N11-3: The Often Forgotten Formula for Winning Over the Evil Inclination (YETSER HARAH)!

I want to start off today’s post with an interesting question.

Numbers Chapter Ten ended with the following verses:

When the ark moved forward,
Moshe said,“Arise, Adonai!
May your enemies be scattered!
Let those who hate you flee before you!
When it stopped, he said,
“Return, Adonai of the many, many
thousands of Israel!”
-Numbers 10:35-36

And Numbers Chapter 11 begins with the following verses:

“But the people began complaining
about their hardships to Adonai.
When Adonai heard it,
his anger flared up,
so that fire from Adonai broke out
against them and consumed
the outskirts of the camp.”
-Numbers 11:1

Chapter 10 ends with Israel in an ecstatic state of joy and optimism as they begin preparations for their journey to Canaan, the Promised Land. 

And Chapter 11 begins with the children of Israel complaining like a bunch of little brats because mommy didn’t give them ice cream for dessert.

Now here’s my question.

How much time do you think it took for Israel to go from the highest of the highs to the lowest of the lows?

Seriously, how long do you think it took for Israel to undergo this 180 degree radical change in attitude and behavior?

The answer?

A mere three days!!!

Now honestly, isn’t that perfectly reflective of just how weak and fickle we are as human beings?

One day we’re on cloud nine and the next day we’re down in the dumps flat on our faces wondering what in the hell just happened!

Why does this happen and is there anything we can do about it?

First, in some ways we shouldn’t be surprised that we will struggle with keeping our behaviors and attitudes in check.

Remember the Principle of Opposites I discussed way, way back.

Everything and I mean EVERYTHING in our 4-dimensional universe is subject to this principle including the moral laws of God.

Where there’s an up, there’s got to be a down.

If there’s a male, there’s got to be a female.

If there’s white, there’s got to be black.

Even on an atomic level, if there’s a positive neutron (or proton? Man, I can’t remember!), there’s got to be a negative neutron.

And resident within all human beings is a GOOD INCLINATION (YETZER TOV) and an EVIL INCLINATION (YETZER HARAH).

So literally what we’re witnessing here is the Israelites going from fully exercising their good inclination to letting their evil inclinations get hog wild out of control.

Is there a solution to this problem?

Fortunately, there is.

The solution is pretty simple actually.

Walk with HASHEM and obey His Commandments and Instructions and fail less.

Or walk away from HASHEM and His Commandments and Instructions and fail more.

The formula to success is really that simple.

In our studies of Leviticus, we learned just how insidious, complex and multifaceted the nature of sin really is.

Fortunately, God has given us His Word and a perfect example in His Son Yeshua to deal with the evil inclination when it starts rearing its ugly head.