Prior to the Cheit Adam HaRishon Only Had an External Yetzer HaRa

Prior to the Cheit Adam HaRishon Only Had an External Yetzer HaRa

The Nezer HaKodesh explains the matter as follows: In truth, both are true of the yetzer hara. He is both an internal enemy and an external enemy. Man’s internal yetzer hara located in his flesh and bones stems from the corruption and perversion of his corporeal being. Additionally, man has an external yetzer hara that is an actual malach. He and his forces are well-known and are depicted by the passuk (Tehillim 12, 9): "סביב רשעים יתהלכון"—the wicked walk on every side. They are a constant bad influence aimed at leading man astray from the paths of life to the paths of death.

He analogizes the situation to a country that is attacked by an external enemy. In that situation, it is still easy to overcome the enemy. If, however, the enemy has also infiltrated the country, then it is much more difficult to defeat the enemy. In this manner, he explains the situation of Adam HaRishon prior to the cheit versus after the cheit:

Without a doubt, even before the cheit, Adam had freedom of choice and had a yetzer hara urging him to commit aveirot for the sake of reward or punishment. However, at that time, he only had an external yetzer hara but not an internal yetzer hara. For G-d created man just and upright; at that time, his material self was pure and untainted by the contamination of evil. Therefore, at that time, it was easy to escape from it.

After the cheit, however, man was also affected by the perversion of the internal yetzer hara. By eating from the Eitz HaDa’at, which contained the source of evil, the force of evil infected him and his body, and it became more material due to the corruption of evil. His garment of light (his body before the sin) was transformed into a garment of skin—namely, the skin of the contamination of the serpent that the serpent inserted in Chava, as explained in the Zohar in several places. As a consequence, man became surrounded by an internal enemy and an external one.

This explains the precise language employed by Rashi beautifully: "לא נתן בו יצר הרע עד אכלו מן העץ ונכנס בו יצר הרע". He specifies that the yetzer hara was not initially within him—“bo”—because the yetzer hara approached him only externally, as a malach disguised as the nachash. After he ate from the tree, however, “the yetzer hara entered him.” “Bo”—it entered his heart. Since then, man has been besieged both by an internal yetzer hara inside his body and a second, external yetzer hara, a malach.

Prior to the Cheit the World Was Created with the Letter “Beis” Its Closed Bottom Was Meant to Prevent Man from Falling Spiritually

We can now resolve our inquiry as to which letter HKB”H used to create the world. Indeed, initially, before Adam HaRishon sinned and had an internal yetzer hara, HKB”H opted to use the letter 'ב. That was because this letter is closed on three sides and is only open on the left, which is its north side. As we know from the passuk (Yirmiyah 1, 14): "מצפון תפתח הרעה"—from the north the evil will be released—the yetzer hara and its evil forces have access from the north. They have no access from the other three sides unless a person falls into its trap and allows them to enter.

Now, let us consider the shape of the letter 'ב with which the world was initially created. Its lower line constitutes a barrier preventing a person from falling easily and descending to the spiritual depths. In a sense, a person is standing on firm, solid ground. Thus, he need only heed that the yetzer hara not be allowed to enter from the open, left side of the letter “Beis.” This is in stark contrast to the shape of the letter 'ה, which is open below, suggesting that a person can easily fall through this opening.

A person can protect himself and prevent the yetzer hara from entering through the left side of the “Beis” by studying Torah assiduously. For, as we have learned in the Gemara (Kiddushin 30b), HKB”H said to Yisrael: "בני בראתי יצר הרע ובראתי לו תורה תבלין, ואם אתם עוסקים בתורה אין אתם נמסרים בידו"—My son, I have created the yetzer hara, and I have created Torah as its antidote. If you engage in Torah-study, you will not be delivered into its hand. In other words, Torah-study is a bona-fide, proven method for warding off the yetzer hara and its negative influences.

Let us elaborate. As we know, the letter “vav” of the name Havaya alludes to the holy Torah. Hence, Torah she’b’al peh consists of six orders, the gematria of the letter “vav.” Thus, when a person studies Torah, represented by the letter “vav” (a straight line, like a board), he is able to close and board up the open left side of the letter “Beis,” and deny the yetzer hara access.

This explains magnificently why HKB”H began Torah she’b’chtav with the “Beis” of "בראשית" and concluded Torah she’b’al peh with the closed “mem” of "בשלום". [As we learn in the Mishnah at the end of Masechet Oktzin: "לא מצא הקב"ה כלי מחזיק ברכה אלא השלום, שנאמר ה' עוז לעמו יתן ה' יברך את עמו בשלום"—HKB”H did not find a vessel better suited for preserving berachah for Yisrael than “shalom,” as it states (Tehillim 29, 11): “Hashem will give His nation strength; Hashem will bless His nation with shalom.”] By means of Torah-study, we close the open left side of the letter “Beis,” so that it resembles the closed letter “mem”—'ם. Thus, we prevent the yetzer hara from entering.