To overcome the negative thoughts and persuasions of the evil yetzer, one should grab onto the fire that burns constantly on the Mizbeiach to banish the evil.
In Issue 80 of Zichron Avinoam, Parashas Tzav 5768, we brought from Rav Shimshon Pincus zt”l a beautiful explanation behind this segulah. Rav Pincus said that this pasuk (א ֵ֗שׁ תָּמ ִ֛יד) is brought right after the Korban Olah, which burned throughout the night and atoned for bad thoughts! It specifically burned throughout the night, because that is when negative thoughts often dominate a person’s mind. The korban that comes to atone for this sin appropriately has within it a segulah that helps a person remove such thoughts from his mind!
Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter shlita adds another fascinating point. The Mishna in Berachos states that even if a snake is wrapped around a person’s ankle, he should continue davening Shemonah Esrei. This teaches, says Rav Shechter, that even if the Nachash, the yetzer hara, wraps himself around the person with bad thoughts, he should just continue his Shemonah Esrei! His avodah is to continue davening, learning, and putting himself fully into his avodas Hashem, and eventually the Nachash will fall by the wayside.
The main principle to appreciate from all of the above is that Hashem knows the nisyonos that He placed within this world to allow us to grow and overcome them. And He also placed within this world endless ways and means, including holy segulos, to help us achieve our goal and to protect us from harm.
May our Father in Heaven give us the great shemirah that we so badly need...
Besiyata DiShmaya.
