How the Yetzer Hara Grows: A Powerful Teaching from the Ohr HaChaim

"Then you shall speak and say before the Lord your God: 'An Aramean sought to destroy my father, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a great, mighty, and numerous nation.'" (Deuteronomy 26:5)

The Or HaChaim HaKadosh finds within this verse a profound description of the tactics of the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, and the way its influence can gradually grow within a person.

At first, the yetzer hara enters like a ger, a temporary guest. Just as someone may come into a home intending to stay only briefly before continuing on his way, the evil inclination initially appears small and relatively insignificant. At this stage, the temptation is still limited, and a person has a much greater ability to resist it.

The Or HaChaim connects this idea to a verse in Samuel II and to the teaching of the Talmud in Sukkah 52b. The Sages describe the progression of the evil inclination using three different terms: first it is called a passerby, then a guest, and finally a man. What begins as something temporary can gradually become a permanent and powerful presence.

The Or HaChaim writes: "The words 'and he sojourned there' indicate that at first it enters as a stranger, as it says, 'And a traveler came...'"

How a Small Temptation Becomes Powerful

The verse continues, "few in number." The Or HaChaim interprets this phrase as referring to the initially limited strength of the evil inclination. At first, its influence is relatively weak.

But something changes over time. When a person repeatedly gives in to temptation and allows it greater space in his life, he himself helps strengthen the yetzer hara. What began as a small influence gradually becomes more powerful.

The Or HaChaim therefore interprets the continuation of the verse, "and there he became a great and mighty nation," as an allusion to the growing power of the evil inclination.

He writes: "'Few in number' means with few powers. Afterward, its powers multiply through the person himself, and this is the meaning of 'and there he became a great and mighty nation.'"

This is a sobering insight. The yetzer hara does not necessarily arrive as an overwhelming force. Often, it begins with something that seems harmless or easy to control. But each time a person surrenders to it, the habit can become stronger and the struggle more difficult.

"Forgive My Sin, for It Is Great"

The Or HaChaim then cites an interpretation from the Arizal regarding King David's words in Psalms: "For the sake of Your Name, O Lord, forgive my sin, for it is great" (Psalms 25:11).

The Arizal explains that the words "for it is great" can be understood as referring not only to the sin but also to the power of the one who entices a person to sin, the yetzer hara.

In other words, a person asks God for forgiveness while acknowledging the enormous force of the temptation he was struggling against.

The Or HaChaim writes: "And 'numerous' alludes to the verse, 'Forgive my sin, for it is great.' The Arizal explained that this refers to the tempter, for he is great."

Recognizing the power of the yetzer hara does not remove personal responsibility. Rather, it helps us understand the seriousness of the spiritual struggle and why we need Divine assistance in overcoming it.

The Lesson of Yom Kippur

The Or HaChaim concludes by pointing to the Yom Kippur service as further evidence of the tremendous power of evil within a person. The Torah commands that two goats be selected, with one lot designated "for the Lord" and the other "for Azazel."

The Or HaChaim connects this service with the removal of the forces of evil from the Jewish people. The Kohen Gadol, acting on behalf of the nation, performs the sacred Yom Kippur service through which sin and spiritual impurity are removed.

He writes: "The proof is that God commanded on Yom Kippur: one lot for the Lord and one lot for Azazel."

The elaborate nature of this process reflects the strength that the yetzer hara can acquire within a person's life. The message of the Or HaChaim is therefore both a warning and a source of guidance.

The evil inclination often does not begin with something dramatic. It arrives quietly, like a temporary visitor. A small compromise may seem insignificant. One surrender to temptation may appear harmless. But when repeated, those choices can give the yetzer hara increasing strength until the "guest" begins to behave like the owner of the house.

The best time to confront it is therefore at the beginning.

Recognize temptation while it is still small. Resist unhealthy patterns before they become deeply rooted habits. And when the yetzer hara has already gained strength, remember that the path of holiness and teshuvah always offers the possibility of fighting back and beginning again.