AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS SHE SPOKE TO JOSEPH DAY BY DAY. R. Eleazar discoursed on the verse: To keep thee from the evil woman, etc. (Prov. 6, 24). ‘Happy’, he said, ‘are the righteous who know the ways of the Almighty and follow them, since they devote themselves to the Torah day and night; for whoso devotes himself to the Torah day and night inherits two worlds, the upper world and the world below. He inherits this world, even if he does not study the Torah for its own sake; and he inherits the other world, if he does study the Torah for its own sake;
and he inherits the other world, if he does study the Torah for its own sake. So it is written: “Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honour” (Ibid. 3, 16); that is, whoever walks to the right of the Torah, for him she is length of life in the world to come, where he will be invested with the glory of the Torah, which is the truest glory and the crown of crowns; for the crown of the Torah is in the other world; but “in her left hand are riches and honour”, to wit, in this world; even for him who does not study it for its own sake.
When R. Hiya came from Babylonia to the Land of Israel he studied the Torah until his face shone like the sun, and when the students of the Torah stood up before him he would say: “This one studies the Torah for its own sake, this one does not study the Torah for its own sake.” For the former he would pray that they should always retain that frame of mind and so merit the world to come; for the latter he prayed that their heart should be changed so that they should study the Torah for its own sake and merit life everlasting.
One day he saw a certain disciple whose face was unnaturally pale. He said to himself: “This young man is undoubtedly assailed by sinful imaginations.” So he took him in hand and interested him in the words of the Torah until he returned to a better frame of mind. From that day the disciple resolved not to give way any more to evil thoughts, but to study the Torah for its own sake.
R. Jose said: ‘When a man perceives that evil thoughts are assailing him, he should study the Torah, and that will drive them away.’ R. Eleazar said: ‘When the evil side comes to seduce a man, he should draw it towards the Torah, and then it will quit him.
For so we have learnt, that when the evil side stands up before the Almighty to accuse the world for its evil deeds, God in pity furnishes the sons of men with a device whereby to escape the accuser, so that he may not have power over them or their actions. This device consists in the study of the Torah, which will save them from the evil power, as it is written: “For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching (Torah) is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.” The passage continues: “To keep thee from the evil woman, from the smoothness of the alien tongue” (Ibid. 6, 23-24),
that is, from the side of uncleanness, or the other side, that is perpetually accusing the sons of men before the Almighty; and whilst it seduces men here below from the right path, it is busy on high pointing out the sins of men and indicting them, so that they may be given over into its power, in the same way as it acted towards Job.
Especially at those periods when God sits in judgement on the world does it rise up to indict men and enumerate their sins. God, however, had compassion on Israel and provided them with a device for escaping from it, to wit, the trumpet (shofar) which is to be blown on New Year’s Day, and the scapegoat which they give it on the Day of Atonement in order that it may leave them alone and occupy itself with its own portion.
Of this it is written: “Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on the nether world” (Ibid. 5, 5); but of the true faith it says: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace” (Ibid. 3, 17). This refers to the ways and paths of the Torah. We have here the two opposing ways, the one of well-being, the other of death.
Happy is the portion of Israel who cleave faithfully to the Holy One, who has afforded them a means of escape from all the other sides, because they are a holy people, His inheritance and portion. Happy are they in this world and in the world to come.
When this evil side comes down and roams through the world and sees the works of mankind and how they all act perversely in the world, it ascends and accuses them, and were it not that the Almighty has compassion on the works of His hands, none would be left in the world on account of the accuser.
Thus we read: “And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day”, that is to say, the accuser ascends every day and brings ever so many evil reports and calumnies in order to destroy mankind; “but he hearkened not unto her”, because He has compassion on the world;
The virtuous man so guards his ways as to keep afar from him the evil prompter, as it is written: “And it came to pass, as she spake to him day by day, that he hearkened not unto her”;
for the unclean spirit, which is the same as the evil prompter, tries day by day to seduce man to lie by her, that is, to draw him into Gehinnom, to be with her there;
This unclean side is ugly and filthy, and by it is punished he who goes astray from the Torah, and all those sinners that have no faith in the Holy One, blessed be He.
It is further written: “And it came to pass on a certain day”, to wit, the day in which the evil prompter is at large in the world, and comes to lead men astray; the day when the sons of men “come into the house to do their work”, that is, to repent of their sins or study the Torah and carry out the commandments of the Torah,
since man’s proper work in this world is nothing else than the service of the Holy One. Hence it behoves him to be strong as a lion on every side, so that the other side should not get the mastery over him and should be powerless to seduce him.
But when the evil prompter sees that there is no man to stand up against him and wage war with him, then “She caught him by the garment, saying: Lie with me”, for when the evil prompter gains an ascendancy over a man, he decks him out with fine raiment and curls his hair and says “Lie with me”, that is, attach yourself unto me.
He that is righteous stands up to him and offers him battle; so Scripture says: “And he left his garment in her hand, and fled and got him out”-the righteous thus by an effort shakes him off and flees from him so that he should not have command over him any more.’
R. Isaac said: ‘The righteous will one day see the evil prompter in the form of a huge mountain and they will marvel at themselves, saying, How were we ever able to overthrow that mighty mountain? Contrariwise, to the wicked the evil prompter will appear like a thread as thin as a hair, and they will say in astonishment, How was it that we could not master so frail a thread as this? The righteous will weep for joy and the wicked will weep from anguish. And the Holy One will sweep the evil one off the earth, He will slaughter him before their eyes, so that his power will for ever be gone from the world. The righteous will behold and rejoice, as it says: “Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name, the upright shall dwell in thy presence” (Ps. 140, 14).’
וַיְהִי כְּדַבְּרָהּ אֵלָיו יוֹם יוֹם. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאֲמַר, (משלי ו׳:כ״ד) לִשְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵשֶׁת רָע וְגו', זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא, דְּיָדְעֵי אָרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְמֵיזַל בְּהוּ. בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יְמָמָא וְלֵילְיָא. דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יוֹמֵי וְלֵילֵי, אַחְסִין תְּרֵין עָלְמִין, עַלְמָא עִלָּאָה, וְעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה. אַחְסִין הַאי עַלְמָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְעַסַּק בָּהּ בַּר נָשׁ לִשְׁמָהּ, וְאַחְסִין הַהוּא עַלְמָא עִלָּאָה, כַּד אִתְעַסַּק בָּהּ בַּר נָשׁ לִשְׁמָהּ.
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS SHE SPOKE TO JOSEPH DAY BY DAY. R. Eleazar discoursed on the verse: To keep thee from the evil woman, etc. (Prov. 6, 24). ‘Happy’, he said, ‘are the righteous who know the ways of the Almighty and follow them, since they devote themselves to the Torah day and night; for whoso devotes himself to the Torah day and night inherits two worlds, the upper world and the world below. He inherits this world, even if he does not study the Torah for its own sake; and he inherits the other world, if he does study the Torah for its own sake;
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, (משלי ג׳:ט״ז) אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ עשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד. אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ, מַאן דְּאָזִיל לִימִינָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, אָרְכָא דְחַיִּין אִיהוּ לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. דְּזָכֵי תַּמָּן לִיקָרָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ יְקָרָא וְכִתְרָא, לְאִתְעַטְּרָא עַל כֹּלָּא. דְּכִתְרָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא אִיהוּ. בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ עשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד, בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְעַסַּק בָּהּ לִשְׁמָהּ, זָכֵי בְּהַאי עַלְמָא בְּעוּתְרָא וִיקָרָא.
and he inherits the other world, if he does study the Torah for its own sake. So it is written: “Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand are riches and honour” (Ibid. 3, 16); that is, whoever walks to the right of the Torah, for him she is length of life in the world to come, where he will be invested with the glory of the Torah, which is the truest glory and the crown of crowns; for the crown of the Torah is in the other world; but “in her left hand are riches and honour”, to wit, in this world; even for him who does not study it for its own sake.
דְּהָא רִבִּי חִיָּיא כַּד אֲתָא מֵהָתָם לְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, קָרָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עַד דְּהֲווּ אַנְפּוֹי נְהִירִין כְּשִׁמְשָׁא. וְכַד הֲווּ קָיְימִין קַמֵּיהּ כָּל אִינוּן דְּלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. הֲוָה אָמַר, דָּא אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לִשְׁמָהּ, וְדָא לָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל לִשְׁמָהּ, וְהֲוָה צַלֵּי עַל הַהוּא דְּאִתְעַסַּק לִשְׁמָהּ, דְּלֶיהוֵי הָכִי תָּדִיר, וְיִזְכֵּי לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. וְצַלֵּי עַל הַהוּא דְּלָא אִתְעַסַּק בָּהּ לִשְׁמָהּ, דְּיֵיתֵי לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בָּהּ לִשְׁמָהּ, וְיִזְכֵּי לְחַיֵּי עָלְמָא.
When R. Hiya came from Babylonia to the Land of Israel he studied the Torah until his face shone like the sun, and when the students of the Torah stood up before him he would say: “This one studies the Torah for its own sake, this one does not study the Torah for its own sake.” For the former he would pray that they should always retain that frame of mind and so merit the world to come; for the latter he prayed that their heart should be changed so that they should study the Torah for its own sake and merit life everlasting.
יוֹמָא חַד, חָמָא חַד תַּלְמִיד דְּהֲוָה לָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאַנְפּוֹי מוֹרִיקָן. אָמַר, וַדַּאי מְהַרְהֵר בְּחֶטְאָה אִיהוּ דְּנָא. אָחִיד לֵיהּ לְקַמֵּיהּ, וְאַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ בְּמִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עַד דְּאִתְיַישַׁב רוּחֵיהּ בְּגַוֵּיהּ. מִן הַהוּא יוֹמָא וּלְהָלְאָה, שַׁוֵּי עַל רוּחֵיהּ, דְּלָא יִרְדֹּף בָּתַר אִינוּן הִרְהוּרִין בִּישִׁין, וְיִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לִשְׁמָהּ.
One day he saw a certain disciple whose face was unnaturally pale. He said to himself: “This young man is undoubtedly assailed by sinful imaginations.” So he took him in hand and interested him in the words of the Torah until he returned to a better frame of mind. From that day the disciple resolved not to give way any more to evil thoughts, but to study the Torah for its own sake.
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, כַּד חָמֵי בַר נָשׁ דְּהִרְהוּרִין בִּישִׁין אַתְיָין לְגַבֵּיהּ, יִתְעַסַּק בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּכְדֵין יִתְעַבְרוּן מִנֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, כַּד הַהוּא סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא אָתֵי לְמִפְתֵּי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, יְהֵא מָשִׁיךְ לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ.
R. Jose said: ‘When a man perceives that evil thoughts are assailing him, he should study the Torah, and that will drive them away.’ R. Eleazar said: ‘When the evil side comes to seduce a man, he should draw it towards the Torah, and then it will quit him.
תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּהָא תָּנִינָן, דְּכַד הַאי סִטְרָא בִישָׁא קָיְימָא קַמֵּיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַסְטָאָה עַל עַלְמָא בְּגִין עוֹבָדִין בִּישִׁין. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָס עַל עַלְמָא, וְיָהִיב עֵיטָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִנֵּיהּ. וְלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלֵיהוֹן וְלָא עַל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, וּמַאי אִיהוּ עֵיטָא, לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאִשְׁתֵּזָבוּ מִנֵּיהּ. מְנָלָן, דִּכְתִיב, (משלי ו׳:כ״ג) כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר. מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ לִשְׁמָרְךָ מֵאֵשֶׁת רָע מֵחֶלְקַת לָשׁוֹן נָכְרִיָּה.
For so we have learnt, that when the evil side stands up before the Almighty to accuse the world for its evil deeds, God in pity furnishes the sons of men with a device whereby to escape the accuser, so that he may not have power over them or their actions. This device consists in the study of the Torah, which will save them from the evil power, as it is written: “For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching (Torah) is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.” The passage continues: “To keep thee from the evil woman, from the smoothness of the alien tongue” (Ibid. 6, 23-24),
וְדָא הוּא סִטְרָא מְסָאֲבָא, סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. דְאִיהִי קָיְימָא תָּדִיר קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְאַסְטָאָה עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְקָיְימָא תָּדִיר לְאַסְטָאָה לְתַתָּא לִבְנִי נָשָׁא. קָיְימָא תָּדִיר לְעֵילָא, בְּגִין לְאַדְכָּרָא חוֹבֵיהוֹן דִּבְנִי נָשָׁא, וּלְאַסְטָאָה לוֹן עַל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וּבְגִין דְּאִתְיְהִיבוּ בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ, כְּמָה דְּעֲבַד לֵיהּ לְאִיּוֹב.
that is, from the side of uncleanness, or the other side, that is perpetually accusing the sons of men before the Almighty; and whilst it seduces men here below from the right path, it is busy on high pointing out the sins of men and indicting them, so that they may be given over into its power, in the same way as it acted towards Job.
וְכֵן קָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ לְאַסְטָאָה וּלְאַדְכָּרָא חוֹבֵיהוֹן בְּכָל מַה דְּעֲבָדוּ, בְּאִינוּן זִמְנִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּדִינָא. כְּדֵין קָאִים לְאַסְטָאָה לוֹן וּלְאַדְכָּרָא חוֹבֵיהוֹן. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָס עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיָהַב לוֹן עֵיטָא לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִנֵּיהּ. וּבְמָּה, בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּיוֹמָא דְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, וּבְיוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרֵי בְּשָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ דְּיָהֲבִין לֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּהַהוּא חוּלָקֵיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.
Especially at those periods when God sits in judgement on the world does it rise up to indict men and enumerate their sins. God, however, had compassion on Israel and provided them with a device for escaping from it, to wit, the trumpet (shofar) which is to be blown on New Year’s Day, and the scapegoat which they give it on the Day of Atonement in order that it may leave them alone and occupy itself with its own portion.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, (משלי ה׳:ה׳) רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת שְׁאוֹל צְעָדֶיהָ יִתְמוֹכוּ. וּבְרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא מַה כְּתִיב, (משלי ג׳:י״ז) דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נוֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם. וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן אָרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכֹלָּא חַד. הַאי שָׁלוֹם וְהַאי מָוְת, וְכֹלָּא הִפּוּכָן דָּא מִן דָּא.
Of this it is written: “Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on the nether world” (Ibid. 5, 5); but of the true faith it says: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace” (Ibid. 3, 17). This refers to the ways and paths of the Torah. We have here the two opposing ways, the one of well-being, the other of death.
זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינוּן מִתְדַּבְּקִין בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, וְיָהִיב לוֹן עֵיטָא לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִכָּל סִטְרִין אָחֳרָנִין דְּעַלְמָא. בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְאַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ וְחוּלָקֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא יָהִיב לוֹן עֵיטָא בְּכֹלָּא. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן בְּעַלְמָא דֵין, וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי.
Happy is the portion of Israel who cleave faithfully to the Holy One, who has afforded them a means of escape from all the other sides, because they are a holy people, His inheritance and portion. Happy are they in this world and in the world to come.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד הַאי סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא נָחַת וְשָׁאט בְּעַלְמָא, וְחָמֵי עוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, דְּאִינוּן כֻּלְּהוּ סָטְאִין אָרְחַיְיהוּ בְּעַלְמָא. סָלִיק לְעֵילָא וְאַסְטִין לוֹן, וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָיִיס עַל עוֹבָדֵי יְדוֹי, לָא יִשְׁתָּאֲרוּן בְּעַלְמָא.
When this evil side comes down and roams through the world and sees the works of mankind and how they all act perversely in the world, it ascends and accuses them, and were it not that the Almighty has compassion on the works of His hands, none would be left in the world on account of the accuser.
מַה כְּתִיב וַיְהִי כְּדַבְּרָהּ אֶל יוֹסֵף יוֹם יוֹם. כְּדַבְּרָהּ, דְסָלְקָא וְסָאטֵי בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, וְאָמַר קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כַּמָּה בִּישִׁין כַּמָּה דִּלְטוֹרִין, בְּגִין לְשֵׁיצָאָה בְּנִי עַלְמָא.
Thus we read: “And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day”, that is to say, the accuser ascends every day and brings ever so many evil reports and calumnies in order to destroy mankind; “but he hearkened not unto her”, because He has compassion on the world;
מַה כְּתִיב, וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ. וְלא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חָיִיס עַל עַלְמָא. לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ, מַהוּ לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ. בְּגִין לְנָסְבָא שָׁלְטָנוּ, לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עַל עַלְמָא, וְשָׁלְטָנוּ לָא שָׁלְטָא, עַד דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ.
“to be by her”, that is, to permit the accuser to exercise dominion over the world, which he cannot do without obtaining authorization.
דָּבָר אַחֵר לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ויקרא ט״ו:ל״ג) וּלְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכַּב עִם טְמֵאָה. לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ לְמֵיהַב לָהּ רְבוּ וּבִרְכָאן וְסִיַּיעְתָּא. דְּאִלְּמָלֵא סִיּוּעָא הֲוָה לָהּ מִלְּעֵילָא, לָא אִשְׁתָּאַר בְּעַלְמָא אֲפִילּוּ חַד. אֲבָל בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָיִיס עַל עַלְמָא, אִשְׁתָּאַר עַלְמָא בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ.
The virtuous man so guards his ways as to keep afar from him the evil prompter, as it is written: “And it came to pass, as she spake to him day by day, that he hearkened not unto her”;
רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ אָרְחָא חָדָא, אֲבָל יֵצֶר הָרָע הוּא דְקָא אָזִיל וּמְפַתֵּי לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, בְּגִין לְאַסְטָאָה אָרְחַיְיהוּ וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּהוּ, בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, וּבְכָל עִידָן וְעִידָן. סָטֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ מֵאָרְחָא דִקְשׁוֹט, בְּגִין לְדַחְיָיא לֵיהּ מֵאָרְחָא דְחַיֵּי, לְאַמְשָׁכָא לֵיהּ לַגֵּיהִנֹּם.
for the unclean spirit, which is the same as the evil prompter, tries day by day to seduce man to lie by her, that is, to draw him into Gehinnom, to be with her there;
זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּעָבִיד וְנָטִיר (נ"א זכאה מאי עביד, נטיר) אָרְחוֹי וּשְׁבִילוֹי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְדַּבַּק בֵּיהּ. הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי כְּדַבְּרָהּ אֶל יוֹסֵף יוֹם יוֹם וְלא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ, כְּמָּה (נ"א במה) דְּאִיהִי אֲמְרַת לֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא. דְּהָא רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא, יֵצֶר הָרָע, אִיהוּ מְפַתֵּי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, בְּכָל יוֹמָא, לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ, גּוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם, וּלְאִתְדָּנָא תַּמָּן, לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ.
for observe that once a man yields to that side he is more and more drawn towards it and defiles himself with it in this world and in the other world.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד בַר נָשׁ אִתְדָּבַּק בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא, אִתְמְשַׁךְ אֲבַתְרָהּ, וְאִסְתָּאַב עִמָּהּ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, וְאִסְתָּאַב עִמָּהּ בְּעַלְמָא אָחֳרָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַאי סִטְרָא מְסָאֲבָא, מְנוּוָלָא אִיהוּ, לִכְלוּכָא אִיהוּ. כְּדִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ל׳:כ״ב) צֵא תֹּאמַר לוֹ, צוֹאָה מַמָּשׁ. וּבֵיהּ אִתְדָּן מַאן דְּאַסְטֵי אָרְחוֹי מִן אוֹרַיְיתָא, וּבֵיהּ אִתְדָנוּ אִינוּן חַיָּיבִין דְּעַלְמָא, דְּלֵית לוֹן מְהֵימְנוּתָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
This unclean side is ugly and filthy, and by it is punished he who goes astray from the Torah, and all those sinners that have no faith in the Holy One, blessed be He.
מַה כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וַיָּבֹא הַבַּיְתָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלַאכְתּוֹ וְאֵין אִישׁ מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַבַּיִת שָׁם בַּבָּיִת. וַיְהִי כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, יוֹמָא דְיֵצֶר הָרָע שָׁלְטָא בְּעַלְמָא, וְנָחֲתָא לְאַסְטָאָה לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. אֵימָתַי, יוֹמָא דְאָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאֲתָבָא בִּתְיוּבְתָּא עַל חוֹבוֹי, אוֹ לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּלְמֶעְבַּד פִּקּוּדֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. וּכְדֵין בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא נָחֲתָא, בְּגִין לְאַסְטָאָה לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא.
It is further written: “And it came to pass on a certain day”, to wit, the day in which the evil prompter is at large in the world, and comes to lead men astray; the day when the sons of men “come into the house to do their work”, that is, to repent of their sins or study the Torah and carry out the commandments of the Torah,
וַיָּבֹא הַבַּיְתָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלַאכְתּוֹ, בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּלְמֶעְבַּד פִּקּוּדֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ מְלַאכְתּוֹ דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עַלְמְא. וְכֵיוָן דְּעֲבִידְתָּא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, הוּא עֲבִידְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. בָּעֵי לֵיה לְבַר נָשׁ, לְמֶהֱוֵי תַּקִּיפָא כְּאַרְיָא בְּכָל סִטְרוֹי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עֲלוֹי סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמִפְתֵּי לֵיהּ. מַה כְּתִיב וְאֵין אִישׁ, לֵית גְּבַר דְּיֵקוּם לְקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע, וְיִגַּח בֵּיהּ קְרָבָא כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת.
since man’s proper work in this world is nothing else than the service of the Holy One. Hence it behoves him to be strong as a lion on every side, so that the other side should not get the mastery over him and should be powerless to seduce him.
מַאי אוֹרְחֵיהּ דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמֵי דְּלֵית בַּר נָשׁ קָאִים לְקֳבְלֵיהּ וּלְאַגָּחָא בֵּיהּ קְרָבָא, מִיָּד: וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂהוּ בְּבִגְדוֹ לֵאמֹר שִׁכְבָה עִמִּי. וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂהוּ בְּבִגְדוֹ, בְּגִין דְּכַד שַׁלִּיט יֵצֶר הָרָע עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, אַתְקִין לֵיהּ, וְקַשִּׁיט לֵיהּ לְבוּשׁוֹי, מְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעֲרֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂהוּ בְּבִגְדוֹ לֵאמֹר שִׁכְבָה עִמִּי, אִתְדָּבַּק עִמִּי.
But when the evil prompter sees that there is no man to stand up against him and wage war with him, then “She caught him by the garment, saying: Lie with me”, for when the evil prompter gains an ascendancy over a man, he decks him out with fine raiment and curls his hair and says “Lie with me”, that is, attach yourself unto me.
מַאן דְּאִיהוּ זַכָּאָה, אִתְתַּקַּף לְקֳבְלֵיהּ, וְאַגַּח בֵּיהּ קְרָבָא. מַה כְּתִיב, וַיַּעֲזֹב בִּגְדוֹ בְּיָדָהּ וַיָּנָס וַיֵּצֵא הַחוּצָה, יִשְׁבּוֹק לֵיהּ, וְיִתְתַּקַּף לְקֳבְלֵיהּ. (ס"א ואגח ביה קרבא) וְיֵעֲרוֹק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עֲלוֹי.
He that is righteous stands up to him and offers him battle; so Scripture says: “And he left his garment in her hand, and fled and got him out”-the righteous thus by an effort shakes him off and flees from him so that he should not have command over him any more.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, זְמִינִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָא לְמֶחמֵי לְיֵצֶר הָרָע, כְּחַד טוּרָא רַבְרְבָא, וְיִתְמְהוּן וְיֵימְרוּן. אֵיךְ יָכִילְנָא לְאַכְּפְיָא לֵיהּ לְטוּרָא רַבְרְבָא הָדֵין עִלָּאָה. וּזְמִינִין רַשִּׁיעַיָא לְמֶחֱמֵי לֵיהּ לְיֵצֶר הָרָע, דַּקִּיק כְּחוּטָא דְּשַׂעֲרָא, וְיִתְמְהוּן וְיֵימְרוּן. הֵיךְ לָא יָכִילְנָא לְאַכְּפְיָא לְחוּטָא דְשַׂעֲרָא כְּדָא דַּקִּיק. אִלֵּין יִבְכּוּן וְאִלֵּין יִבְכּוּן. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְבַעֵר לֵיהּ מֵעַלְמָא, וְיִכּוֹס לֵיהּ לְעֵינַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עוֹד בְּעַלְמָא, וְיֶחמוּן צַדִּיקַיָא וְיֶחֱדוּן. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ק״מ:י״ד) אַךְ צַדִּיקִים יוֹדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ יֵשְׁבוּ יְשָׁרִים אֶת פָּנֶיךָ.
R. Isaac said: ‘The righteous will one day see the evil prompter in the form of a huge mountain and they will marvel at themselves, saying, How were we ever able to overthrow that mighty mountain? Contrariwise, to the wicked the evil prompter will appear like a thread as thin as a hair, and they will say in astonishment, How was it that we could not master so frail a thread as this? The righteous will weep for joy and the wicked will weep from anguish. And the Holy One will sweep the evil one off the earth, He will slaughter him before their eyes, so that his power will for ever be gone from the world. The righteous will behold and rejoice, as it says: “Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name, the upright shall dwell in thy presence” (Ps. 140, 14).’