The Nature of Evil

What is evil? When investigating the nature of evil in humans, we need to look into how we are designed—with a program that directs us to use all of our desires only for self-benefit. Animals are also born with a program to cater for their self-benefit, but there is a difference between humans and other animals. Animals instinctively fulfill their desires for food, sex, shelter, and procreation according to their natural necessities. Humans are different, as we develop the idea and the intention to enjoy by being better and having more than others. We build ourselves on the ruin of others even if it does not manifest openly in everybody. This program openly or latently exists in all of us. We collectively need to recognize this inherent program is us to some extent, to be aware of who we are, and the program that operates us. Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes, “All the pains we suffer are but revelations of the nothingness and harmfulness of the intention to receive for oneself.” This means t