Day 3/50: The Manipulations of the Yetzer Hara

הָ֥בָה נִתְחַכְּמָ֖ה ל֑וֹ 

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them

The Jewish people were considered high-class in Mitzrayim from the days of Yosef. How did Pharaoh manipulate them into slavery? Our Sages tell us that Pharaoh began by offering rewards , slowly pulling them into his servitude more and more. 

In the same way, the Yetzer Hara pulls us in by convincing us to give in just once. And then one more time. Unfortunately, these falls lead to bad habits and sometimes even to addiction.

The eitza is to use the Yetzer Hara’s ploy against himself. When the Yetzer Hara tempts you, respond, “Just for now, I don’t want to give in”. Each time you win is in itself a tremendous zechus and makes you stronger , which makes it that much easier for you to win again. As our sages say in regard to this desire: “If one feeds it – it is hungry, if one starves it – it is satiated”.