393. "And Hashem saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and the impulse of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Beresheet 6:5). Of the verse, "For You are not El who has pleasure in wickedness; nor shall evil dwell with you" (Tehilim 5:5), Rabbi Yehuda said: This verse has been discussed and explained, yet come and behold: he who cleaves to and is led by the Evil Inclination is defiled and will be led further into defilement, as we have learned.
394. "The wickedness of man was great," because men committed all sorts of sins and their guilt was complete when they spilled blood in vain upon the ground. This refers to those who pollute their ways upon the earth, THAT IS, THEY SPILL THEIR SPERM IN VAIN. Thus, it is written: "Only evil (Heb. ra) all day." In another place it is written: "And Er, the son of Judah, was evil (Heb. ra) in the eyes of Hashem" (Beresheet 38:7), BECAUSE HE SPILLED HIS SEED UPON THE EARTH. THIS INDICATES THAT THE WORD RA REFERS TO THE WASTE OF SEED.
395. Rabbi Yosi then asked, "Is not evil (ra) the same as wicked (Heb. rasha)?" THAT YOU DETERMINE THAT RA IS USED SOLELY TO INDICATE THOSE WHO WASTE THEIR SEED? RABBI YEHUDA answered: No. Even he who lifts his hand against his friend is called wicked, even if he causes his friend no harm. It is written: "And he said to the wicked, why do you smite your fellow?" (Shemot 2:13), and not 'Why did you smite your fellow?' THE LATTER WOULD HAVE INDICATED THAT HE HAD ALREADY DONE SO. THUS, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NOT YET HIT HIM, THE SCRIPTURE CALLS HIM WICKED.
396. Yet, only he who corrupts his ways, thereby defiling himself and the earth, gives strength and power to the spirit of defilement called Ra. As it is written: "Only evil all day." Such a person will not enter the palace OF HASHEM, nor gaze upon the face of the Shechinah, because this sin causes the Shechinah to depart from the world.
397. From where DO WE KNOW THAT THE SHECHINAH LEAVES BECAUSE OF THIS SIN? From Jacob. For when the Shechinah left him, he concluded that there was a defect in his sons AS A RESULT OF THEIR INDULGENCE IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED SIN. Because of this sin, he concluded, the spirit of defilement was strengthened in the world and the light of the moon, WHICH IS THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, was impaired and rendered defective. FOR THIS REASON, THE SHECHINAH WAS GONE FROM HIM. One might wonder why HE THOUGHT SO. It is because this SIN defiled the Temple, and hence the Shechinah left Jacob, EVEN THOUGH HE HIMSELF DID NOT SIN. One who actually defiles his ways and himself gives all the more strength to the unclean spirit. Consequently, when he is defiled, he is called ra (evil).
398. Come and behold: when a man is defiled BY THE ABOVE MENTIONED SIN, he is not remembered by the Holy One, for merit, and he is constantly remembered by THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT, called 'evil', for evil. HENCE, THE SHECHINAH LEAVES HIM AS SOON AS HE IS VISITED BY THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT. Thus, it is said, "he that has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil" (Mishlei 19:23), MEANING THAT he who follows the right path AND DOES NOT FALL PREY TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED SIN "shall not be visited with evil. Thus, it is written: "Only evil all day" and also, "nor shall evil dwell with You" (Tehilim 5:5), and they are called 'evil' and not 'wicked.' Also, it is written: "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall not fear evil, for You are with me" (Tehilim 23:4). THIS IS BECAUSE IT ALSO WORKS THE OTHER WAY: IF THE SHECHINAH IS ACCOMPANYING A MAN, HE NEED NOT FEAR THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT, AS IT IS WRITTEN: "I SHALL NOT FEAR EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME." JUST AS THE SHECHINAH FLEES DEFILEMENT, SO DEFILEMENT FLEES FROM THE SHECHINAH.