READING: BETWEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT AND DAWN MONDAY

The Evil Inclination and The Good Inclination – Selected Excerpts from Zohar for All, item 6

The Evil Inclination and The Good Inclination – Selected Excerpts from Zohar for All

1. Zohar for All, Kedoshim, “Oh Land of Sounds of Wings,” Item 7

When the Creator created the world and wished to reveal the depths out of the hidden and ‎light out of the darkness, they were incorporated in each other. Because of it, Light came out of darkness, ‎and the deep came out and appeared out of the hidden; one came out of the other. And from ‎the good, out came bad; from mercy, out came judgment, and all was included in one ‎another.‎

2. Zohar for All, Miketz [At the End], “And unto Joseph Were Born Two Sons Before the Year of Famine Came”, Item 266

The Creator made the right, and He made the left, to lead the world. One is called “good,” “right,” and one is called “evil,” “left.” Man includes both and approaches the Creator with everything, as it is written, “In both of your inclinations—the good inclination and the evil inclination.”

3. Zohar for All, VaYeshev [And Jacob Sat], “And Jacob Sat”, Items 1-2

How many slanderers are there to a person from the day the Creator gives him a soul in this world? And because he came into the world, the evil inclination immediately appears to partake with him, as it is written, “Sin crouches at the door,” for then the evil inclination partakes with him.

A beast watches over itself from the day it is born, and runs from fire and from any bad place. When man is born, he immediately comes to throw himself into the fire, since the evil inclination is within him and promptly incites him to the evil way.

4. Zohar for All, Toldot [Generations], “Association of the Quality of Rachamim with Din”, Item 57

The evil inclination is needed in the world like the rain is needed in the world. Without the evil inclination there would be no joy of studying in the world. But then it will not be defiling as before, to sin by it. “My holy mountain” is the heart, the place where the evil inclination dwells.

A good heart is the structure of the body and the soul. This is why it is written, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,” for the heart is the core of everything.

5. Zohar for All, Toldot [Generations], “The Blessings”, Items 170-171

There are two angels for a person, emissaries from above to unite with him, one to the right and one to the left. And they testify to a person, and they are present in everything he does. Their names are “the good inclination” and “the evil inclination.”

When a man comes to be purified and to exert in the Mitzvot of the Torah, that good inclination that has become connected to him has already prevailed over the evil inclination and reconciled with it, and the evil inclination has become a servant to the good inclination. And when a person comes to be defiled, that evil inclination intensifies and overcomes the good inclination.

When that person comes to be purified, he needs to overcome several intensifications. And when the good inclination prevails, his enemies, too, make peace with him, since the evil inclination, which is his enemy, surrenders before the good inclination. When a person goes by the Mitzvot of the Torah, his enemies make peace with him, meaning the evil inclination and all who come from his side make peace with him.

6. Zohar for All, VaYishlach [And Jacob Sent], “And Jacob Sent Messengers”, Items 16-17

The evil inclination […] always complains against people. And the evil inclination raises man’s heart and desire with pride, and man follows it, curling his hair and his head, until the evil inclination takes pride over him and pulls him to Hell.

One who does not follow the evil inclination and is not proud at all, who lowers his spirit, his heart, and his will toward the Creator, the evil inclination overturns and becomes his slave, since it cannot control him. On the contrary, that man controls it, as it is written, “and thou may rule over it.”

VaYishlach, And Jacob Sent Messengers

7. Zohar for All, VaEra [And I Appeared], “Know This Day and Take It to Your Heart”, Item 90

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” means with both your inclinations—the good inclination and the evil inclination, so the bad qualities of the evil inclination will become good, meaning he will serve the Lord with them and not sin through them. Then there will certainly be no difference between the good inclination and the evil inclination and they will be one.

8. Zohar for All, VaYeshev [And Jacob Sat], “As She Spoke to Joseph”, Items 223-224

When one sees that bad thoughts come upon him, he should engage in Torah, and they will go away. When that evil inclination comes to tempt a person, he should draw it unto the Torah, and it will depart him.

We learned that when this evil side stands before the Creator to accuse the world for the bad deeds that they had done, the Creator has mercy on the world and advises people how to be saved from it so it may not control them or their deeds. And what is the advice? It is to delve in the Torah, and they will be saved from it […] Thus, the Torah keeps one from the evil inclination.

9. Zohar for All, VaYetze [And Jacob Went Out], “And Jacob Went Out from Beer-Sheba”, item 111

When a person clings to the ways of Torah, he is loved above and loved below, and he becomes the Creator’s loved one. He is loved by the Creator and the Creator loves him. But when a person strays from the ways of Torah, the power of Koh, Divinity, lessens and she becomes his foe and enemy, and he becomes her enemy. Then, that evil, the evil inclination, governs him until it slanders him in this world and in the next world.

10. Zohar for All, Truma [Donation], “With All Your Heart, and with All Your Soul, and with All Your Might”, Item 671

How can one love the Creator with the evil inclination? After all, the evil inclination slanders so one will not approach the work of the Creator, so how can one love the Creator with it? But the work of the Creator is more important when this evil inclination surrenders to Him and the person breaks it. This is the love of the Creator, for one knows how to bring the evil inclination into the work of the Creator.

11. Zohar for All, Miketz [At the End], “He Took Simeon from Them”, Items 179-180

Good inclination and an evil inclination. And Israel need to make the good inclination prevail over the evil inclination through good deeds. If a person leans to the left, the evil inclination overcomes the good inclination. And in one who is flawed, the evil inclination complements his sin, since this villain is complemented only through people’s sins.
For this reason, man must be wary so the evil inclination will not be complemented by his sins. And he should always be watchful, for the good inclination must be complemented with continuous wholeness, and not the evil inclination. Hence, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil,’” since through hatred you will intensify the left and complement the evil inclination. Rather, “Hope for the Lord and you will be salvaged.”

12. Zohar for All, VaYeshev [And Jacob Sat], “As She Spoke to Joseph Daily”, Item 240

In the future, the righteous will see the evil inclination as a tall mountain. They will wonder and say, “How could we have conquered such a tall mountain?” Also in the future, the wicked will see the evil inclination as thin as a hair’s breadth. And they will wonder and say, “How could we not conquer this hair’s breadth thread?” These cry and those cry, and the Creator will uproot it from the world and He will slaughter them before their eyes, and it will no longer govern the world. Then the righteous will see and rejoice.