When a person is besieged by bad thoughts and fantasies, but remains steadfast and strengthens himself to overcome them, the Holy One has great pleasure from this. It is very precious in God’s eyes.
This is analogous to kings who at times, for a special occasion, would be entertained by allowing creatures to battle one another [for sport]. They would stand and watch, and would greatly enjoy the combat. Similarly, thoughts come from the aspect of chayot (creatures). Holy thoughts are the aspect of pure creatures, while bad thoughts are the aspect of impure creatures. It is Divinely ordained that they be allowed to battle one another. And the Holy One has great pleasure when a person overpowers the impure creatures and defeats them.
The rule is that it is absolutely impossible for a person to have two simultaneous thoughts. Therefore, it is easy to drive away bad thoughts by sitting and doing nothing—i.e., by not thinking that thought, but thinking some other thought; [a thought] of Torah or Divine service or even business. For, no matter what, it is impossible for two thoughts to exist together. As has been explained elsewhere, it is unnecessary to struggle or shake one’s head every which way in order to drive away bad thoughts, because this does not help at all. On the contrary, it makes them stronger. Rather, a person should pay no attention to them whatsoever, but continue to engage in what he was doing: Torah, prayer or business. He should not look over his shoulder, at all. In this way [the thought] will pass on its own.
כְּשֶׁמִּתְגַּבְּרִים עַל הָאָדָם מַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת וְהִרְהוּרִים, וְהוּא מִתְחַזֵּק וּמִתְגַּבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם וּמְנַצֵּחַ אוֹתָם, יֵשׁ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא תַּעֲנוּג גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה. וְהוּא יָקָר מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ,
When a person is besieged by bad thoughts and fantasies, but remains steadfast and strengthens himself to overcome them, the Holy One has great pleasure from this. It is very precious in God’s eyes.
כְּמָשָׁל שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֵצֶל הַמְּלָכִים לִפְעָמִים בְּיוֹמָא דְּפַגְרָא, הֵם מַנִּיחִין כַּמָּה חַיּוֹת שֶׁיְּנַצְּחוּ זֶה עִם זֶה, וְהֵם עוֹמְדִים וּמִסְתַּכְּלִים וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם תַּעֲנוּג גָּדוֹל מִן הַנִּצָּחוֹן, כְּמוֹ כֵן הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת הֵם בָּאִים מִבְּחִינַת הַחַיּוֹת, וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת חַיּוֹת טְהוֹרוֹת, וּמַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת חַיּוֹת טְמֵאוֹת, וּמַנִּיחִים בְּכַוָּנָה מִלְּמַעְלָה שֶׁיְּנַצְּחוּ זֶה עִם זֶה, וְיֵשׁ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא תַּעֲנוּג גָּדוֹל כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם מִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הַחַיּוֹת טְמֵאוֹת וּמְנַצֵּחַ אוֹתָם.
This is analogous to kings who at times, for a special occasion, would be entertained by allowing creatures to battle one another [for sport]. They would stand and watch, and would greatly enjoy the combat. Similarly, thoughts come from the aspect of chayot (creatures). Holy thoughts are the aspect of pure creatures, while bad thoughts are the aspect of impure creatures. It is Divinely ordained that they be allowed to battle one another. And the Holy One has great pleasure when a person overpowers the impure creatures and defeats them.
הַכְּלָל, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּיַחַד בְּפַעַם אֶחָד. עַל כֵּן בְּקַל יְכוֹלִין לְגָרֵשׁ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת רַק בְּשֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא לַחֲשֹׁב אוֹתוֹ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, רַק לַחֲשֹׁב אֵיזֶה מַחֲשָׁבָה אַחֶרֶת, בְּתוֹרָה אוֹ עֲבוֹדָה, אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵי מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּיַחַד בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן. וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (לעיל בסימן ע"ב), שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִין לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה וּלְנַעְנֵעַ ראֹשׁוֹ אָנֶה וָאָנָה כְּדֵי לְגָרֵשׁ הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת רָעוֹת, כִּי אֵין זֶה מוֹעִיל כְּלָל, אַדְּרַבָּא עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מִתְגַּבְּרִים יוֹתֵר, רַק לִבְלִי לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ עֲלֵיהֶם כְּלָל, רַק לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ בַּמֶּה שֶּׁהוּא עוֹסֵק, בְּתוֹרָה אוֹ תְּפִלָּה אוֹ מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, וְלִבְלִי לְהִסְתַּכֵּל לַאֲחוֹרָיו כְּלָל, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מִמֵּילָא תִּסְתַּלֵּק:
The rule is that it is absolutely impossible for a person to have two simultaneous thoughts. Therefore, it is easy to drive away bad thoughts by sitting and doing nothing—i.e., by not thinking that thought, but thinking some other thought; [a thought] of Torah or Divine service or even business. For, no matter what, it is impossible for two thoughts to exist together. As has been explained elsewhere, it is unnecessary to struggle or shake one’s head every which way in order to drive away bad thoughts, because this does not help at all. On the contrary, it makes them stronger. Rather, a person should pay no attention to them whatsoever, but continue to engage in what he was doing: Torah, prayer or business. He should not look over his shoulder, at all. In this way [the thought] will pass on its own.