Overcoming the Evil Inclination

במדרש הן אדוני רגיל הקב"ה לבחור מאוהבי בית אבא לעולה כו'.

In the Midrash: “Behold, my master — the Holy One, blessed be He, is accustomed to choose from the beloved ones of my father’s house for an offering.”

The Sefat Emet explains that this teaches the path by which a person overcomes the evil inclination: by learning steadiness through the readiness of every Jew to give his life for God, like one who is bound as an offering. From such a stance, worldly temptations lose their power.

פי' שהוא ללמוד דרך איך לגבור על היצה"ר להתיישב כאשר כל איש ישראל מוכן למסור נפשו על הבורא ית' להיות נעקד לעולה לשמו ית'.

It means learning the way to conquer the evil inclination and find inner stability, since every Jew is prepared to give his soul for the Creator and be bound as an offering for His Name.

This potential for self-sacrifice reveals an inner strength that steadies a person against spiritual wavering.

וממילא אין מקום להתפתות ע"י הבלי עולם.

Therefore, there is no room to be enticed by the vanities of the world.

Once higher devotion awakens, lower desires naturally fall away.

והן היא אחת כמ"ש במד' הן בלשון יוני אחת.

And “hen” means “one,” as the Midrash says, in the Greek language.

The word signals singularity of purpose — total alignment with God.

הן אדוני שיוסף הצדיק הי' מיוחד כולו רק לעבודת הבורא ית'.

“Behold, my master” — Joseph the righteous was entirely dedicated to the service of the Creator.

Joseph represents the model of complete loyalty to divine service.

וכן כל איש מישראל כפי זריזות שלו להיות משכים בכל יום לעבודת השי"ת אין כח להיצה"ר לשלוט עליו.

And so too for every Jew: according to his zeal in rising early each day to serve God, the evil inclination has no power to rule over him.

Daily eagerness to serve God weakens the grip of destructive impulses.

כמ"ש ויהי כדברה אל יוסף יום יום.

As it is written: “And it was, as she spoke to Joseph day after day.”

The constancy of challenge is met with constancy of spiritual readiness.

וכ' במ"א כמו שיצרו של אדם מתגבר עליו בכל יום ה"ה.

And as written elsewhere: just as a person’s inclination overpowers him daily, so it is here.

The Sefat Emet links Joseph’s ordeal with the everyday struggle of every human being.

וכ"ש שיש לאדם להשכים להורגו.

All the more so should a person rise early to “kill” it.

Spiritual initiative must precede spiritual challenge.

וכמו כן יש התעוררת היצ"ט ומן השמים בכל יום.

And likewise, there is an awakening of the good inclination from Heaven every day.

God renews inner inspiration daily, not only trials.

כדכתיב אנכי מצוך היום בכל יום יהיו בעיניך כחדשים.

As it is written: “I command you today” — each day they should be in your eyes as new.

The Torah’s freshness is meant to be experiential, not only conceptual.

ומי שאינו בר דעת אינו מבין איך יהיו כחדשים.

One who lacks understanding does not grasp how they can be as new.

Without insight, spiritual renewal seems impossible.

אבל יש לו ללמוד ק"ו מתאוות היצה"ר אשר מתחדשים לו בכל עת.

But he must learn a fortiori from the desires of the evil inclination, which renew themselves constantly.

If negative cravings can renew themselves, how much more so holy desires.

והם הבלים ורגילין בהם ואעפ"כ המה מתחדשים.

And though they are vanities and familiar, they nevertheless renew themselves.

This highlights the natural human capacity for continual emotional renewal.

מכש"כ המקבל עליו עול תורה נמצא בו התעוררות מתשוקה חדשה בכל יום למצות השי"ת אשר הם מתחדשים ממש בכל יום ויום.

How much more so for one who accepts the yoke of Torah — within him is found new yearning each day for God’s commandments, which truly renew themselves daily.

When one embraces Torah, he taps into a divine rhythm of constant spiritual rebirth.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that both the evil inclination and the good inclination experience daily renewal. By awakening early and committing oneself to divine service, a person aligns with the Torah’s ever‑fresh vitality, overpowering lower impulses through continual spiritual renewal.