The holy Arizal, Rabbi Yitzchok Luria, explained that everything in the world is nurtured by G-dliness, each thing contains a Divine spark that vitalizes it and sustains its very existence. Nothing can exist without that spark. Yet, that sustenance does not come to each thing in the same way.

There are those things and events that are nurtured in a direct and open way--they are within the realm of kedushah--holiness. Then there are those in which the G-dly spark conceals itself. They are compared to fruits within a shell--you need to peel off the shell in order to get to the fruit. For this reason, they are called the realm of the "klipot"--meaning 'shells'. This second category comprises almost all of our world.

Potentially Good

This second realm itself is divided in four parts. There is the highest realm, referred to in the Zohar as 'the shiny shell'. That means it is something like the crust immediately surrounding a nut, which can actually be eaten along with the nut. Similarly, those things in the realm of "klipat nogah" can be elevated when their spark is redeemed. In this realm lie all those things and events that the Torah permits--all the earth, most fruits and vegetables and all Kosher animals.

For example, a cow is slaughtered and kashered according to Halachah and eaten with a blessing and with the proper mindfulness--for the sake of serving our Creator with the nourishment and strength we derive from its meat. The divine spark within that animal is now redeemed and shines openly. And the meat itself enters into the realm of kedushah.

Evil

On the other hand, if the cow is not correctly slaughtered, or is eaten just to satiate another hungry beast who happens to walk on two legs, it not only does not rise, but rather sinks deeper.

Where does it sink to? To the other three levels of klipot, which cannot be redeemed so easily. This is the realm that covers all those things and deeds that are forbidden by the Torah. All of them are also nurtured by a Divine spark--otherwise they could not exist. But the spark is so deeply hidden that it cannot be redeemed--except through extreme methods. Methods such as a deep, inner Teshuvah, or through a test of faith.

The Good in Evil

For example, let's say a person decides not to eat kosher meat. Instead she goes out and buys the same meat everyone else eats from the supermarket. Then, later, she realizes that this is not the way a Jewish person is meant to eat, and that this meat is not allowing her G-dly soul to shine within. She feels a deep remorse for what she has done, and resolves from now on to be very careful about what she eats. In fact, she ends up more careful about her eating, and all other mitzvahs, than before her little supermarket episode.

The Evil in Evil

On the other hand, does that mean her original act of eating the meat was a positive act? Absolutely not. Standing on its own, it was a deed that tore her away from G-dliness. But at this point in time, **that deed no longer exists**. It now only exists as part of a larger context, that of her teshuvah and climb to a higher rung of connection to the Divine.

This is the example from music that I gave: A chord of music may be ugly when heard on its own. But that ugliness does not exist within the context of the piece when heard as a whole.

In my original piece, this is what I meant by writing:

"Once that void is washed away with tears, there remains only a crystal jewel rescued from the deep earth."

But the negativity of that deed, the tears have washed that into oblivion.

An Evil Choice Makes an Evil Act

Similarly, but going even further: Adam and Chavah ate a fruit. There is nothing inherently wrong with eating a fruit. Even that fruit. What was wrong was their experience of eating it. That was an experience of disconnection from G-dliness. The same with any negative deed: The decision of the person to do this thing, and the experience of making that decision, that is wrong and against G-d's will. But the deed itself is part of G-d's original plan and where it takes you is where you are supposed to be.

If you want to study this concept further, I can recommend delving into the book called "Tanya". Usually, you can find a class on the subject being given at a local Chabad institution.