A Pessimistic Vision of Human Nature?

The Eternal God formed the person from the dust of the earth. God blew into its nostrils the breath of life, and the person became a living being.

Rav Naḥman bar Rav Ḥisda interpreted: Why is it written: “The Eternal God formed [vayyitzer] the person.” (Genesis 2:7), with two 'yud's ? This double yud alludes to that fact that the Holy Blessed One created two inclinations; one a good inclination and one an evil inclination.

“Rabbi Yehoshua said: An Evil Eye, An Evil Inclination, and Hatred for Other Creatures take a person out of this world.”

How does the Evil Inclination do this? They said: for the first thirteen years the Evil Inclination is greater than the Good Inclination. There in his mother’s womb, a person’s Evil Inclination grows with him. He starts breaking the Sabbath, and nothing is there to stop him; killing people, and there is nothing is there to stop him; going out to sin, and nothing is there to stop him.

After thirteen years, the Good Inclination is born. Then when he breaks the Sabbath, it says to him, “Empty one! Isn’t it written, ‘One who breaks it will surely die.’ (Exod. 31)? ” When he kills, it says to him, “Empty one! Isn’t it written, ‘One who spills the blood of a person, his own blood will be spilled.’ (Gen. 9)?” When he goes out to sin, it says to him, “Empty one! Isn’t it written, ‘Both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death.’ (Lev. 20)?”

Akabyah ben Mahalalel said: mark well three things and you will not come into the power of sin: Know from where you come, and where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning.

From where do you come? From a putrid drop.

Where are you going? To a place of dust, worms, and maggots.

Before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning? Before the King of the kings of kings, the Holy Blessed One.

[Rabbi Akiva] would say: Beloved is the human being, since they are created in the image [of God]. Even deeper is that love - for it is revealed to them that they are created in the image, as it says (Gen 9:6): "for in God's image God made the human."

Beloved are Israel, since they are called children of the Omnipresent. Even deeper is that love - for it is revealed to them that they are called children to God, as it says (Deut. 14:1) : "You are children of the Lord, your God."

Beloved are Israel, since a precious instrument has been given to them. A deeper love - it is revealed to them that the precious instrument with which the world was created has been given to them, as it says (Prov. 4:2): "For a good lesson I have given to you; do not forsake my teaching."