On Which Things Does Hashem Regret Having Created?

Greetings,

Here is the language of the Gemara in Tractate Sukkah (page 52b): Four things that Hashem regrets having created, and these are the Exile of the Chaldeans, the Ishmaelites, and the evil inclination.

Of course, this does not mean literally, for Hashem knows the future and regret does not apply to Him, but rather it is similar to what we find in the Torah (Genesis 6:6) "And Hashem regretted that He had made man on earth," as the Torah speaks in the manner of human beings, meaning it is fitting to regret them unless He did so in order that through this the Jewish people would return in repentance. The evil inclination was created to increase the reward for the righteous who overcome it (see Iyun Yaakov on Sukkah there, and also refer to the comments of Yaavetz and to the Aruch Laner there).

Best regards,

Hillel Meirs