The term ‘yetzer’ means ‘inclination.’ Since the Garden of Eden, human beings have two ‘internalized’ inclinations: the Yetzer Tov, the Good Inclination, and Yetzer HaRa, the Evil Inclination.
There’s plenty of great information on the internet, on kosher web sites, that explain and discuss both inclinations. The movie provides several examples of how ‘tricky’ the yetzer hara can be.
As one of the main characters warns in an early scene:
“When the evil urge provokes one to anger, at that moment, good wants to descend from above. The evil urge wants to ruin that. Thus one should always guard himself against anger. Not to ruin the good that heaven wants to bestow. Oh man you have to keep your eyes wide open. We’re all being constantly tested.”
OK. We can probably deal with this concept. However, in the movie, it goes even deeper. When is a person most likely to not be concerned with the yetzer hara? How about when you’ve just received a blessing or figured out something important? It’s all good then, right? Nothing to worry about, right?
Don’t be so sure!
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