(31) And God saw every thing that God had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
(ז) רבי נחמן בר שמואל בר נחמן בשם רב שמואל בר נחמן אמר: הנה טוב מאד, זה יצר טוב. והנה טוב מאד, זה יצר רע. וכי יצר הרע טוב מאד אתמהא?! אלא שאלולי יצר הרע, לא בנה אדם בית, ולא נשא אשה, ולא הוליד, ולא נשא ונתן. וכן שלמה אומר: (קהלת ד): כי היא קנאת איש מרעהו:
(7) Rabbi Nahman said in Rabbi Samuel's name: 'Behold, it was good' refers to the Good Desire; 'And behold, it was very good' refers to the Evil Desire. (It only says 'very good' after man was created with both the good and bad inclinations, in all other cases it only says 'and God saw that it was good') Can then the Evil Desire be very good? That would be extraordinary! But without the Evil Desire, however, no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children; and thus said Solomon: 'Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour.' (Ecclesiastes 4:4).
(16) And God commanded the man, saying: "Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat (17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die."
(א) וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
(1) Now the serpent was more shrewd than any beast of the field which God had made. He said to the woman: "Did God really say: You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"
(ד) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹֽא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן׃ (ה) כִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃
And the serpent said to the woman, "You are not going to die, but Gd knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings who know good and bad.
(ו) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־קָ֑יִן לָ֚מָּה חָ֣רָה לָ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה נָפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃ (ז) הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ׃
(6) And the LORD said unto Cain: ‘Why are you distressed? and why is your face fallen? (7) If you improve yourself, you will be forgiven? But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door; and its desire is toward you, yet you can conquer it.’
ואמר ליה אנטונינוס לרבי מאימתי יצה"ר שולט באדם משעת יצירה או משעת יציאה א"ל משעת יצירה א"ל א"כ בועט במעי אמו ויוצא אלא משעת יציאה אמר רבי דבר זה למדני אנטונינוס ומקרא מסייעו שנאמר (בראשית ד, ז) לפתח חטאת רובץ
Antoninus also enquired of Rabbi, 'From what time does the Evil Inclination hold sway over man, from the formation [of the embryo], or from [its] issuing forth [birth]? 'From the formation,' he replied. 'If so,' he objected, 'it would rebel in its mother's womb and go forth [prematurely]. But it is from when it issues [birth].' Rabbi said: This thing Antoninus taught me, and Scripture supports him, for it is said, "At the door [i.e.,where the baby emerges] sin lies in wait."
(א). . . והמלאכים עובדים את בוראם ואין להם יצר הרע, והבהמות יש להם יצר הרע ואין להם דעת. וממילא דלהמלאכים אינו מגיע שכר בעד עבודתם, אחרי שאין להם יצר הרע, ולבהמות לא שייך עונש אחרי שאין להם דעת. (ב) ולזה ברא הקדוש ברוך הוא ביום הששי את האדם. ובראו משני הקצוות: נתן בו את הנשמה שמאירה לאדם לדעת את הבורא יתברך כמלאך, כמו שנאמר: "כי נר ה' נשמת אדם". ויצר אותו בגוף שהוא חומר עב כבהמה, לאכול ולשתות ולישן. ולזה יתעוררו מלחמות גדולות בהאדם כל ימי חייו, שהנפש הבהמי מסיתו לתאוות עולם הזה כבהמה, והנשמה הטהורה נלחמת כנגדו ומראה לו שלא לכך נברא אלא לעבוד את הבורא כמלאך. ואף הדברים הגשמיים שמוכרח לעשות כאכילה ושתייה ושינה – תהיה הכוונה כדי שיוכל לעבוד את בוראו.
(1) Angels serve their Creator, and do not have yetser ha'ra. Animals, on the other hand, have yetser ha'ra but lack intelligence. The result is that angels cannot receive reward for their service, as they have no yetser ha'ra to overcome, and animals cannot be punished for their actions, as they do not have the intelligence. (2) Therefore G-d found it necessary to create the human on the sixth day, and God created the human from both sides: God gave him a spiritual soul that enables him to recognize the Creator as does an angel, as the verse states: “God's candle is the human soul…” (Mishlei 27:20). And God created him in a body which is thick material, like a beast, to eat and drink and sleep. As a result, a great battles wage within a person all his days. His animal spirit incites him to desire this world like an animal, and the pure soul battles against him and shows him that he was not born for this, but to serve the Creator like an angel. And even physical things that one must do, like eating and drinking and sleeping -- should be done so as to to serve God.
I and Thou, Martin Buber
Translated from the German by Walter Kaufmann, page 95
The basic word I-It does not come from evil, any more than matter comes from evil. It comes from evil like matter that presumes to be that which has being. When man lets it have its way, the relentlessly growing It-world grows over him like weeds, his own I loses its actuality, until the incubus over him and the phantom inside him exchange the whispered confession of their need for redemption.
הנהו בריוני דהוו בשבבותיה דר"מ והוו קא מצערו ליה טובא הוה קא בעי ר' מאיר רחמי עלויהו כי היכי דלימותו אמרה לי' ברוריא דביתהו מאי דעתך משום דכתיב (תהלים קד, לה) יתמו חטאים מי כתיב חוטאים חטאים כתיב ועוד שפיל לסיפיה דקרא ורשעים עוד אינם כיון דיתמו חטאים ורשעים עוד אינם אלא בעי רחמי עלויהו דלהדרו בתשובה ורשעים עוד אינם בעא רחמי עלויהו והדרו בתשובה:
There were some lawless men living in the neighborhood of R. Meir, and they used to cause him considerable distress. Once R. Meir prayed that they should die. His wife, Beruriah, exclaimed, "Why would you prayer for them to do die? Is it because it is written, 'Let sinners cease out of the earth'? But does the text use the word choteim (implying sinners)? No, it is written chata'im (implying that which caused sin, i.e. the Yetzer Hara). Look also at the end of the verse, which states: 'And let the wicked be no more' — Now is it definitely true that when 'sins will cease,' 'the wicked will be no more?' No because, there will be more sinners. Rather you should for mercy on them that they should repent and turn from their evil inclination (Yetzer Ha'ra) and then the wicked shall be no more. R. Meir heeded his wife's advice and offered prayer on their behalf so they repented.
Alan Morinis, Everyday Holiness, Pp. 24 – 26
Think of those choices that often confront you, when you really do experience the possibility of going either way. Do you waver over the second piece of dessert? Is reaching into your purse or wallet to give charity a struggle with an uncertain outcome? Do you know you should call or visit a sick friend, and yet you hesitate and vacillate over actually doing it? Do you look at the sink full of dishes and lean this way and that way and back again and go all around over whether the responsibility is yours? …
Your inner adversary, your yetzer ha’ra, come[s] at you with challenges that are uniquely tailored just for you. You’re only going to be tempted or pushed in regard to traits and choices that are personally challenging for you. Perhaps you know you should be more patient with your spouse or children, and you want to be, but as soon as you set that resolution, whose inner voice is it that points out to you how outrageous it is that they are slow or late? You want to open your hand in charity, but as soon as you make the first move to reach into your pocket, where does the thought originate that wonders whether you will have enough for yourself? You decide to lose a few pounds, so who is it who tells you that having only one more won’t matter? …
The yetzer ha’ra will do everything in its power to subvert your higher self and to influence you to indulge your desires. Hence the goal is not to try to destroy the yetzer ha’ra but to control it, and to apply it for good. Ben Zoma asked, eizeh hu gibbor? Who is strong? His answer is: Ha’kovesh et yitzro, the one who controls their evil inclination.” …
In our uniqueness, you and I have desires that have their own distinctive weave and coloration. And your yetzer ha’ra is matched up to your desires, inch for inch, stitch for stich. Your yetzer ha’ra is perfectly contoured to provide exactly the challenges you must overcome in order to grow spiritually.
מדרש תנחומא וירא
קדמו השטן בדרך ונדמה לו כדמות זקן
א"ל לאן אתה הולך,
א"ל להתפלל
א"ל ומי שהולך להתפלל למה אש ומאכלת בידו ועצים על כתפו,
א"ל שמא נשהא יום או יומים ונשחט ונאפה ונאכל,
א"ל זקן לא שם הייתי כשאמר לך הקדוש ברוך הוא קח את בנך וזקן כמותך ילך ויאבד בן שנתן לו למאה שנה לא שמעת המשל מה שהיה בידו אבדו ומבקש מאחרים וא"ת יהיה לך בן אחר תשמע מן המשטין ותאבד נשמה שתחייב עליה בדין,
א"ל לא משטין היה אלא הקב"ה יתברך היה לא אשמע ממך,
הלך מעליו ונדמה לבחור ועמד על ימינו של יצחק א"ל לאן אתה הולך,
א"ל ללמוד תורה,
א"ל בחייך או במיתתך,
א"ל וכי יש אדם שילמוד אחר מיתה,
א"ל עלוב בר עלובה כמה תעניות נתענית אמך עד שלא נולדת והזקן הוא השתטה והוא הולך לשחטך,
אמר אעפ"כ לא אעבור על דעת יוצרי ועל צווי אבי,
חזר ואמר לאביו אבי ראה מה אומר לי זה, א"ל אל תשגיח עליו שאינו בא אלא ליעף לנו, מיד ויאמר יצחק וגו',
ביום השלישי וכי מאחר שהדרך קרובה למה נתעכב שלשת ימים כיון שראה שלא קבלו ממנו הלך ונעשה לפניהם נהר גדול, מיד ירד אברהם לתוך המים והגיעו עד ברכיו, אמר לנעריו בואו אחרי ירדו אחריו, כיון שהגיע עד חצי הנהר הגיע המים עד צוארו באותה שעה תלה אברהם עיניו לשמים אמר לפניו רבש"ע בחרתני הודרתני ונגלית לי ואמרת לי אני יחיד ואתה יחיד על ידך יודע שמי בעולמי והעלה יצחק בנך לפני לעולה ולא עכבתי והריני עוסק בצוויך ועכשיו באו מים עד נפש אם אני או יצחק בני טובע מי יקיים מאמרך על מי יתייחד שמך, א"ל הקדוש ברוך הוא חייך שעל ידך יתיחד שמי בעולם, מיד גער הקב"ה את המעין ויבש הנהר ועמדו ביבשה
Midrash Tanchuma Vayera
Satan encountered Avraham as he was going (to perform the binding of Isaac), appearing as an old man.
“Where are you going?” he (Satan) asked.
“To pray,” he told him.
“To pray? Does one going to pray need fire and a knife in his hands, and firewood on his shoulders?”
“Perhaps we will stay there for a day or two. Thus, we will be able to slaughter an animal, roast its meat, and eat it.”
“Old man,” Satan said, “do you not think I was there when He told you to take your only son and slaughter him? Now, should an old man like you, who was finally blessed with a son at the age of one-hundred, kill him? It’s like someone who throws away what he has, and then goes asking others to help him! Do you think you will have yet another son? You heard some spirit tell you something, and you’re ready to slaughter your child?”
“It was not some spirit,” Avraham responded. “It was the Holy One, Blessed is He. I have no interest in your words.”
Satan next showed up appearing as a young lad, and began walking next to Yitzchok. “Where are you going?” he asked.
“To study Torah,” Yitzchok said.
“Alive... or dead?”
“Have you ever heard of a person studying after he’s dead?” Yitzchok said.
“Shameful one, son of the shameful—do you know how many days your mother fasted that she should have a child? And now that old man has lost his mind, and wants to slaughter you?”
He sad: Despite this – I will not transgress the will of my creator, and the command of my father.
He went and told his father what Satan said.
“Don’t listen to him,” Avraham told Yitzchok, “he’s just trying to distract us and tire us out.”…
Satan then appeared as a huge river. Avraham immediately entered the waters. First they reached his knees. He said to his servants – come with me, and they followed him.
When they were in the middle of the river, the water was up to his neck. Avraham picked his eyes up to the heavens, saying, "Master of the Universe, You chose me and You revealed Yourself to me. You told me I was the one who would make your unique name known in the world. You told me to bring Yitzchok as a sacrifice, and I did not delay. Right now, I am on my way, but the waters will drown me. If I drown, who will do Your command?”
Said the Almighty, “I promise you will do my command, and make My name known among people.” Hashem roared at the river, and it dried out...
אורות התשובה
כל חטא נובע מפגם ביכולת בנפש האדם. נחלשה הנפש, ואינה יכולה לעמוד נגד נטית הרע שבה. חסרון-יכולת זה בצאתו אל הפועל מחליש הוא את כח הרצון של הטוב...
כל מה שידיעת הטוב מתבררת, והפגם שגרם החטא להחשיך את הידיעה הולך לו על ידי השבת הרצון ונטית הנפש אל הטוב, מתעוררת על ידי ההכרה גם כן הנטיה לבסס את הרצון הטוב ולהציל גם אותו מפגמו של החטא
Orot HaTeshuvah, chp. 9,
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook
Every sin flows from a defect of capability in a person’s spirit. When one’s spirit is weakened, it cannot resist the inclination within itself for evil. As this lack of capability manifests itself, it weakens the power of a person’s will for good. And the weakness of that will results in a weakness of awareness, so that a person’s recognition of good is obscured…
To the degree that this person’s knowledge of good grows clear, and the return of one’s good will and the inclination of one’s spirit for good puts an end to the blemish that had caused sin to darken knowledge, that recognition of good arouses one’s inclination to consolidate good will and save it as well from the blemish of sin…
אורות התשובה
התשובה, כמה נחוצה וכבדה היא להאיר את אופק החיים כולם. הצינורת הרוחנים נסתמים מפני חטאת האדם. הצמאון האלהי וכליו כולם, שהם הארות המוסר המעשי והתכוני במהות הנפש, מפרפר הוא, מתחיל לפרכס ולהתנוע תנועת חיים, וחוזר ונופל, מפני שהעבטיט של זוהמת הפשעים מכביד עליו...
כל חטא, אפילו הקל שבחטאים, מטביע בקרב האדם שנאה לאיזה בריאה. ועל ידי התשובה חוזרת האהבה להאיר...
When a person sins, his spiritual conduits are obstructed. Following that, his thirst for God, together with all of its means of expression - which are ethical illuminations, in particular terms and in the character or the makeup of his spirit - flutters as it begins to tremble and move with the movement of life. But then it falls again, because the muddy plank of the foulness of this person's sins presses down upon his thirst for God…
Every sin that a person commits - even the slightest of sins - instills within him a hatred for some entity. But when he does teshuvah, love shines within him again.