The City’s Inhabitants
In Koheles, Shlomo HaMelech gives a moshol to life: There is a little city with few inhabitants (that's the body and its faculties) and a powerful king surrounds it with traps (that's the Yetzer HaRa and his aveiros). In the city lives a poor, wise man who saves the city with his wisdom (the Yetzer Tov with his teshuva and mitzvos). Yet later, no one recalls that man (they don't remember to consult the Yetzer Tov whenever the Yetzer HaRa confronts them).
(קהלת ט', י"ד-ט"ו, נדרים ל"ב ע"ב)
The Raza, Reb Zalman Aharon, elder brother of the Rebbe Rashab, told the following mashal to a young man he met who would struggle with his Yetzer HaRa by fasting:
There was once a Rosh HaKahal (community leader) who served his community for many years and then moved to another city. During a visit to his hometown, he was pleasantly surprised to find a new mikve built, though he wondered where they had found the funds to build it. When he met the new Rosh HaKahal he inquired about this and was told: "Very simple. We evaluated the financial ability of each townsman, and made a mandatory tax accordingly. Most of the rich paid the full required sum right away, but some of the poorer inhabitants were not able to, so they gave some belongings to be kept as collateral until they would be able to pay."
"You made a big mistake," said the former Rosh HaKahal. "The ones who have the means should have been told to give more, and you could have perhaps demanded some more from the average citizens as well. However, the poor should have been left alone, for you will never see their money, and now, all you've got is their belongings, with which you can't do much."
The Raza explained: "The body is likened to a little city where both the wealthy and the poor live. The eyes and ears, appointed to see and hear, and the brain and mouth, which control thought and speech, represent those who are rich. The poor members of the body are the digestive organs and the like. It is better to give up on the demands placed on the poor, and instead, increase the demands put on the rich, namely, the eyes, ears, brain and mouth. The results will then be far greater, far more positive!"
(שמועות וסיפורים ח"א ע' 271)
Realizing the Challenge
When he was a child, Reb Eliezer of Dzikov was once scolded by his father, Reb Naftali of Ropshitz, for misbehaving.
"It's not my fault!" the little boy argued. "I have a Yetzer HaRa that tries to tempt me."
His father replied sharply, "That’s no excuse! In fact, you should take a lesson from the way the Yetzer HaRa carries out his duty, getting people to commit aveiros, exactly as he was commanded to do."
The child countered, "True, but the Yetzer HaRa doesn't have a Yetzer HaRa to tempt him from not fulfilling his duty!"
(סיפורי חסידים זוין תורה ע' 35)
The tzaddik Reb Yitzchok of Vorky once awoke in middle of the night and felt a desire to take a sniff of snuff.
While in bed, he was unable to reach the box and debated with himself whether to get up for it or not. If he rose to get it, he would be giving the Yetzer HaRa the opportunity of being able to convince him to fulfill his desires. Yet, if he would not get out of bed, he would still be giving into his Yetzer HaRa by falling prey to laziness, a trait he might later possibly apply when serving HaShem.
After weighing this, he decided: "I will get up and get the box, but I will not fulfill my desire to smell it."
(ילקוט ספורים)
What Do You Want?
Reb Shmuel Groinem, the revered mashpia in Lubavitch, once visited Reb Shmuel Ber Borisover and, standing behind the door, he overheard him telling a local butcher: "The Mishna says that whoever acts as if he is lame or blind will not die of old age until he becomes lame or blind. This can be understood positively, as follows: A person who pretends to be lame, meaning that he does not go to inappropriate places, or a person who pretends to be blind, not looking where a ruchniusdiker danger is involved, will not die until HaShem helps him become 'lame' or 'blind,' so that he will not even desire such things."
(למען ידעו ע' 311)
Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev warned his chassidim never to wear hats with visors. He explained that when a Yid looks toward Shamayim it reminds him of HaShem and is therefore a tremendous segula for yiras Shamayim. However, if one's hat has a visor, his gaze toward Heaven is blocked, and he misses out on a hisorerus of yiras Shamayim.
A time came when Czar Nicholas decreed that only hats with visors could be worn. Yidden would therefore hide their shtreimelach and walk outside wearing hats with visors, and when they reached a secure place they would take out their shtreimelach and put them on.
When this decree reached Berditchev, people there too began to wear hats with visors. One day Reb Levi Yitzchok saw a chassid wearing a hat with a visor, and it was apparent to him that this individual was quite comfortable with his new look.
The tzaddik approached him and asked: "Why in the middle of the Tochacha (the stern warnings to the Yidden) is it stated that they will be punished for leaving HaShem 'with joy'? These words come to teach us that even if one is chas veshalom forced to stray from the path of Avodas HaShem for reasons beyond his control, he should at least not be happy about it..."
(סה"ש תרפ"ו ע' 96)
Consider
Why is it easier to tax the ‘poor inhabitants’ (the stomach) than the ‘rich’ (the eyes and ears)?
What does it help to be troubled by one's own conduct if he anyway has no choice?
