RMPS - Int2/Higher - World Religions - Judaism - Education Scotland

SECTION 3
Yetzer Harah and Yetzer Tov
THE CAUSE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION
Judaism believes that everyone has two opposing inclinations, the
inclination to do good – the Yetzer Tov – and the inclination to do
wrong – the Yetzer Harah 1 . However, these inclinations are not bad or
good in themselves but they have the potential to do good or to do evil.
They are our natural urges or impulses, and without them we could not
function.
The Yetzer Tov is our moral conscience. It can be strengthened by
education and by constantly living in a moral way. The more we pay
heed to it, the easier it becomes. Conversely, it can wither away if we do
not learn how we should behave and if all our actions are governed by
self-interest alone. The Yetzer Harah is our instinct for survival, the need
for food, ambition, the wish to succeed, the wish to love, be loved and
procreate. When controlled, these instincts are acceptable, even
laudable; but uncontrolled, they can be evil.
We need food to survive, but if we are greedy and take too much then
that is not good for our physical health or our moral health. We are
taking more than our fair share. Similarly, the wish to succeed is not bad
in itself. Without it, no one would invent things, or create beautiful
objects, or buy a house, or wish to improve their own and other
people’s standard of living. However, if one cheats in order to succeed,
or tells lies in order to get a job ahead of someone else then that is bad.
In both these examples the good inclination has failed to modify or
control the evil inclination and keep it within civilised bounds. In other
words, we need ambition in order to get on in the world – but if that
ambition is unchecked by our Yetzer Tov, our moral conscience, and is
allowed to act regardless of other people, then it becomes evil, which is
why it is called the Yetzer Harah, the evil inclination. Again, without the
desire to make love we would become extinct, so that is legitimate and
not bad in itself. However, if our sexual appetite is unchecked and we
become sexual predators regardless of the feelings of the other party,
then that is bad. The teachings of the Torah are referred to as the
antidote to the Yetzer Harah.
1 sometimes referred to as Yetzer Rah
RMPS: WORLD RELIGIONS – JUDAISM (INT 2, H) 23
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