G-d created within us a Yetzer Harah – our evil inclination – that works tirelessly to stir up our inner passion and wild side. It encourages us to have a rebellious and anti-establishment attitude, to become naysayers and doubters, and for us to loathe religion and break rules.
G-d placed the evil inclination within us to battle with our Yetzer Hatov – the good side – so that when the good will win over the bad, we will be handsomely rewarded since we had to overcome such a struggle to make the good choices.
The Talmud tells us that after the Messiah arrives G-d will introduce us to the evil inclination ― our nemesis throughout our lives ― and He will then slaughter it. Upon seeing the evil inclination, the righteous who had overcome its entreaties will cry, and the wicked who had succumbed to its urges will also cry.
The Talmud continues; the evil inclination will appear to the righteous as a gigantic mountain. They will cry out in disbelief, “How is it possible that we were able to overcome such a huge obstacle?” To the wicked, the evil inclination will appear as thin and minuscule as the size of a hair. They will cry out in anguish, “How is it possible that we were unable to overcome something so negligible?”
Question: Why does the Talmud share these details of the future with us? One answer offered: One may be confronted with challenges and he has no interest in confronting them. Or he has urges and passions that seem to be taking control of him. He might think, ‘Hey I’m wicked anyway,’ and feel that he has no way out. Through this teaching of the Talmud, the good inclination can flash an idea in his mind that it is within his ability to implement restraint and overcome his mindset, for after all, the evil inclination is only the size of a hairsbreadth. This mental exercise can empower him to make the correct choice in challenging times.
Reb Elya Lopian o.b.m., a famous Baal Mussar – ethical teacher, gave us an insight into human nature and practical advice how to deal with the evil inclination.
Reb Elya says that the drive of the Yetzer Harah – evil inclination ― is most potent in the first five minutes that a passion takes hold of a person. Getting through the initial five minutes is critical; from then on, the intensity of the urge dissipates and it can be more easily controlled.
These critical five minutes represent the hairsbreadth of the evil inclination that the Talmud is describing.
A number of years ago, I read an appreciation in memory of Rabbi Yaacov Rosenberg. He was the dean of a Yeshiva that catered to unaffiliated Jewish undergraduate students who wished to be exposed to the depth and beauty of Torah and become intellectually and religiously stimulated.
Rabbi Rosenberg was once in conversation with a student who sported a long ponytail. Their talk shifted to the underlying reason he wore a ponytail. He told the Rabbi that it represented his inner rebellious nature for him to stand out, different than others.
The Rabbi then shared with him an amazing concept and tool that can serve to motivate anyone struggling with rebellious feelings.
“I really appreciate your rebellious nature. So why don’t you utilize it to rebel against your rebellion – by cutting off your ponytail!”
Guess what? This creative reasoning resonated within this young man and he cut off his ponytail!
Over the years I’ve often thought to myself and shared with others this valuable and significant four word axiom, “Rebel against the Rebellion.”
It has helped many people who have dealt with rebellious feelings towards religion, their relationships and their personal struggles.
What happens is, their inner rebellious nature is still intact, just that they exercise it in a way that produces positive and motivating results.
Before the Jews left Egypt, G-d told our leader Moshe to please speak to the Jewish people and tell them to request gold and silver from the Egyptians. The Torah relates that they listened to Moshe and received gold and silver from the Egyptians and that the Jews found favor in the eyes of the Egyptians.
A question asked is why did G-d have to tell Moshe to please speak with the Jews about receiving money and wealth – why wouldn’t they do it?
An insightful answer offered is that the moment G-d commanded the Jews to do it, it became a Mitzvah and thus the evil inclination was there to deter them from doing it even though they were to receive a great deal of wealth. Therefore G-d asked Moshe to present the request in a pleasing way so that the Jews would fulfill G-d’s will. In fact, G-d had promised our forefather Avraham that after the enslavement the Jews would receive great wealth.
Perhaps, when the Jews listened to G-d’s command and stood up against the entreaties of the evil inclination, they merited receiving even greater wealth, for a week later the Red Sea washed up the extraordinary wealth that bedecked the chariots of Pharoh’s army!
