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Chulin 007: The powers of evil
Dr. M. Kaplan asked:
The Gemara first quotes Rebbi Chanina who says that nothing (even
"Keshafim") has power in this world except for Hashem, as it is written,
"There is nothing besides Him" (Devarim 4). Rebbi Chanina further states
that "a person does not hurt his finger unless decreed from above." The
Gemara then quotes Rebbi Yochanan who says that sorcerers are called
"Keshafim" because they are "Makchishin Pamalya Shel Ma'alah," -- "they
contravene the powers of above."
How are we to reconcile these two statements?
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The Kollel replies:
The answer to your question involves two elements. First, Rebbi Chanina is
not teaching that bodily harm that is caused by another person is decreed
from above. Rather, he is referring to what happens to a person through the
natural course of events without human intervention. The reason for this is
because, as the Or ha'Chaim writes (in Bereishis 37:21), a person -- who
has the power of free choice -- is able to intervene in another person's
life and even to kill him, even though it was not decreed from above on
that person to die. (The source for this teaching can be found in the Zohar
on that verse. According to some, there is a Machlokes Tana'im in the Zohar
regarding this point.) Therefore, just as a person can physically damage
someone else even though it was not ordained from above, a person can also
damage someone else through his use of sorcery, even though it was not
ordained from above. In this manner, the Keshafim can contravene the
destiny decreed from above.
(We may wonder why the phrase "Makchishin Pamalya Shel Ma'alah" is used to
describe only sorcery, when a person can contravene what was preordained
with physical intervention as well. The answer is that when he contravenes
with physical force, he is not enlisting any of the other powers or
creations of Hashem to his use. Keshafim, in contrast, enlist the powers of
above, which normally would have brought a different fate to the subject
involved. The reason why a person can turn the powers above to his use is
because Hashem instilled such an ability into the nature that He created,
which allows a person to control certain powers of the physical and
metaphysical world.)
The second part of the answer to your question is that Keshafim cannot
damage every person. There are certain people, such as Rebbi Chanina (who
says that "a person does not hurt his finger unless decreed from above"),
who are invulnerable to the powers of Keshafim. This is discussed by RAV
CHAIM of VOLOZHEN in his classic work, NEFESH HA'CHAIM (3:12). He writes
that the power of sorcery comes from the control that Hashem gave to man
over certain "lower" metaphysical powers, powers that come through the
stars and constellations. They do not have control over the powers that
come from the holy "Merkavah" of Hashem, and the realm of the Mal'achim
(celestial beings). When a person "has firmly established Emunah in his
heart that there is no other force in the world other than the will of
Hashem," and "his thoughts are so connected to the Master of all forces
that it is clear to him that nothing else has any control or existence at
all without Hashem's will," he can be confident that the forces of sorcery
will have no influence over him (unless Hashem so desires). When Rebbi
Chanina said that the sorcerers cannot affect him because, "Ein Od
Milvado," he was emphasizing the clarity of his perfect faith. People such
as Rebbi Chanina are invulnerable to sorcery.
Rav Chaim of Volozhen continues that when a person firmly establishes this
belief in his heart, he can be confident than not only Keshafim cannot
affect him, but that no other source, such as other persons, can cause him
harm. It seems from his words that even the will of a person, who has the
power of free choice, cannot affect a person who cleaves to Hashem and
fully accepts in his mind and heart that there is no other force that has
any power in the world other than Hashem alone.
M. Kornfeld
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