R-E – ‘degrade towards materiality’

7489.  raw-ah´; a primitive root; properly, to spoil (literally, by breaking to pieces); figuratively, to make (or be) good for nothing, i.e. bad (physically, socially or morally):

7451. rah; from 7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):

The term translated as ‘wickedness’ is perhaps one of the most difficult to come to understand.

First, it contains the elementary root אר which contains the symbol for power and for movement. This root can be used to signify any element, light, fire, water and earth depending on the additional symbol joined to it.

This elementary root is contained in the term translated ‘formed’ in Genesis 2:6 – ‘and the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground’ – WYYTZR, וייצר. This verb, YTZR, has the idea of “figuring, forming, coordinating, fixing and binding the constitutive elements of a thing.” In its simple form ZR, it has the sense of elementary figuration, that is, creation in the mind out of elementary existence. (The Hebraic Tongue Restored, Fabré d’Olivet, p. 74)

We have seen the movement principle, acting from the centre to the circumference, modified in turn, but light, fire, water, air, ethereal fluid, according to the roots רא, רה, רו, רח, רי : now, here is this same movement departing from the root רו and degenerating more and more toward the material sense, to become in the root רע, the emblem of that which is terrestrial, obscure and evil. This is worthy of the closest attention.

That which is bent, bowed down; that which is brought together to be made compact; that which becomes fragile, brittle; that which breaks and is reduced to powder: physical and moral evil; misery, malignancy, misfortune, vice, perversity, disorder. (The Hebraic Tongue Restored, Fabré d’Olivet, p. 452-453)