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Why did God create evil when He could have made everyone simply good? Drawing on the Ramchal's Derech Hashem (ה׳), the shiur explains that true goodness must be earned rather than received - making free choice essential for humans to own their spiritual achievements. This yesod reframes how we should view struggle and teaches practical lessons about chinuch and recognizing genuine accomplishment.
This shiur addresses the fundamental question of why God created the possibility of evil and granted humans free choice, when seemingly it would be better if everyone was simply good. Rabbi Zweig begins by explaining that this question typically stems from our discomfort with the existence of evil in the world and wondering why God didn't create a world where evil was impossible. The analysis is based primarily on the Derech Hashem (ה׳) (Ramchal), starting with the foundational principle that only God is absolutely and necessarily perfect. Since God's purpose in creation was to bestow the ultimate good, and since true perfection exists only in God Himself, the challenge becomes how to give created beings the highest good possible. The solution involves two key components: first, enabling created beings to attach themselves to God in the closest possible relationship, and second, making them owners and earners of their goodness rather than passive recipients.
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Derech Hashem
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Why did Klal Yisrael need coercion at Har Sinai yet voluntary acceptance at Purim? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: true kabbalas haTorah means recognizing that mitzvos reflect who we already are—not a choice we make, but our inner essence programmed by Hashem. At Purim, through hester panim, we internalized that doing ratzon Hashem requires no decision, only allowing ourselves to be who we truly are.
Why does the Rambam cite two different pesukim for the mitzvah of building the Beis Hamikdash? The shiur develops the yesod that the Mishkan serves two distinct purposes: a place for avodah and the seat of HaKadosh Baruch Hu's malchus. Achashverosh's party attempted to transfer that malchus to the nations, but Purim's kabbalas HaTorah b'ratzon restored our eternal claim.
Why did the Aron not take up any space in the Kodesh HaKodashim? The shiur develops a fundamental yesod: the Mishkan's ultimate purpose was not merely to house holy vessels but to create "His space"—a place where we experience being contained within Hashem's reality rather than Him existing within ours. This transforms our understanding of aliyah l'regel, the batei knesiyos, and our entire relationship with kedusha.
Why did Haman, who had wealth, power, and family beyond measure, declare all of it worthless upon merely seeing Mordechai? The shiur unpacks Esther 5:13 to reveal that Haman's statement exposes the inherent emptiness of a life connected only to the self and temporal possessions. Mordechai's willingness to sacrifice his life for values demonstrated connection to the eternal, shattering Haman's denial and forcing him to confront his own nothingness—a devastating truth that explains Jewish depression rates and points to the antidote: rootedness in Torah, prayer, and connection to something beyond the self.
