Welcome to Battle Thursday’s! The day we gain tools to battle our “Yetzer Hara” (evil inclination).
H”S gave us a conscience so we can discern between what is right and what is wrong. The problem is that sometimes, we ourselves, are too tough with us.This is why the Mishna in Pirkei Avot says:”Make yourself a Rav.” What this means is that everyone should have a knowledgeable mentor who can guide us when we are stuck in life and don’t know which way to turn.
The Maharal brings an allegory from the Gemara: There was a small city with few people, and a great king came and surrounded it and built fortifications. A poor and wise person found the city, and rescued the whole city with his wisdom.
As the Maharal explains: the small city is the person’s body, and the population is the person’s limbs. The great king is the Yetzer Hara and the fortifications he builds are the person’s sins.
The Yetzer Hara uses a person’s downfall to destroy a person by saying: “your bad! Your worth nothing!”
This tactic of the Yetzer Hara makes a person fall into depression and despair.
As sinful as one has been, H”S doesn’t want us to destroy ourselves, on the contrary!!! He wants us to do Teshuvah (return to our essence) repent and correct our ways.
If you ever encounter this negativity inside your head, roll your eyes back and look for help that will help you see the good in you and guide you to the light. In the analogy of the Maharal, this is the wise poor man (your good inclination-Yetzer Hatov).
After recognizing the error in our ways, the Gemara concludes the allegory by saying: the wise poor person rescued the city with his wisdom and what is his wisdom? Do Teshuvah and good deeds.
Some excerpts from “Battle Plans”by Tzipora Heller and Sarah Yoheved Rigler
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