Overcoming Doubts

The “Duties of the Heart,” discusses the challenges that we have in fighting the Yeitzer Hara, the evil inclination. Great emphasis is placed on the power of the intellect to meet these challenges.

Rabbeinu Bachye lists a number of areas where doubts might creep in, and tamper with our faith and commitment to Judaism.

He begins with doubts that we might have regarding the soul after death. The intellect is needed to remind us that real reward comes in the next world.

There could also be doubts in accepting the Torah’s view of creation. Thoughts about evolution and the “big bang theory,” can be dispelled with the power of the intellect.

There could also be doubts about serving the Creator, and His Oneness and uniqueness. Similarly, questions might creep in regarding the Oral Law, as well as the authenticity of the Written Law. Reward and punishment, and the World to Come, can create doubts as well.

If we are successful in using our intellect to overcome all of these issues, we might then be confronted with the problem of being preoccupied with the pursuit of luxuries, pleasures, honor, and acclaim. These also can be a major obstacle in our rising to spiritual heights.

The final point made by Rabbeinu Bachye is that in terms of the Yeitzer Hara, if one succeeds in overcoming all of the points previously mentioned, it has one final trick to make us fall. It will smite us with a feeling of laziness. We will suddenly have no motivation to do anything positive. Laziness is mentioned in many of the books of the sages.

An awareness of the tricks of the Yeitzer should always be uppermost in our minds. If we conquer the Yeitzer Hara, we are able to achieve the connection with Hashem that we are souls deeply desire.