No Greater Enemy

‘When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him’ (Proverbs 17:7). Rab. Joshua ben Levi said: This refers to the evil inclination [yetzer hara], that which man has no greater enemy. Now if a man live in close intimacy with his fellow for one year, even if, at the outset, he is his enemy, at the end he becomes his friend. But the evil inclination [yetzer hara] grows up with man from youth to old age: day by day it seeks to overthrow him. If it cannot overthrow him within ten years, it seeks to overthrow him within twenty years. If it can find an opportunity within eighty years, it will seize it. Thus, they relate that John [Hyrcanus], the High Priest, ministered for eighty years in the sacred office, yet at the end he became a Sadducee [which would have been considered a disgrace at the time, for the Sadducees embraced the corrupting spirit of Hellenism and compromise with the Roman authorities].

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Author: Tanhuma

Keywords: Devil, Satan, Evil inclination, Yetzer hara, Yetzer ha Ra, Yetzer ha Rah, Diabolos, Satanas, yetser hara, Yetser ha ra, Yetzer, Yetser, Temptation, Evil urge, Evil desire, Jesus temptation, Jesus tempted, Tempted by the devil, Tempted by Satan, Jesus tempted by Satan, Jesus tempted by the devil, Christ tempted, Christ tempted by Satan, Christ tempted by the devil, Internal temptation, Wiles of the devil, Fallen angel, Lucifer, Rebel angel

Bible reference(s): Prov. 17:7

Source: S. Buber, Tanhuma, Beshallah, 28a (with adaptations from Rabbah Exodus).

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