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Preparing for transformation ~ Conversations about being human: yetzer hara I

(ה) חַיָּב אָדָם לְבָרֵךְ עַל הָרָעָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַטּוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו) וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ. בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֶיךָ, בְּיֵצֶר טוֹב וּבְיֵצֶר רָע. וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ. וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, בְּכָל מָמוֹנֶךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, בְּכָל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה שֶׁהוּא מוֹדֵד לְךָ הֱוֵי מוֹדֶה לוֹ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד. ...

(5) The mishna articulates a general principle: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he recites a blessing for the good that befalls him, as it is stated: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The mishna explains this verse as follows: “With all your heart” means with your two inclinations, with your good inclination and your evil inclination, both of which must be subjugated to the love of God. “With all your soul” means even if God takes your soul. “And with all your might” means with all your money, as money is referred to in the Bible as might. Alternatively, it may be explained that “with all your might” means with every measure that He metes out to you; whether it is good or troublesome, thank Him. ...

~ Notice that already in the time of the Mishnah, codified in 200 CE, the idea of the presence of the Yetzer Hara is crystallized, meaning, it is so well known that the Mishnah sees no need to explain what it is. The doubling of the letter "vet" in the word levavecha is explained with the presence of the impulses.

רבי ראובן בן אצטרובלי אומר היאך מתרחק אדם מיצר הרע שבמעיו לפי שטיפה ראשונה שאדם מטיל באשה הוא יצה״ר. ויצר הרע אינו שרוי אלא על מפתחי הלב שנאמר (בראשית ד׳:ז׳) לפתח חטאת רובץ א״ל לאדם בשעה שהתינוק מוטל בעריסה (האיש) מבקש להורגך הוא רוצה שיתלוש ממנו בשערו תינוק מוטל בעריסה הניח ידו ע״ג נחש או ע״ג עקרב ועקצתו לא גרם לו אלא יצר הרע שבמעיו הניח ידו ע״ג גחלים ונכוה לא גרם לו אלא יצה״ר שבמעיו (לפי שיצר הרע זורקתו בית ראש אבל) בא וראה בגדי או בטלה כיון שהוא רואה את הבאר הוא חוזר לאחוריו לפי שאין יצר הרע בבהמה . רבי שמעון בן אלעזר אומר אמשול לך משל למה (הדבר דומה) יצה״ר דומה לברזל שהטילוהו בתוך האור כל זמן שהוא בתוך האור עושין ממנו כל כלים שירצו אף כך יצה״ר אין לו תקנה אלא בדברי תורה ([שהוא כאש]) בלבד שנאמר (משלי כ״ה:כ״א-כ״ב) אם רעב שונאך האכילהו לחם ואם צמא השקהו מים כי גחלים אתה חותה על ראשו וה׳ ישלם לך אל תקרי ישלם לך אלא ישלים לך. רבי יהודה הנשיא אומר אמשול לך משל למה (הדבר דומה) יצר הרע דומה לשני בני אדם שנכנסו לפונדק אחד נתפס אחד מהם משום לסטות אמרו לו מי עמך יכול הוא שיאמר לא היה עמי חברי אלא אומר הואיל ואני נהרג יהרג חברי עמי אף כך אומר יצר הרע הואיל ואני אבוד לעוה״ב (אני) אאבד את (כל) הגוף. רבי שמעון בן יוחי אומר מכאן שאין ישראל רואים פני גיהנם לעולם משלו משל למה״ד למלך ב״ו שהיה לו שדה זבורית באו בני אדם והשכירוה בעשרת כורין חטים בשנה זבלוה עדרוה השקוה וכסחוה ולא הכניסו ממנה אלא כור אחד חטים בשנה אמר להם המלך מהו זה אמרו לו אדונינו המלך אתה יודע בשדה שנתת לנו שמתחלה לא הכנסת ממנה כלום ועכשיו שזבלנוה וכיסחנוה והשקינוה מים לא הכנסנו ממנה אלא כור אחד חטים בלבד. כך עתידים ישראל לומר לפני הקב״ה רבש״ע אתה יודע ביצר הרע שהוא מסית בנו שנא׳ (תהילים ק״ג:י״ד) כי הוא ידע יצרנו:

Rabbi Reuven ben Itzrubali would say: How can a person stay away from the Evil Urge inside of him? For the first drop that a person puts inside of a woman is the Evil Urge. The Evil Urge rules only over the doors of the heart, as it says (Genesis 4:7), “Sin crouches at the door.” From the first moment that an infant is placed in the crib, (this yetzer) is trying to kill you. He wants to pluck you out by your hair. When an infant is placed in his crib, he will place his hand onto a snake or a scorpion’s stinger. It is the Evil Urge inside of him that causes him to do this. He will place his hand onto fiery coals and it will be burned. It is the Evil Urge inside of him that causes him to do this. (For the Evil Urge wants to throw him into the fire.) But look at a baby goat or sheep! When they see a well, they back up away from it, because there is no Evil Urge in an animal.


Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say: I will give you a parable. What (is [the Evil Urge] like)? The Evil Urge is like a piece of steel that they put into the fire. While it is in the fire, they can make any tool they wish from it. So it is with the Evil Urge. There is no way to fix it except with words of Torah alone ([which are like fire]), as it says (Proverbs 25:21–22), “If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread. If he is thirsty, give him water. You will be heaping fiery coals on his head, and the Eternal will reward you.” Do not read it as “reward you” (yeshalem lekha) but “give you peace” (yashlim lekha).


Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi would say: I will give you a parable: What (is [the Evil Urge] like)? The Evil Urge is like two people who go into an inn. One is captured by robbers. They say to him: Who is with you? He could easily say: No one else was with me. But he says to himself: Since I am going to be killed, my friend should be killed with me. So it is with the Evil Urge, which says: Since I will be lost in the World to Come, (I) want take the whole body with me!


Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai would say: From this you know that Israel will never see the face of Gehenna. They give a parable: To what can this be compared? [It can be compared] to a human king who had a barren field. Some people came along and rented it for a ten bundles of wheat. They fertilized it, plowed it, watered it, and harvested it, but they yielded only one bundle of wheat the whole year. The king said to them: What is this? They said: Our master the king, you know that with regard to the field you gave us, in the beginning you were not able to yield anything from it. Now we have fertilized it, harvested it, and watered it, yet we have still not been able to yield more than one bundle of wheat the whole year. So will Israel say one day before the Holy Blessed One: You know well that the Evil Urge has tempted us, as it says (Psalms 103:14), “For He knows our urges” [lit., how we were formed].

~ These four rabbis have different ideas about the Yetzer Hara, commonly translated as Evil Inclination. What are those ideas?

~ can the Yetzer HaRa be fixed? How, according to whom?

אָמַר רַב אַסִּי: יֵצֶר הָרָע בַּתְּחִילָּה דּוֹמֶה לְחוּט שֶׁל בּוּכְיָא, וּלְבַסּוֹף דּוֹמֶה כַּעֲבוֹתוֹת הָעֲגָלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא וְכַעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה חַטָּאָה״.
Apropos the evil inclination and the battle against it, the Gemara cites that which Rav Asi said: Initially, when it begins to entice someone, the evil inclination is like a strand of a spider’s web [bukhya]; and ultimately it is like the thick ropes of a wagon, as it is stated: “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as if it were with a wagon rope” (Isaiah 5:18). Initially, the enticement is almost imperceptible, like a thin strand; however, after one sins, it is like wagon ropes tied tightly around him.
אֵימַר דְּשָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בִּמְתַקֵּן, בִּמְקַלְקֵל מִי שָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ? אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין: הַאי נָמֵי מְתַקַּן הוּא, דְּקָעָבֵיד נַחַת רוּחַ לְיִצְרוֹ. וּכְהַאי גַּוְונָא מִי שְׁרֵי? וְהָתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם חִילְפָא בַּר אַגְרָא שֶׁאָמַר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן נוּרִי: הַמְקָרֵע בְּגָדָיו בַּחֲמָתוֹ, וְהַמְשַׁבֵּר כֵּלָיו בַּחֲמָתוֹ, וְהַמְפַזֵּר מְעוֹתָיו בַּחֲמָתוֹ, יְהֵא בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. שֶׁכָּךְ אוּמָּנוּתוֹ שֶׁל יֵצֶר הָרָע: הַיּוֹם אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ, וּלְמָחָר אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁאוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹלֵךְ וְעוֹבֵד. אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין: מַאי קְרָאָה — ״לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל נֵכָר״, אֵיזֶהוּ אֵל זָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם? הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר, זֶה יֵצֶר הָרָע.
The Gemara asks: Say that you heard that Rabbi Yehuda rules that one is liable for performing a labor not needed for its own sake in the case of a constructive act; did you hear him deem one liable in the case of a destructive act? Rabbi Avin said: This case, where one rends his garment in anger, is also constructive, because in doing so he assuages his anger. Rending his garment calms him; therefore, it can be said that he derives benefit from the act of rending, and it is consequently a constructive act. The Gemara asks: And is it at all permitted to tear in that manner? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says in the name of Ḥilfa bar Agra, who said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri: One who rends his garments in his anger, or who breaks his vessels in his anger, or who scatters his money in his anger, should be like an idol worshipper in your eyes, as that is the craft of the evil inclination. Today it tells him do this, and tomorrow it tells him do that, until eventually, when he no longer controls himself, it tells him worship idols and he goes and worships idols. Rabbi Avin said: What verse alludes to this? “There shall not be a strange god within you, and you shall not bow to a foreign god” (Psalms 81:10). What is the strange god that is within a person’s body? Say that it is the evil inclination. One may not rend his garments in anger, because in doing so he is deriving pleasure from satisfying the evil inclination.

~ Both of those sources have the same idea about the Yetzer Hara.

~ What is it?

~ Is it possible to dominate or conquer the Yetzer Hara, according to these sources?

(ז) וַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ ה' אֱלֹקִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃

(7) God ה' formed the Human from the soil’s humus, blowing into his nostrils the breath of life: the Human became a living being.

דָּרַשׁ רַב נַחְמָן בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא: מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּיצֶר ה׳ אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם״ בִּשְׁנֵי יוֹדִין? — שְׁנֵי יְצָרִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֶחָד יֵצֶר טוֹב וְאֶחָד יֵצֶר רָע. מַתְקִיף לַהּ רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, בְּהֵמָה דְּלָא כְּתִיב בַּהּ ״וַיִּיצֶר״ לֵית לַהּ יִצְרָא? וְהָא קָא חֲזֵינַן דְּמַזְּקָא וְנָשְׁכָא וּבָעֲטָא! אֶלָּא כִּדְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן פַּזִּי, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן פַּזִּי ״אוֹי לִי מִיּוֹצְרִי וְאוֹי לִי מִיִּצְרִי״.
Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda interpreted homiletically: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Then the Lord God formed [vayyitzer] man” (Genesis 2:7), with a double yod? This double yod alludes to that fact that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created two inclinations; one a good inclination and one an evil inclination. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak strongly objects to this: If that is so, does an animal, with regard to whom vayyitzer is not written with a double yod, not have an inclination? Don’t we see that it causes damage and bites and kicks? Rather, interpret the double yod homiletically, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, as Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi said: This alludes to the difficulty of human life; woe unto me from my Creator [yotzri] and woe unto me from my inclination [yitzri]. If one opts to follow either his Creator or his inclination, woe unto him from the other.

~ The rabbis notice something about the way the Torah text is written. What is it? What are the two possibilities raised by the Gemarah?

~ What do those two possibilities indicate about the human condition? Do you think it is possible to harmonize the two positions?

אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: וּלְמַאי דְּקָאָמַר רַב נַחְמָן, מָנוֹחַ עַם הָאָרֶץ הָיָה — אֲפִילּוּ בֵּי רַב נָמֵי לָא קְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתָּקׇם רִבְקָה וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ וַתִּרְכַּבְנָה עַל הַגְּמַלִּים וַתֵּלַכְנָה אַחֲרֵי הָאִישׁ״ — וְלֹא לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֲחוֹרֵי אֲרִי וְלֹא אֲחוֹרֵי אִשָּׁה, אֲחוֹרֵי אִשָּׁה וְלֹא אֲחוֹרֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אֲחוֹרֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְלֹא אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין. וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלָא דָּרֵי מִידֵּי, וְאִי דָּרֵי מִידֵּי — לֵית לַן בַּהּ. וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלֵיכָּא פִּתְחָא אַחֲרִינָא, וְאִי אִיכָּא פִּתְחָא אַחֲרִינָא — לֵית לַן בַּהּ. וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלָא רְכִיב חֲמָרָא, אֲבָל רְכִיב חֲמָרָא — לֵית לַן בַּהּ. וְלָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלָא מַנַּח תְּפִילִּין, אֲבָל מַנַּח תְּפִילִּין — לֵית לַן בַּהּ. אָמַר רַב: יֵצֶר הָרָע דּוֹמֶה לִזְבוּב וְיוֹשֵׁב בֵּין שְׁנֵי מִפְתְּחֵי הַלֵּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״זְבוּבֵי מָוֶת יַבְאִישׁ יַבִּיעַ שֶׁמֶן רוֹקֵחַ״. וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: כְּמִין חִטָּה הוּא דּוֹמֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רוֹבֵץ״. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: שְׁתֵּי כְּלָיוֹת יֵשׁ בּוֹ בְּאָדָם, אַחַת יוֹעַצְתּוֹ לְטוֹבָה וְאַחַת יוֹעַצְתּוֹ לְרָעָה. וּמִסְתַּבְּרָא דְּטוֹבָה לִימִינוֹ וְרָעָה לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: ״לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ״.
Rav Ashi said: And according to what Rav Naḥman said, that Manoah was an ignoramus; he did not even learn to read the basic Torah stories that even children learn in school, as it is stated: “Rebecca arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man” (Genesis 24:61); they followed him and did not walk before the man. On this topic, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is preferable to walk behind a lion and not behind a woman, and preferable to walk behind a woman and not behind idolatry, for then it will appear as if he is accompanying the idolatry. It is preferable to walk behind idolatry and not behind a synagogue when the congregation is praying, as he appears to separate himself from the community in that he does not wish to join them in prayer. This last halakha has numerous caveats: And we only said this in a case where he is not carrying something, and if he is carrying something, this does not apply, as everyone will understand why he did not enter the synagogue. And we only said this in a case where there is no other entrance to the synagogue, and if there is another entrance, this does not apply. And we only said this in a case where he is not riding a donkey, and if he is riding a donkey, this does not apply. And we only said this in a case where he is not donning phylacteries, but if he is donning phylacteries, this does not apply. Rav said: The evil inclination is like a fly and it sits between the two entrances of the heart, as it is stated: “Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid” (Ecclesiastes 10:1). And Shmuel said: The evil inclination is like a type of wheat, as it is stated: “Transgression [ḥatat] couches at the door” (Genesis 4:7); ḥatat is interpreted homiletically as related to ḥitta, wheat. The Sages taught in a baraita: A person has two kidneys; one advises him to do good and one advises him to do evil. And it stands to reason that the one advising him to do good is to his right and the one that advises him to do evil is to his left, as it is written: “A wise man’s understanding is at his right hand, but a fool’s understanding is at his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2).

~ Why shouldn't a man walk behind a woman, in this context?

~ What is the place of the evil inclination?

~ Why do you think the two sages offer those two similes, fly and wheat?

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״וְשַׂמְתֶּם״ – סַם תָּם, נִמְשְׁלָה תּוֹרָה כְּסַם חַיִּים. מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁהִכָּה אֶת בְּנוֹ מַכָּה גְּדוֹלָה וְהִנִּיחַ לוֹ רְטִיָּה עַל מַכָּתוֹ, וְאָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, כׇּל זְמַן שֶׁהָרְטִיָּה זוֹ עַל מַכָּתְךָ אֱכוֹל מַה שֶּׁהֲנָאָתֶךָ, וּשְׁתֵה מַה שֶּׁהֲנָאָתֶךָ, וּרְחוֹץ בֵּין בְּחַמִּין בֵּין בְּצוֹנֵן וְאֵין אַתָּה מִתְיָירֵא. וְאִם אַתָּה מַעֲבִירָהּ הֲרֵי הִיא מַעֲלָה נוֹמֵי. כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: בָּנַי, בָּרָאתִי יֵצֶר הָרָע וּבָרָאתִי לוֹ תּוֹרָה תַּבְלִין. וְאִם אַתֶּם עוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה – אֵין אַתֶּם נִמְסָרִים בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲלוֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת״, וְאִם אֵין אַתֶּם עוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה – אַתֶּם נִמְסָרִים בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ״, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁכׇּל מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ בְּךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ״. וְאִם אַתָּה רוֹצֶה אַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתָּה תִּמְשׇׁל בּוֹ״. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: קָשֶׁה יֵצֶר הָרָע, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ יוֹצְרוֹ קְרָאוֹ רַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְּעֻרָיו״. אָמַר רַב יִצְחָק: יִצְרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מִתְחַדֵּשׁ עָלָיו בְּכׇל יוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רַק רַע כׇּל הַיּוֹם״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לֵוִי: יִצְרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו בְּכׇל יוֹם וּמְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״צוֹפֶה רָשָׁע לַצַּדִּיק וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲמִיתוֹ״, וְאִלְמָלֵא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹזְרוֹ אֵין יָכוֹל לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֱלֹהִים לֹא יַעַזְבֶנּוּ בְיָדוֹ״. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: בְּנִי אִם פָּגַע בְּךָ מְנֻוּוֹל זֶה – מׇשְׁכֵהוּ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ. אִם אֶבֶן הוּא – נִימּוֹחַ, וְאִם בַּרְזֶל הוּא – מִתְפּוֹצֵץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲלוֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם ה׳ וּכְפַטִּישׁ יְפֹצֵץ סָלַע״. אִם אֶבֶן הוּא – נִימּוֹחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הוֹי כׇּל צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם״ וְאוֹמֵר: ״אֲבָנִים שָׁחֲקוּ מַיִם״.

The Sages taught: “And you shall place [vesamtem] these words of Mine in your hearts” (Deuteronomy 11:18). Read this as though it stated sam tam, a perfect elixir. The Torah is compared to an elixir of life. There is a parable that illustrates this: A person hit his son with a strong blow and placed a bandage on his wound. And he said to him: My son, as long as this bandage is on your wound and is healing you, eat what you enjoy and drink what you enjoy, and bathe in either hot water or cold water, and you do not need to be afraid, as it will heal your wound. But if you take it off, the wound will become gangrenous. So too the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: My children, I created an evil inclination, which is the wound, and I created Torah as its antidote. If you are engaged in Torah study you will not be given over into the hand of the evil inclination, as it is stated: “If you do well, shall it not be lifted up?” (Genesis 4:7). One who engages in Torah study lifts himself above the evil inclination. And if you do not engage in Torah study, you are given over to its power, as it is stated: “Sin crouches at the door” (Genesis 4:7). Moreover, all of the evil inclination’s deliberations will be concerning you, as it is stated in the same verse: “And to you is its desire.” And if you wish you shall rule over it, as it is stated in the conclusion of the verse: “But you may rule over it” (Genesis 4:7). The Sages taught: So difficult is the evil inclination that even its Creator calls it evil, as it is stated: “For the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). Rav Yitzḥak says: A person’s evil inclination renews itself to him every day, as it is stated: “And that every inclination of the thoughts in his heart was only evil all day [kol hayyom]” (Genesis 6:5). “Kol hayyom” can also be understood as: Every day. And Rabbi Shimon ben Levi says: A person’s inclination overpowers him every day, and seeks to kill him, as it is stated: “The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to slay him” (Psalms 37:32). And if not for the fact that the Holy One, Blessed be He, assists each person in battling his evil inclination, he could not overcome it, as it is stated: “The Lord will not leave him in his hand” (Psalms 37:33). A Sage from the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: My son, if this wretched one, the evil inclination, encounters you, pull it into the study hall, i.e., go and study Torah. If it is a stone it will melt, and if it is iron it will break, as it is stated with regard to the Torah: “Is not My word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29). With regard to the second part of the statement: If it is a stone it will melt, this is as it is stated with regard to the Torah: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water” (Isaiah 55:1), and it states: “The water wears the stones” (Job 14:19), indicating that water is stronger than stone.

~ What is the basic function of Torah, according to the rabbis here?

Midrashim and the double yud

כָּל מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה תּוֹלְדוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ הֵן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, א): בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, בַּשֵּׁנִי בָּרָא מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, ו): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ. בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי בָּרָא מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, (בראשית א, יא): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִּים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ. בָּרְבִיעִי בָּרָא מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, (בראשית א, יד): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִּים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת. בַּחֲמִישִׁי בָּרָא מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, (בראשית א, כ): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם. בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בָּא לִבְרֹאת אֶת אָדָם אָמַר אִם אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים עַכְשָׁיו הָעֶלְיוֹנִים רָבִים עַל הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים בְּרִיָּה אַחַת וְאֵין שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, וְאִם אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים עַכְשָׁיו הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים רָבִים עַל הָעֶלְיוֹנִים בְּרִיָּה אַחַת וְאֵין שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם, אֶלָּא הֲרֵי אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּמִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים בִּשְׁבִיל שָׁלוֹם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ב, ז): וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם וגו'. עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה, מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, (בראשית ב, ז): וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים, מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ (איוב כה, ב): הַמְשֵׁל וָפַחַד עִמּוֹ עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו. הַמְשֵׁל, זֶה גַּבְרִיאֵל. וָפַחַד, זֶה מִיכָאֵל.

All that you see, they are generations of heavens and earth, as it is said: “In beginning, E-lohim created heavens and earth” (Gen 1:1). On the second [day] He created from the upper ones, as it is said: “And E-lohim said: Let there be a firmament.” On the third He created from the lower ones: “And E-lohim said: Let the earth sprout”. On the fourth He created from the upper ones: “Let there be lights” On the fifth He created from the lower ones: “Let the waters swarm” On the sixth He came to create the Human. He said: If I create him from the upper ones, then the upper ones will be greater than the lower ones by one creation, and there won’t be peace in the world; and if I create him from the lower ones, then the lower ones will be greater than the upper ones by one creation, and there won’t be peace in the world. Rather, here am I [going to] create him from the upper ones and the lower ones, for the sake of peace. ‘And Ad-nai E-lohim formed him dirt from the ground’—from the lower ones; ‘and He blew in his nostrils life’s breath (Gen 2:7)—from the upper ones. This is what Rabbi Shime'on ben Lakish says: "Dominion and dread are His; He imposes peace in His heights." (Job 25:2). The word "dominion" is [the angel] Gavriel, "dread" is [the angel] Michael.

~ What is the essence of the human being, and why?

~ What are the two aspects inside the human?

~ How does the human symbolize the need for balance, in this midrash?

וַיִּיצֶר שְׁתֵּי יְצִירוֹת, יְצִירָה מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וִיצִירָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק וְרַבָּנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, בָּרָא בוֹ ד' בְּרִיּוֹת מִלְמַעְלָן וְד' מִלְמַטָּן, אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה כִּבְהֵמָה, פָּרָה וְרָבָה כִּבְהֵמָה, מַטִּיל גְּלָלִים כִּבְהֵמָה, וּמֵת כִּבְהֵמָה. מִלְּמַעְלָה, עוֹמֵד כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, מְדַבֵּר, וּמֵבִין, וְרוֹאֶה, כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. וּבְהֵמָה אֵינָהּ רוֹאָה, אֶתְמְהָא. אֶלָּא זֶה מְצַדֵּד. רַבִּי תַּפְדוּיֵי אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא, הָעֶלְיוֹנִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּצֶלֶם וּבִדְמוּת, וְאֵינָן פָּרִין וְרָבִין. וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, פָּרִין וְרָבִין וְלֹא נִבְרְאוּ בְּצֶלֶם וּדְמוּת. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵי אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ בְּצֶלֶם וּבִדְמוּת מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, פָּרָה וְרָבָה מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּפְדוּיֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, הוּא חַי וְאֵינוֹ מֵת, מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הוּא מֵת וְאֵינוֹ חַי, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי בּוֹרְאוֹ מֵאֵלּוּ וּמֵאֵלּוּ, וְאִם יֶחֱטָא יָמוּת, וְאִם לָאו יִחְיֶה.

"Formed" [with two yuds, symbolizing] two formations, a formation/impulse from the lower ones, and a formation/impulse from the upper ones. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Nechemiah in the name of Rabbi Chanina bar Itzchak [dispute with] the rabbis, in the name of Rabbi Eliezer. [God] created in the human four creations from the upper ones, and four from the lower ones. A person eats and drinks like an animal, has sex and reproduces like an animal, goes to the bathroom like an animal, and dies like an animal. From above: a person stands up like the angels of service, speaks, and sees, and understands - like the angels of service. And an animal does not see? This is surprising! Rather, "seeing" means "takes a side in a dispute". Rabbi Tafduyey said in the name of Rabbi Acha: the upper ones were created in the image and in the likeness, and they do not have sex and reproduce. And the lower ones have sex and reproduce and were not created in the image and likeness. Said the Holy One, Blessed: "If I create Adam with image and likeness and from the upper ones and with sex and reproduction from the lower ones." Said rabbi Tafduyey in the name of Rabbi Acha: Said the Holy One, Blessed: "If I create Adam [solely] from the upper ones, he lives and won’t die; [solely] from the lower ones, he dies and won’t live. So I will create him from these and from these, and if he sins he dies, and if he does not, he lives.

~ What is the evil impulse similar to? Why?

~ What is the good impulse similar to? Why?

וַיִּיצֶר, שְׁנֵי יְצָרִים, יֵצֶר טוֹב וְיֵצֶר הָרָע. שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה לִבְהֵמָה ב' יְצָרִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיְתָה רוֹאָה סַכִּין בְּיַד אָדָם לְשָׁחֲטָהּ הָיְתָה מְפַחֶדֶת וּמֵתָה, וַהֲרֵי אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ ב' יְצָרִים, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אִידָא (זכריה יב, א): וְיֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנַּפְשׁוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם צְרוּרָה בְּקִרְבּוֹ, אִלְּמָלֵא כֵּן כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיְתָה הַצָּרָה בָּאָה עָלָיו הָיָה שׁוֹמְטָהּ וּמַשְׁלִיכָהּ.

"Formed": [two yuds symbolizing] two formations, a good impulse and the evil impulse. For if an animal possessed two [such] impulses, it would die of fright on seeing a man holding a knife to kill it. But surely a man does possess these two impulses! Said R. Hanina bar Ida: "He bound up the spirit of man within him" (Zechariah 12:1); it teaches you that the soul of a person is tied up inside them, for if that were not so, whenever troubles came upon them, the person would remove their soul and cast it aside.

~ What does the presence of the two impulses in humans mean, according to the rabbis in this midrash? How is that different from animals?

~ Is it clear, just based in this piece, what is the impulse to evil?

״וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה׳ אֱלֹקִים בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל״. מַאי אֲמוּר? אָמַר רַב, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בִּיָּיא בִּיָּיא הַיְינוּ הַאי דְּאַחְרְבֵיהּ לְמַקְדְּשָׁא וְקַלְיֵהּ לְהֵיכְלֵיהּ וְקַטְלִינְהוּ לְכוּלְּהוּ צַדִּיקֵי וְאַגְלִינְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעֲהוֹן, וַעֲדַיִין מְרַקֵּד בֵּינַן. כְּלוּם יְהַבְתֵּיהּ לַן אֶלָּא לְקַבּוֹלֵי בֵּיהּ אַגְרָא? לָא אִיהוּ בָּעֵינַן, וְלָא אַגְרֵיהּ בָּעֵינַן! נְפַל לְהוּ פִּיתְקָא מֵרְקִיעָא, דַּהֲוָה כְּתִב בֵּהּ ״אֱמֶת״. אָמַר רַב חֲנִינָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ חוֹתָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא ״אֱמֶת״. אוֹתִיבוּ בְּתַעֲנִיתָא תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין וּתְלָתָא לֵילָוָאתָא, מַסְרוּהוּ נִיהֲלַיְהוּ. נְפַק אֲתָא כִּי גוּרְיָא דְנוּרָא מִבֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, אֲמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: הַיְינוּ יִצְרָא דַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר זֹאת הָרִשְׁעָה״. בַּהֲדֵי דְּתַפְסוּהּ לֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּמִיט בִּינִיתָא מִמַּזְּיֵיא וּרְמָא קָלָא, וַאֲזַל קָלֵיהּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה פַּרְסֵי. אָמְרוּ: הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד? דִּילְמָא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מְרַחֲמִי עֲלֵיהּ מִן שְׁמַיָּא. אֲמַר לְהוּ נָבִיא: שַׁדְיוּהוּ בְּדוּדָא דַאֲבָרָא, וְחַפְיוּהוּ לְפוּמֵּיהּ בַּאֲבָרָא, דַּאֲבָרָא מִשְׁאָב שָׁאֵיב קָלָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמֶר זֹאת הָרִשְׁעָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אוֹתָהּ אֶל תּוֹךְ הָאֵיפָה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אֶת אֶבֶן הָעוֹפֶרֶת אֶל פִּיהָ״. אֲמַרוּ: הוֹאִיל וְעֵת רָצוֹן הוּא, נִבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי אַיִּצְרָא דַעֲבֵירָה. בְּעוֹ רַחֲמֵי וְאִמְּסַר בִּידַיְיהוּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: חֲזוֹ, דְּאִי קָטְלִיתוּ לֵיהּ לְהָהוּא, כָּלֵי עָלְמָא. חַבְשׁוּהוּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי, וּבָעוּ בֵּיעֲתָא בַּת יוֹמָא בְּכׇל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח. אָמְרִי: הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד? נִקְטְלֵיהּ — כָּלֵי עָלְמָא, נִיבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי אַפַּלְגָא — פַּלְגָא בִּרְקִיעָא לָא יָהֲבִי. כַּחְלִינְהוּ לְעֵינֵיהּ וְשַׁבְקוּהוּ, וְאַהְנִי דְּלָא מִיגָּרֵי בֵּיהּ לְאִינִישׁ בְּקָרִיבְתֵּהּ.
The Gemara recounts the event described in the verses: The verse states: And they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God (Nehemiah 9:4). What was said? Rav said, and some say it was Rabbi Yoḥanan who said: Woe, woe. It is this, i.e., the evil inclination for idol worship, that destroyed the Temple, and burned its Sanctuary, and murdered all the righteous ones, and caused the Jewish people to be exiled from their land. And it still dances among us, i.e., it still affects us. Didn’t You give it to us solely for the purpose of our receiving reward for overcoming it? We do not want it, and we do not want its reward. We are prepared to forgo the potential rewards for overcoming the evil inclination as long as it departs from us. In response to their prayer a note fell to them from the heavens upon which was written: Truth, indicating that God accepted their request. The Gemara makes a parenthetical observation. Rav Ḥanina said: Learn from this that the seal of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is truth. In response to the indication of divine acceptance, they observed a fast for three days and three nights, and He delivered the evil inclination to them. A form of a fiery lion cub came forth from the chamber of the Holy of Holies. Zechariah the prophet said to the Jewish people: This is the evil inclination for idol worship, as it is stated in the verse that refers to this event: “And he said: This is the evil one” (Zechariah 5:8). The use of the word “this” indicates that the evil inclination was perceived in a physical form. When they caught hold of it one of its hairs fell, and it let out a shriek of pain that was heard for four hundred parasangs. They said: What should we do to kill it? Perhaps, Heaven forfend, they will have mercy upon him from Heaven, since it cries out so much. The prophet said to them: Throw it into a container made of lead and seal the opening with lead, since lead absorbs sound. As it is stated: “And he said: This is the evil one. And he cast it down into the midst of the measure, and he cast a stone of lead upon its opening” (Zechariah 5:8). They followed this advice and were freed of the evil inclination for idol worship. When they saw that the evil inclination for idol worship was delivered into their hands as they requested, the Sages said: Since it is an auspicious time, let us pray also concerning the evil inclination for sin in the area of sexual relationships. They prayed, and it was also delivered into their hands. Zechariah the prophet said to them: See and understand that if you kill this evil inclination the world will be destroyed because as a result there will also no longer be any desire to procreate. They followed his warning, and instead of killing the evil inclination they imprisoned it for three days. At that time, people searched for a fresh egg throughout all of Eretz Yisrael and could not find one. Since the inclination to reproduce was quashed, the chickens stopped laying eggs. They said: What should we do? If we kill it, the world will be destroyed. If we pray for half, i.e., that only half its power be annulled, nothing will be achieved because Heaven does not grant half gifts, only whole gifts. What did they do? They gouged out its eyes, effectively limiting its power, and set it free. And this was effective to the extent that a person is no longer aroused to commit incest with his close relatives.

~ What did the rabbis learn, according to this story?

(ז) רַבִּי נַחְמָן בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן בְּשֵׁם רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר, הִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד, זֶה יֵצֶר טוֹב. וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד, זֶה יֵצֶר רָע. וְכִי יֵצֶר הָרָע טוֹב מְאֹד, אֶתְמְהָא. אֶלָּא שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי יֵצֶר הָרָע לֹא בָּנָה אָדָם בַּיִת, וְלֹא נָשָׂא אִשָּׁה, וְלֹא הוֹלִיד, וְלֹא נָשָׂא וְנָתַן. וְכֵן שְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר (קהלת ד, ד): כִּי הִיא קִנְאַת אִישׁ מֵרֵעֵהוּ.

(7) Rav Nachman the son of Shmuel said: “Behold it was very good” - this refers to the good inclination; “And behold it was very good” - this refers to the evil inclination. But, is the evil inclination very good? Impossible! Were it not for the evil inclination, a person would not build, would not marry, would not have children, and would not engage in business. And so Shlomo said (Kohelet/Ecclesiastes 4:4): “(all work comes from) man’s jealousy for his neighbor.”

~ How can the yetzer hara be very good?

~ What does this mean for us, humans?

~ How do the rabbis understand the psychology behind the human? What is needed for life to continue?

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