Several times, in the Torah account of creation, it states, “It was good,” and concludes with,²¹² “Behold, it was very good.” However, the book of Deuteronomy states,²¹³ “See I have placed before you today life and good, and death and bad.” The question is, in the act of creation the Torah only mentions good. Where did the bad come from?

footnotes: ²¹² Genesis 1:31 ²¹³ Deuteronomy 30:15

However, what is meant here is not actual bad. Rather, the bad we are speaking of here, is also good, but on a lower level than absolute good, such as studying Torah or doing mitzvot. The Zohar hints at this with the words,²¹⁴ “Mi’Le’eil u’Mi’Lera-מלעיל ומלרע-From above and from below.” The word “below” is “Mi’LeRa-מלרע” which means, “from the bad.”

footnotes: ²¹⁴ See Zohar Vol. 1, 32b, 208a.

This is why when we do good, the bad also becomes good. However, if we sin, God forbid, it becomes actual bad. For example, a broom is used to sweep the house clean. Even though it has a measure of goodness, nonetheless, it is a low level and cannot be compared to the absolute good of doing a mitzvah. Nevertheless, it is good. However, if the broom must be used to hit a misbehaving child, the broom becomes completely bad when the child is struck.