Rabbi Shlomo Itzhaki, the 11th century Jewish rabbi, commonly referred to as Rashi, was prolific in his commentaries of the Jewish scriptures. Within Judaism, Yetzer Hara (Hebrew: יֵצֶר הַרַע , for the definite “the Evil Inclination”), or yetzer ra (Hebrew: יֵצֶר רַע , for the indefinite “an evil inclination”) refers to the congenital inclination to do evil. It is not a demonic force, an external tempter, but rather mankind’s inner desire to misuse things the physical body needs to survive.
The great rabbis, such as Rashi, and the Sages of the Talmud (see Berakhot 32a) have spoken about the Evil Inclination in poignant terms, often to the point of personifying it as a “he”. When personified, the Evil Inclination is often described as “the Adversary” (Hebrew: הַשָּׂטָ֖ן; ha Satan)—not the supernatural Satan of traditional Christianity and Islam, but rather a figure of opposition. (See Babylonian Talmud and other rabbinical works, e.g.: “Resh Laqish said: Satan, the Evil Inclination, and the Angel of Death are all one.”)
Rashi, once explained with regards to the Yetzer Hara (the Evil Inclination), that “One must wage war against it.” In other words, one must confront and dominate it, as it is said, “One must always make the good inclination dominate the evil inclination,” (Berachot 5a).
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Author: Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Itzhaki)
Keywords: Rashi, rabbinic teaching, Satan within Judaism, 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): 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Corinthians 7:5, 1 John 2:13-14, 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:12, 1 John 3:8, 1 John 5:18-19, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 1 Thessalonians 3:5, 1 Timothy 1:20, 1 Timothy 3:6-7, 1 Timothy 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 11:14, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 6:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Timothy 2:26, Acts 13:10, Acts 26:18, Acts 5:3, Deuteronomy 10:16, Ephesians 4:27, Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:16, Ezekiel 36:26, Galatians 1:4, Genesis 1:31, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 6:1-4, Genesis 8:21, Hebrews 2:14, Isaiah 57:14, Isaiah 5:18, Jam 1:14, James 4:7, Job 1:12, Job 1:6-9, Job 2:1-4, Job 2:6-7, Joel 2:20, John 13:2, John 13:27, John 17:15, John 6:70, John 8:44, Luke 11:4, Luke 13:16, Luke 22:3, Luke 22:31, Luke 4:2-13, Luke 8:12, Mark 1:13, Mark 4:15, Matthew 13:19, Matthew 13:38, Matthew 16:23, Matthew 25:41, Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 5:37, Matthew 6:13, Proverbs 25:21, Psalm 109:6, Psalms 51:10, Revelation 12:12, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 20:10, Revelation 20:2, Revelation 20:7, Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:24, Revelation 2:9-10, Revelation 3:9, Romans 16:20, Zechariah 3:1-2
Source: Philip P. Kapusta.
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