As we go about reflecting on our lives getting ready for Rosh Hashana, the Day of Judgment, it is imperative to think about the following Gemara in the beginning of Masechtas Berachos. The Gemara mandates, “L’olam yirgaz adam yetzer tov al yetzer hara – A person should always incite his good inclination against his evil inclination.” There are two extraordinary points to this dictum that bear special note.
The first point is the Gemara’s emphasis of l’olam, always. This battle between our yetzer hara and yetzer tov is not an occasional occurrence or a sporadic bump in an otherwise smooth trajectory of life. Rather, it is a perennial challenge since this choice between right and wrong confronts us many times daily. As Chazal teaches us, “Yitzro shel adam misgaber alov b’chol yom u’mvakeish l’hamiso – A person’s evil inclination tries to prevail over him every day and wants to kill him.” If we don’t realize that we are being tempted to sin and to stray every day, then we’ve already lost the battle.
The second illuminating word in this dictum is yirgaz whose root is rogez, which means anger. We should invoke a feeling of anger at our yetzer hara since, as we quoted, it is m’vakeish l’hamiso, it has murderous designs upon us. Don’t be surprised at this idea. People whose yetzer hara cajoles them to smoke, vape, drink in excess, or engage in reckless speeding are clearly being seduced to deadly habits.
However, one might think that the more stable person is not confronted with lethal temptations on a regular basis. Let me demonstrate how this is a mistaken notion.
A large percentage of us regrettably neglect the fifth commandment; honoring our parents. Due to the frenetic pace of modern life, this obligation is often woefully shunted to the side. The Me’am Lo’ez asks, why does the Torah state that the reward for honoring parents is l’maan yarichun yomecha, in order that you should enjoy longevity? After all, aren’t we supposed to serve Hashem without the thought of receiving reward? He answers frighteningly that the main thrust is that from the positive we deduce the negative, and one who neglects this commandment (or worse, acts disrespectfully to parents) will not live long. This is just one example of how the yetzer hara can tempt us in the direction of lethal behavior.
Here’s another. The Gemara in Kiddushin teaches us that when the pasuk says, “Al kein lo yarich yomim k’tzeil – Therefore you will not live long; rather you will be like a fleeting shadow,” it is referring to those who do not give respect to Torah scholars. The best example of this idea is the 24,000 disciples of Rabbi Akiva who died of the horrible death of askara, diphtheria, because they didn’t give Torah honor to one another. Unfortunately, this is another example of a deadly crime that the yetzer hara regularly trips people up with. Here’s a third example. We are taught that if we withhold a person’s wage interfering with his livelihood, that can affect our very life. Indeed, there are many more examples.
However, our reflection on this daily battle with the yetzer hara should not be confined to only the deadliest of crimes. This perpetual battle encompasses many small crimes and infractions as well. When we wake up in the morning, does our inherent laziness or mindlessness cause us to abstain from starting the day correctly with the Jewish declaration of Modeh ani l’fonecha? When we wash our hands in the morning, do we neglectfully not wash the all-important negel vasser, three times alternately up to the wrist? In our haste, does the yetzer hara get us to neglect greeting our spouse with a cheerful smile and offering our wishes for a sweet and good day? As we gulp our coffee, does our evil inclination succeed in getting us to swallow the blessing instead of saying it meaningfully?
Every step of the day we are confronted with choices. As the pasuk tells us, “Hachaim v’hamaves nasati l’fonecha u’vacharta b’chaim – Life and death I put before you, and you should choose life.”
Do we put on our tefillin with a clean body? Do we think of the tefillin’s messages? Are we masiach daas, forgetting about our tefillin while we are wearing them? Do we let our mouths do the walking for us in our tefillah, while our minds space out or think about the day ahead? Are we honest in our business? Are we nice to our clients and our coworkers? Do we cause the name of Hashem to be loved when we walk and drive amongst people? When we return home, do we treat our spouse as the most important person in the world? Do we make time to be warm and interested with our children?
These are just some of the challenges that the yetzer hara wages against us on a daily basis.
Forewarned is forearmed! The thinking person will identify what his specific challenges are and, for the year to come, present to Hashem a plan to do better in these skirmishes.
Hashem offered us special ammunition in this campaign against the yetzer hara. As the Gemara says in Kiddushin, “Barasi yetzer hara; barasi Torah tavlin la – I created the yetzer hara; I created the study of Torah as an antidote to it.” The Yaras Devash says that for women, their raising of children to a life of Torah and their showing pleasure with their husband’s learning is a powerful protection. The Vilna Gaon, zt”l, zy”a, says that tzinus, the modesty of women, also is a great shield for women from the yetzer hara. The Gemara in Nedarim [40a] declares that visiting the sick is a powerful weapon against the yetzer hara.
In the merit of mindfully engaging in this daily battle of which we are assured, “Haba l’taheir m’saiyin oso – One who attempts to be pure, Hashem will help him,” may we all be blessed with a year of good health, happiness, and everything wonderful.
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.
