Light Sown, Darkness Frozen

ב׳ה׳נ׳ו׳א

In his work Kad Hakemach (on the topic of Chanukah lights, commenting on Tehillim 97:11) Rabbeinu Bachya explains that scripture refers to all forms of tov (good) in the world as “light” (ohr), while the opposite–evils–are termed “darkness” (chochesh). He supports this by citing Isaiah 45:7: “Who forms light and creates darkness, makes peace and creates evil,” noting that Hashem equates peace (shalom) with light and evil (ra) with darkness.

This raises a seeming inconsistency when viewed through the lens of Kabbalah’s four worlds (Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah)

• “Forms light” (yotzer ohr) corresponds to Yetzirah (the world of formation)
• “Makes peace” (oseh shalom) corresponds to Asiyah (the world of action)
• Yet light is placed on a higher spiritual plane than peace–why does Rabbeinu Bechaye equate them?

Moreover, the verse seems to be more consistent on the negative side:

• “Creates darkness” (uvorei choshech) uses borei, aligning with Beria (creation ex nihilo), a higher level than both light and peace
• “Creates evil” (uvorei ra) similarly uses borei, placing darkness and evil on the same elevated plane

Therefore, darkness and evil emerge from the same level (Beriah), while light (Yetzirah) and peace (Asiyah) do not. Why the asymmetry? And why equate light with peace despite their differing origins?

Perhaps Rabbeinu Bachya is conveying an insight into the nature of tov (good) and ra (evil): tov is dynamic and progressive, advancing and “descending” into realization, whereas evil remains static, frozen in potential without ever moving forward.

Ohr, originating in the higher world of Yetzirah (formation), flows downward to become shalom (peace) in the lowest world of Asiyah (action)–a mechanism through which divine potential becomes actualized, tangible good in the physical world. Perhaps tov in its essence is generative, moving forward (ie halacha), investing itself, unfolding, and bearing fruit.

In stark contrast, choshech and ra, though they emanate from Beriah (creation ex nihilo)–an even loftier place–remain arrested at their source. No matter how elevated their origin, they stay fixed in place–stuck in mere potential, never descending to manifest constructive change. Evil does not progress, it is inherently stagnant, unable to bridge the gap between possibility and actuality in a positive way.

This may be why Rabbeinu Bachya opens his discussion with “Light is sown (zarua) for the righteous…” (Tehillim 97:11). Tov is planted, invested, and propelled forward. Like a seed that descends into the earth only to sprout and multiply–the ohr bestowed upon the righteous is not hoarded in the heights–it is sown, sent downward, and cultivated to yield abundant shalom in the world below.