Telling a story to develop the Yetzer Tov

Telling a story to develop the Yetzer Tov

Introduction

We have spoken of how Shabbos – a day of menucha – is a day where we have to be actively in a state of menucha. That means we cannot be passive on Shabbos, we have to actually do something. Shabbos has to become a place where I want to be – where I am touched by a reality, and enter a different world, very much like enjoying a piece of music, or a piece of art. 

However, many people might feel that such an approach to Avodas Hashem depends on what sort of person you are. Some people are more inclined to be enthralled by music or art whereas others are of a more reserved disposition. 

Proof that not only those who are sensitive can connect to this avoda

However, that is not really accurate. Here is an example that might be considered a little harsh, but will show that this sort of avoda is actually relevant to everyone. 

Let’s ask ourselves an embarrassing question, how long can you ponder an aveira which you want to do – and be excited by the idea? Something which you might have seen and want to do?  The shameful answer is…. a long time. That means that all of us have the ability to experience excitement from something which is similar to a picture or music – in the world of the Yetzer Hora. Certainly shocking – but true. So why should we think we cannot have similar emotions in the world of the Yetzer Hatov. Why should we not get emotionally involved when we look at Kiddush or Musaf on Shabbos? 

Being aware of the problem opens a door to the world of avoda – because we can no longer say that we are “not that kind of person”. That excuse does not work – we are all that kind of person. However, it seems that it depends on whether one is experiencing the world of the Yetzer Hora or the Yetzer Hatov.

Avodas Hashem as a tayva

There is a fascinating Ramban [1] on the words in Kriyas Shma – בכל לבבך. He says that chazal learned that the word לבבך is talking of the world of tayva. He brings the Gemoro [2] that בכל לבבך means that our avodas Hashem has to be בשני יצריך – the yetzer Hatov and the Yetzer Hora, that means that avodas Hashem has to be with tayva. Contrary to what we might have thought, the Yetzer Hatov is not our sechel, the yetzer Hatov is a sort of tayva. We might have thought that our Yetzer Hatov tells us what we are obligated to do, whereas the Yetzer Hora tells us what we enjoy. The Ramban explains that with the Yetzer Hatov I can also experience enjoyment, not only obligations. However, like a muscle that has not been used for a long period of time it becomes weakened and eventually muscle atrophy sets in. So too our Yetzer Hatov has become weakened from lack of use. Our Yetzer Hatov needs physiotherapy. 

It is a serious problem in our generation that people approach Yiddishkeit as fulfilling a list of obligations. One feels that he is obligated to keep Shabbos and obligated to put on Tfillin etc. But when it comes to doing what the Yetzer Hora wants, suddenly we see things differently. No one follows his Yetzer Hora because he feels obligated to do so. He follows his Yetzer Hora because he wants to – because he enjoys it. He has an affinity with that aveira. The Ramban is telling us is that the Yetzer Hatov can also work in the same way. One can also develop a tayva for mitzvos with our Yetzer Hatov. Certainly we are obligated to do mitzvos, but what we have to develop, is the ability to enjoy mitzvos.

Reb Yisroel – the Yetzer Hatov is connected to sechel the Yetzer Hora to ones dimyon

But to call the Yetzer Hatov a tayva presents us with a problem – for it would appear to contradict the words of Reb Yisroel. In Igeres Hamussar he writes [3] that the Yetzer Hatov is nourished by the sechel whereas the Yetzer Hora is nourished by the imagination – dimyon. 

(In fact, when I learned with the Mashgiach he commented that in Reb Yisroel’s day in order to have a Yetzer Hora you needed imagination – nowadays you do not need imagination at all, because the moment a person thinks of doing an aveira – he simply does it. The Mashgiach was basically pointing out, that our generation is on a very low madreiga, and people satisfy their desires without even thinking). 

But perhaps by connecting the perceptions of the Ramban and Reb Yisroel of reality we might understand more deeply our present situation, even though this is probably different from what Reb Yisroel was actually saying.   

A story of avodas Hashem

The Ramban teaches us that the Yetzer Hatov behaves like the Yetzer Hora in that they are both experienced as a tayva. Reb Yisroel teaches us that the Yetzer Hora is nourished by the imagination. If the Yetzer Hora and the Yetzer Hatov are so similar – then it’s possible that the Yetzer Hatov might also grow by using our imagination – by telling ourselves a story. 

When we have a Yetzer Hora for something we tell ourselves a story – we imagine an entire process where we realise our greatest desires. It might well be a short story because the Yetzer Hora is so strong, it is a “muscle” that we are so used to using, that we really do not need to do very much in order to experience it. 

Telling a “story” does not mean tales – like the tales of Reb Nachman. Rather we are talking about describing to oneself how we experience a particular mitzvah/aveira, doing our best to imagine how we enjoy it. Can we imagine ourselves experiencing Shabbos – can we imagine the kind of emotions we want to feel when we say kiddush? You do not need to say a new pshat in the mitzvah – rather you need to put into words what it is that you want to experience.   

When it comes to the Yetzer Hora we are used to telling concise stories which often convince us to do something. The Yetzer Hora has been “working out” for so long – that a short story is all it takes.  For example, if you are about to eat something unhealthy – you just have to imagine how happy and satisfied you will be, or how you need to eat because you are feeling depressed, and that will push you to start eating. You are taken in immediately.  

However, with the Yetzer Hatov one needs to tell a longer story, because the Yetzer Hatov is underdeveloped. It needs some real exercise. We need to tell a much longer story. It’s like what we once spoke of, that Kiddush is a time when we give testimony. We have to sit and think about what we are about to experience – really imagine it and give it colour. With time and more experience, one will need a shorter story, because the Yetzer Hatov will be stronger then before.  

That is what we need to do – we need to make that aspect of the Yetzer Hatov which is a tayva much stronger. We need to see mitzvos not as obligations – we need to see mitzvos as a vibrant and exciting part of our lives.   

[1] “בכל לבבך – על דעת המדרש (ספרי ואתחנן ו) הלב הנזכר כאן הוא הכח המתאוה, כענין תאות לבו נתת לו (תהלים כ”א ג) אל תחמוד קטנה בלבבך (משלי ו כ”ה). 

[2] ע’ ברכות נ”ד. “בכל לבבך בשני יצריך ביצר טוב וביצר הרע”.

[3] אגרת המוסר: “פגעי התבל מצערים המה למכביר מול ענשי העבירות תגעל נפש האדם למדי יום לשנה יחשב אוי לדמיון אויב הרע הלזה! מידינו הוא בכחנו להרחיקו בתתנו אזן קשבת אל השכל להשכיל על דבר אמת לחשוב שכר עבירה נגד הפסדה ומה נעשה הדמיון נחל שותף והשכל יטבע אם לא נוליכנו באניה היא רגשת הנפש וסערת הרוח”

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Written by Rabbi Mordechai Mays