Yetzer Harah

Yetzer Hara or Satan is a term referring to the force that drives a person to act against the will of the Creator. In Chassidus it is explained that the difference between the Yetzer Hara and the Animal Soul is that the term 'Animal Soul' refers to kelipat nogah of the intellectual faculty of a person, while the term 'Yetzer Hara' refers to kelipat nogah of the emotional faculties within a person. Therefore, the term used is 'Yetzer' (form) Hara, from the word 'form,' since the form of desire—how and what one desires—comes specifically through emotions, whereas in the intellect it is still abstract and the term 'Nefesh' (soul) is more fitting.

Sources and Names

In the Torah, the term "the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth" appears, indicating the operation of these forces from the day of the infant's birth.

In the Talmud and Midrashim, the Yetzer Hara sometimes appears as an external figure that entices a person to sin.

Sometimes the Yetzer Hara is called by the name Satan.

In Tractate Sukkah, a number of names given to the Yetzer Hara are mentioned: "Rabbi Avira taught, and some say it was Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The evil inclination has seven names - The Holy One, Blessed be He, called it 'evil'; Moses called it 'uncircumcised'; David called it 'impure'; Solomon called it 'enemy'; Isaiah called it 'stumbling block'; Ezekiel called it 'stone'; and Joel called it 'hidden one'."

Another name for the Yetzer Hara is Old and Foolish or Old and Foolish King. The source of this expression is in Midrash Rabbah: "An old and foolish king - this is the evil inclination. And why is it called a king? Because everyone obeys it. And why is it called old? Because it accompanies a person from childhood to old age. And why is it called foolish? Because it teaches a person the evil way."

Another name for the Yetzer Hara is 'guest,' and through Torah and acts of kindness, especially through hosting guests, a person can drive away this 'guest.'

The War Against the Inclination

A person must conquer their inclination; and it is said in the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot: "Who is mighty? One who conquers his inclination." Within every person dwell two inclinations: the Good Inclination and the Evil Inclination. Our Sages interpret the verse: "Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king who no longer knows to be warned," as referring to the two inclinations; the Evil Inclination is called "an old and foolish king" because it enters a person at birth, whereas the Good Inclination is called "a poor and wise child," as it fully enters a person only thirteen years after birth - at the time of Bar Mitzvah.

In Tractate Shabbat it is written: "This is the craft of the evil inclination: Today it tells him, 'Do this,' and tomorrow it tells him, 'Do that,' until it tells him, 'Worship idols,' and he goes and does so." A similar approach can be found in Tractate Sukkah: "Rabbi Assi said: The evil inclination at first resembles a thread of a spider web, but ultimately it resembles the ropes of a wagon."

One of the ways to deal with the Yetzer Hara is: "Rabbi Yishmael says: If this despicable one encounters you - drag him to the study hall."