Parshat Ki Teitzei: The enemy is NOT invincible!

It’s the month of Elul. Time for serious reflection and change. time to check that we are on the right spiritual path.

The trouble is, Hashem has given us a Yetzer Harah, an evil inclination, to try and throw us off track. And clearly the Yetzer Harah is an absolute master of his craft. Battling him can be demoralising!

Luckily,  Rabbi Yechezkel Abramsky OBM has an amazing observation from the parshah that will hopefully give us the power boost we need to deal with this threat.

The verse (Deuteronomy 21: 11) tells us that a soldier is PERMITTED to have relations with an attractive female prisoner of war. The Talmud (Kiddushin 21b) explains that the permit applies even if the woman is married.

This is an action that would normally be considered one of the three cardinal sins, which one must avoid doing even at risk of getting killed!

As an analogy, the Talmud states that even though it is considered repulsive to eat the meat of a dangerously ill animal, if he has to do so he should at least slaughter it in a manner permissible by Jewish Law. Similarly, a soldier could find the temptation of a female captive to be too strong for him. Therefore the Torah allowed him to follow his desires in this case (with certain restrictions), so that he shouldn’t come to disregard the Torah by caving in to sin.

Rabbi Abramsky expounds: If there is any proof of Hashem’s kindness and desire to see us succeed, this is it. Clearly, every obstacle that G-D puts in our path can be scaled.

The following email arrived in my inbox some time ago from, of all people, the Yetzer Harah himself (well, it could have been from him!)!

To my star pupil, I am writing this letter to let you know what I think of you. Up here in heaven things are not like they are down on Earth. Over there, people only know what they can see. If they see a person is “successful”, they think that he is the greatest guy. When they see somebody struggling, they think he might be one of the weaker elements.  

Let me tell you something. Hashem gives every person certain abilities that nobody knows about down where you live. Some people are capable of tremendous things, while others were put there for much smaller purposes. Only Hashem in His infinite wisdom is able to give every person exactly what he needs, to reach his potential.   

I am very misunderstood. Most people hate me, and I don’t really blame them. Most people think that my job is to make sure that they fail in all aspects of Mitzvos (good deeds), and that I rejoice every time they sin. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Did you ever watch a boxing coach train his student? It is really a funny sight. The coach will put on gloves, and fight against his student. At first, he won’t hit him so hard, or throw his best punches. But, as the student gets better and better, the coach will start to fight him harder and harder. He does this so that the student will improve his skills, and become the best boxer he can be. 

This is where it gets strange. Every time the coach knocks down the student, the student gets yelled at!! But finally, when the coach threw everything he has at his student, and not only does he withstand the beating, but he knocks the coach down, there is nobody in the world happier than the coach himself! This is exactly how I feel. If you fail right away, and don’t even try to fight back, I see that there is not much talent to work with, and so I take it easy on you. But if you get back up swinging, I realize that I may have a real winner here, and so I start to intensify the beating. With every level that you go up, I increase the intensity of the fight. If you finally deal me a blow that knocks me out, I will get up and embrace you and rejoice with your success.

Sometimes my job is very disappointing I see a person with a lot of potential and I start right in on him. He fights back for a while, but when the fight gets too tough, he quits and just remains on whatever level he was on. (And he usually ends up going down!) I feel like yelling at him, “Get up you fool! Do you have any idea how much more you could be accomplishing?!” But I am not allowed to do so. I just leave him alone, and go try to find another promising candidate.   If I have chosen you to be the target of my more fierce battles, it was not for no reason! You have tremendous ability! You were born into a very special family, you have Rabbeim (mentors) who really care about you, and parents who would help you grow in Torah and Mitzvos. You are a very respectful and kind person.   

I am writing to you now, because I have a very serious request to ask of you. Please don’t step fighting! Don’t give up! I have been beating too many people lately, and I am losing patience, Believe in yourself, because I would not be involved with you as much as I am if I didn’t think you could beat me. Know what your strengths are! A great Rabbi once said: “Woe is to he who doesn’t know his weaknesses. But, ‘Oy Vavoy’ (double woe) to him who doesn’t know his strengths – for he will not have anything with which to fight.”  

Always remember one thing: you have a secret weapon at your disposal. I shouldn’t really be telling you – but I will anyway. Hashem himself is watching our “training” sessions very closely. I’m pleased to inform you that He’s rooting for you! If things should ever get tough, almost too tough to bear, just call out to Him with a prayer, and He will immediately come to your aid. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope that after 120 years when your time is up in that world of falsehood, you will come up here to the world of truth, where I will be waiting for you with open arms, to congratulate you on your victory, and personally escort you to your place next to the Throne of Glory..

Sincerely, and with great admiration I remain,

Your Yetzer Hara

(Adapted from Sefer Lekach Tov.)

(Letter: http://www.divreichizuk.com)