SANCTIFY UNTO ME ALL THE FIRSTBORN. The am haarez (ordinary man) requires redemption from the power of the evil impulse, which is his lord and master, as Jacob averred when he said: “Let my lord (Esau=evil) pass over before his servant” (Gen. 33, 14). In this world the “evil impulse” is indeed the lord, because of the multitude of sins and evils which attack the body of man; as it has been truly said: “The righteous is judged by the good impulse, the sinner by the evil impulse, and the intermediate, he who is between these two extremes, is judged by both”. Thus, he who is of the intermediate sort is a “brother,’ to the good as well as to the evil impulse, as Esau, the evil one, said to Jacob: “My brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself’ (Gen. 33, 9)
When, however, there is a preponderance of meritorious works, the spirit breaks down the two “nightwatches of asses and dogs” and he ascends to the morning watch wherein resides man, and becomes master of his animal nature.
As for the intermediate person, a war is continually being waged between the principalities of justification and of condemnation to gain control of him; and when the side of condemnation sees that it cannot prevail against him, it tries to make him forget all his Torah, by transferring him into one of the seven regions of forgetfulness.
(שמות י״ג:ט״ו) קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם וְגוֹ'. פִּקּוּדָא דָּא לְקַדֵּשׁ בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה, וְעַם הָאָרֶץ צָרִיךְ תְּרֵין מִילִין, חַד דִּיהֵא פָּדוּי מִתְּחוֹת שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהִי אֲדוֹן דִּילֵיהּ, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאָמַר יַעֲקֹב לְעֵשָׂו, (בראשית ל״ג:י״ד) יַעֲבָר נָא אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי עַבְדּוֹ. בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. אֲדוֹן מִצַּד חוֹבִין דִּנְפִישִׁין עַל גּוּפָא, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ, חַיָּיבָא, יֵצֶר הָרָע שׁוֹפְטוֹ. זַכָּאָה, יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב שׁוֹפְטוֹ. בֵּינוֹנִי זֶה וְזֶה שׁוֹפְטוֹ. בֵּינוֹנִי, הַיְינוּ אָח דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע, וְאָח דְּיֵצֶר הַטּוֹב, אָחִי יְהִי לְךָ אֲשֶׁר לָךְ.
SANCTIFY UNTO ME ALL THE FIRSTBORN. The am haarez (ordinary man) requires redemption from the power of the evil impulse, which is his lord and master, as Jacob averred when he said: “Let my lord (Esau=evil) pass over before his servant” (Gen. 33, 14). In this world the “evil impulse” is indeed the lord, because of the multitude of sins and evils which attack the body of man; as it has been truly said: “The righteous is judged by the good impulse, the sinner by the evil impulse, and the intermediate, he who is between these two extremes, is judged by both”. Thus, he who is of the intermediate sort is a “brother,’ to the good as well as to the evil impulse, as Esau, the evil one, said to Jacob: “My brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself’ (Gen. 33, 9)
וְכַד זַכְוָון נְפִישִׁין, רוּחָא תָּבַר תְּרֵין מִשְׁמָרוֹת, דַּחֲמוֹר נוֹעֵר, כְלָבִים צוֹעֲקִים, וְסָלִיק לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת דְּשַׁחַר, דְּבֵיהּ אָדָם וְאִתְהַדָּר בַּר נָשׁ אֲדוֹן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ב:ו׳) וַיְהִי לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר צֹאן וְעֶבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה, וְסָלִיק לְדַרְגָּא דְּאָדָם, דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, (בראשית א׳:כ״ח) וּרְדוּ בִּדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ', (בראשית ט׳:ב׳) וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם וְחִתְּכֶם וְגוֹ'.
When, however, there is a preponderance of meritorious works, the spirit breaks down the two “nightwatches of asses and dogs” and he ascends to the morning watch wherein resides man, and becomes master of his animal nature.
וְכַד זַכְוָון בֵּינוֹנִיִּם, (בראשית ל״ב:כ״ה) וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ, זַכְוָון וְחוֹבִין מִתְחַבְּקָן לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא. מִסִּטְרָא דְּזַכְוָון, (בראשית ל״ב:כ״ו) וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכוֹל לוֹ. מִסִּטְרָא דְּחוֹבִין, וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ בְּגִיד הַנָּשֶׁה. נָשֶׁה: לָשׁוֹן (בראשית מ״א:נ״א) כִּי נַשַּׁנִי אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל עֲמָלִי וְאִיהוּ לְשׁוֹן נְשִׁיָּה. חַד מָדוֹרָא מֵאִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה אַרְעָאן, מַאן דְּנָחִית תַּמָן אִתְנְּשֵׁי מִנֵיהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא.
As for the intermediate person, a war is continually being waged between the principalities of justification and of condemnation to gain control of him; and when the side of condemnation sees that it cannot prevail against him, it tries to make him forget all his Torah, by transferring him into one of the seven regions of forgetfulness.