of themselves evil, or are
they neutral and just being used for an evil purpose? This question
can be asked with all things.
Are guns and bullets evil? If the answer to this is yes, then law
enforcement officers and soldiers who endanger their lives to defend
and protect us are evil merely because they use guns and bullets to
defend us and themselves.
Is fire evil? Forest fires can destroy entire communities and
ecosystems, fires cause great damage and kill many. Yet, fire heats
our homes and cooks our food. If fire is evil, then is cooked food and
warmth also evil?
It is clear than whether we talk about fire, or guns, we must reach
the same conclusion. It is not the item or concept itself that is good
or evil; it is how the item or concept is put into application.
Ultimately, everything in creation has a good side to it, as well as
an opposite evil side opposing the good. Everything in creation,
therefore, has within it the innate ability to be used for either good
or evil. This dual potential is what G-d created and left for us,
mankind, to discover and explore (the result of the fall).
In the metaphorical terminology used in Kabbalistic literature, the
innate forces of good and evil are given names. The concept of good
defines those forces which are expansive, creative and fluid. Together
this force is call Hesed (plural, Hasadim), the forces of mercy.
The concept of evil defines those forces which are constrictive,
destructive and rigid. Together this force is called Din (plural,
Dinim), also called Gevurot, the forces of severity.
