Who Can Be Called Righteous?

Question: Who is aware of evil? And what is “evil” in Kabbalah?

Answer: One who considers himself a sinner is one who is aware of evil, but only to the degree to which he is righteous.

In other words, a person who is aware of evil is called righteous.

Question: And who was he before that?

Answer: No one. He did not understand anything and could not say to himself, “Before, I was and sinner.” Only to the degree to which a person experiences himself as a sinner is he already righteous.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian, 3/4/18