The fly was regarded by the Jews in particular as more or less impure and evil and was frequently compared to the Evil Inclination. Often personified, the Evil Inclination within man’s heart has been identified by rabbinic tradition as Satan.
“The evil inclination [“yeẓer ha-ra’”] lies like a fly at the doors of the human heart,” says Rab [the famous Jewish Talmudist], with reference to “the flies of death” in Ecclesiastes 10:1 (Ber. 61a and Targ. Yer. to the passage).
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Author: Philip P. Kapusta
Keywords: Rashi, Angel of darkness, Angel of death, Deliver us from evil, Devil, Devil and Jesus, Devil tempts Jesus, diabolos, Evil angel, Evil Inclination, Evil nature, Evil one, Hara Yetser, Ha-ra Yetser, Hara Yetzer, Ha-ra Yetzer, Hara Yezer, Ha-ra Yezer, Man's sinful nature, Personification of evil, Satan, Satan and Jesus, Sin personified, Sin within, The Evil Inclination, The Evil One, Yatsar, Yetsarim, Yetser ha ra, Yetser ra, Yetzer, Yetzer ha ra, Yetzer ha tov, Yetzer Hara, Yetzer ra, Yetzer tov, Yezer ha ra, Yezer ha tov, Yezer Hara, Baalzebub, Baalzebul, Beelzebub, Beelzebul, Lord of the flies, Flies, Fly demon, Devil flies, Satan flies
Bible reference(s): Matthew 10:25, Matthew 12:24, Matthew 12:27, Mark 3:22, Luke 11:15, Luke 11:18
Source: Philip P. Kapusta.
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