Conquering the Evil Inclination

The “Duties of the Heart,” has a long section discussing the various tricks of the Yeitzer Hara. It gives numerous examples as to how cunning and deceitful the Yeitzer Hara can really be.

We are supposed to train ourselves to drive out any negative thoughts that come our way. We are to realize how giving in to worry, is counterproductive and only serves to deny us of our joy and happiness.

After we have conquered the Yeitzer on one level, it will devise new tricks, to make us stumble. An example brought in Duties of the Heart, speaks of one who has attained a high level of scholarship. He has found success in his studies. The Yeitzer Hara will tell him that he needs a break today. He should cut himself some slack and spend the day reading poetry, or involving himself with a hobby. This will be a distraction and he will need extra time to get back to the level of learning that he previously possessed.

This reminded me of how distracting the internet, You Tube or Facebook or social media can be. We might want to sit down for a few minutes to catch up on the latest news. The Yeitzer will encourage us to spend much more time than needed, and we might feel justified in having a bigger break. Before we know it, we will not have fulfilled the task at hand, because of all the time we waste

Discipline and awareness is required to do everything in our power to overcome the tricks of the Yeitzer Hara. It is an ongoing battle that we must win. It never leaves us alone, but once we see it, we will have the upper hand. It is worth the struggle, because we need to succeed in reaching our goals in life. Conquering the Yeitzer, will help us achieve our goals.