"And he looked this way and that"
This section discusses the episode wherein Moses kills an Egyptian who is beating an Yisrael. "He looked this way and that," we are told, to see if the Egyptian proclaimed the Divine Unity, performed any good works, or would produce a righteous son. Though wicked men often beget good sons, and these are especially precious to God since they represent light from darkness, Moses saw through the Holy Spirit that the Egyptian would not have such a son.
Darkness becomes a powerful positive force the moment it is transformed into Light, for it creates unparalleled brilliance. Light from darkness is far more luminous than Light from Light. Our most negative and wicked traits can be harnessed to change this world absolutely, bringing us endless joy the moment we own up to their existence and transform them into positive traits. Instead of feeling shame, guilt, dishonor, and disgrace over our own evil impulses; instead of denying their existence, we should immediately acknowledge them (as painful as that may be) and ask the Light to transform our evil qualities into their opposite state.
This passage uproots our negative traits, allowing them to give birth to their opposite. From evil emerges divine goodness. From selfishness is born selflessness. Greed gives way to generosity. Spitefulness engenders kindness and compassion. Our greatest weaknesses now become our greatest strengths, and the Light that sparkles uplifts all humanity. The most corrupt and sinful aspects of our society now transform, giving birth to divinity, purity, and blessings.
The negative traits within us, and the negative beings in our world that cannot be altered into positivity and goodness, are now banished forever, freeing us from their destructive influences.
207. "And he looked this way [Heb. koh (Caf-Hei)] and that (koh)" (Shemot 2:12). SINCE he saw in these fifty letters that Yisrael proclaim twice every day the prayer, "Sh'ma Yisrael" (Hear O Yisrael), that contains Caf-Hei (= 25) and Caf-Hei LETTERS twice; but he did not see THAT THE EGYPTIAN WOULD BE SAYING THEM. "And he looked Koh and Koh." Rabbi Aba said, THE FIRST Koh IS BECAUSE he looked to see whoever possessed good deeds, and THE SECOND Koh IS BECAUSE he desired to perceive whether a righteous son would emerge from him. Immediately, "he saw that there was no man" (Ibid.) he saw by the Holy Spirit that no righteous son would not emerge from him.
207. וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה. חָמָא בְּאִלֵּין נ' אַתְוָון, דִּמְיַחֲדִין לֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹמָא, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל פַּעֲמַיִם, דְּאִית בְּהוֹן כ"ה כ"ה תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי, וְלָא חָמָא בֵּיהּ. וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וְגוֹ.' כֹּה וָכֹה, אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, כֹּה חָמָא, אִי הֲווֹ בֵּיהּ עוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָן. וָכֹה אִי זַמִין לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ בְּרָא מְעַלְיָא, מִיָּד וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ. חָמָא בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא, דְּלָא זַמִין לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ בְּרָא מְעַלְיָא.
208. Rabbi Aba said, How many wicked people are there in the world who beget good children, more than the righteous. And that good son who comes from the wicked person is even better because he is pure from impure, light from darkness, wisdom from foolishness and this is the best of all.
208. דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, כַּמָּה חַיָּיבִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא, דְּמָפְקֵי בְּנֵי מְעַלְיָא, יַתִּיר מֵאִינוּן זַכָּאִין. וְהַהוּא בְּרָא מְעַלְיָא דְּנָפַק מִן חַיָּיבָא, אִיהוּ מְעַלְיָא יַתִּיר, לְמֶהֱוֵי טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא. נְהוֹרָא מִגּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא. חָכְמְתָא מִגּוֹ טִפְּשׁוּתָא. וְדָא אִיהוּ מְעַלְיָא מִכֹּלָּא.