(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.
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?
~ 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.
~ 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?
~ 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?
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?
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?
~ 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?