Lesson 37
Having a yetzer hara is an excellent thing, since then a person can serve Hashem precisely with his yetzer hara. In other words, he can overcome the passion of the yetzer hara and channel it into a certain aspect of avodas Hashem. Without the yetzer hara, a person's avodah is not meaningful. This is why Hashem lets the yetzer hara engage with a person, especially someone who wants to come close to Him. Although the strong enticements of the yetzer hara can bring a person to do much harm and great sins, nonetheless, it is still worth it for Hashem because of every tiny, good movement that a person makes to resist and escape the yetzer hara.
These movements are more precious to Hashem than a thousand years of service without any temptations. All the higher worlds were created solely for each Jew whose virtue and significance come from having a yetzer hara and overpowering him. Therefore, the more that the yetzer hara entices a person, the more Hashem treasures every good movement that person makes to defeat him. In fact, Hashem Himself helps him in this battle, as the verse says, “Hashem will not abandon him in [the hand of his enemy]."
(Based on Likutei Mohoran II, 49)
The yetzer hara is the secret of Creation. Hashem has many powerful, fiery angels in Heaven, but nonetheless, He gave us a virtue that none of them have: the ability to transform the flame of the yetzer hara into a flame for kedushah. We can hold back the passion for cravings and use it instead for tefilah and avodah. The main pleasure we give to Hashem is not when feelings of inspiration just come to us, but rather when we work to channel the heat of the yetzer hara into avodas Hashem.
This is a very essential idea, since a person usually falls from getting startled when he sees that the desires of the yetzer hara are constantly renewed. But when we realize this reality, we will no longer be surprised, because, on the contrary, it is a great virtue to have a yetzer hara, since it gives us the opportunity to serve Hashem with fire and passion.
L'Ma'aseh—Practically Speaking
A person should never be astonished by the strength of his yetzer hara, since this doesn't reflect the person's spiritual weakness. Just the opposite, it reveals his true strength. Hashem greatly desires for us to serve Him, so He sends these yetzer haras because He believes in our ability to overcome them, which is a virtue that makes us greater than all the fiery angels of Heaven.
