Rashi (Sotah 47a): Yetzer – that means the desire for sexual relations. It should be brought close with the right hand so as not to interfere with having children. And similar the child lest he run away and get lost. And also the woman is light headed and if she is single mindedly pursued - she will go away from Judaism.
[1] רש"י (סוטה מז.): יצר - של תשמיש תקרבנו בימין שלא יקוץ בפריה ורביה וכן תינוק פן יברח ויאבד את עצמו ואשה אף היא דעתה קלה ואם ירדפוה תצא לתרבות רעה.
R’ Tzadok (Tzedkas HaTzadik #248): The essence of man is the desire he has in his heart and this is his superiority over the angels. This desire is called yetzer – and it manifests its self as the good yetzer (yetzer tov) and the bad yetzer (yetzer rah). When he strengthens his desire for good that is good and if not… Our Sages say that whoever is greater his yetzer his greater. That is because the superiority of one person over another is only according to the strength of his desire for good. That is the yetzer. The yetzer tov and the yetzer rah are balanced in strength against each other corresponding to the two chambers of the heart. The desire on the right side is for good and the left side is for evil. Therefore the yetzer rah is correspondingly as great as that for the good…
[1] ר' צדוק (צדקת הצדיק - אות רמח): עיקר האדם הוא החשק שבלב שבו הוא יתרונו על המלאכים והוא הנקרא יצר, יצר טוב ויצר רע כאשר הוא מגביר חשקו לטוב הרי זה טוב ואם לאו וכו'. ואמרו ז"ל (סוכה נב.) כל הגדול יצרו גדול כי גדלות אחד על חבירו הוא רק כפי גודל החשק שלו לטוב דהיינו כח היצר כי יצר טוב ויצר רע אחד זה לעומת זה בשני חללי הלב כפי החשק שבלבו בימין לטוב כן בשמאל לרע ולכך יצר רע גם כן גדול:...
Now Rav Tzadok gives a very clear and compelling answer to this statement about the greater the man..
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of yetzer hara - here is an example of the yetzer hara of the Aguda world, and their complete stupidity.
ReplyDeletehttps://agudah.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/JO1976-V11-N05.pdf
here's a quote from Rav shach in the mid 70s from this article
"The spiritual leadership of past generations warned us long ago that we have no share in the secular Zionist dream. And we can see clearly that that dream is long defunct. They had thought that it would enhance Jewish prestige among other nations, and rid us of anti-Semitism, yet never before have we been so hated .... Against whom are demonstrations directed -against those whose hatred of Jewry is already deeply ingrained?"
Now, N. wolpin doesn't really need to be taken seriously, becasue he was not a major figure or roshyeshiva. however, just because an anti-zionist resolution was passed by the UN, does that make 1976 worst than 1936, or 1942?
I am curious how such a false, empty, misleading statemtn can be produced by somebody considered as "Gadol Hador"?
What the anti-Zionists couldn't handle was how their predictions that Zionism would fail keep falling flat. Yes, there was plenty of Jew hatred in the world but there was also fear - Jewish blood wasn't cheap. For the first time in centuries there would be a cost to spill some and it wouldn't come easy.
ReplyDeleteOr that secular Jews care more about saving Jewish lives than gedolim did, and did so more successful in doing so. The myth that only "daas Torah" can make decisions was proven wrong.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, in 1988 when the first Intifada started, they had another hatefest, this time stating that40 years is a magic number so it's the end of the40 year State.
I sometimes wonder whether the antizionists have nostalgia for the pogroms, the concentration camps, the ghettos etc.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the San Remo resolution that called for a Jewish state clearly stipulated that Jews living elsewhere should not have their rights diminished. Yet the Arab states, Iraq, Egypt, Yemen etc kicked out the Jews and took their property and possessions.
ReplyDeleteThis is parallel to the 3 oaths that were cited.
The great Ohr Sameach said there is no longer fear of the oaths, they are no longer valid. Fortunately, today the Arab nations are learning to make peace with Israel. Perhaps Herzl did have some ruach kodesh?