Rabbi Pinchas entered the Beit Midrash, the House of Study, and viewed his students animatedly talking. When they saw their master they quickly fell silent. Rabbi Pinchas’ curiosity piqued. He asked, “What were you talking about?” One student shyly murmured, “We were talking about the yetser ha-ra, the evil urge, that chases after us day and night, whispering for us to do bad things.”
“Do not worry,” said the venerable rabbi. “You are not advanced enough that the yetser ha-ra is pursuing you, you are chasing after it.”
The stronger, more learned, and wise we become the more powerful becomes the Yetser-ha-ra.
What is most critical is to not give in.
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