March 18, 1994 • Page Image 44
… devils — the incarnation of evil. For believers, they provide an easy explanation for atroci- ties committed by mankind. Modern-day Jewish thought on evil, however, is far more complex. It involves the…
… believes that the ear- ly years of life probably influence one's ultimate choice of good and evil. Most psychia- trists agree. Dr. Jeffrey London, a child and adolescent psychiatrist with Havenwick Hospital…
… prover- bial nature-nurture argument. Do genes and chemistry beget an evil person, or is chronic de- pravity the product of a warped environment? "Jewish tradition would say that we're born neutral and we…
…f# og g :/f / P A0,0 ak Ar T Z 0,frar /o7 4 0704 W ii, 4 sue: Jews ponder the origin of evil. , .44' • , ./ , . Jews offer ideas about the dark side of human nature. RUTH LITTMAN STAFF WRITER…
… (1) w U) w CD w I=1 LU 44 he dybbuk in Jewish folklore is a demon cleaving to the soul of man. It is an unclean spirit that causes mental illness and wrong-doing. Put simply, dybbukim are like…
… have a choice. I don't think it's a genetic thing," said Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg of Congrega- tion Shir Tikvah. Quoting the Talmud, Rabbi Sleutelberg explained: "God created the evil impulse, but God…
… also created its antidote, the Torah. Studying and ob- serving Torah fills the space evil requires. If you fill your life with mitzvot, there's no room for the evil impulse." Rabbi Sleutel- berg also…
… in Auburn Hills, says specialists in the field during the 1950s and 1960s contended that a good upbringing — nurture — could create a decent person. Now, "a lot is being looked at as far as the nature…
… England recently, two 10- year-old youths murdered 2- year-old James Bulger. Can children be evil? Dr. London says yes, but rarely. Most hostile youngsters are go- ing through a rough time. The evil…
… inborn and how much of it is learned? I think it's probably both. "But more commonly, I think it's the accumulation of the (negative) experiences they have. This is not to excuse the behavior, but to…

















































