{"id":14530,"date":"2025-12-04T21:35:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T21:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.torahmates.org\/jewish-resources\/?p=14530"},"modified":"2026-01-01T19:55:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T19:55:27","slug":"two-types-of-yetzer-hara-evil-inclinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.torahmates.org\/jewish-resources\/two-types-of-yetzer-hara-evil-inclinations\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Types Of Yetzer Hara (evil inclinations)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n

I sometimes find myself committing aveirot <\/em>(sins) that serve no real purpose for me, such as gossiping about people. I understand why I desire physical pleasures, but what is driving me to do things I derive no benefit from? And how can I stay away from this kind of behavior? <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Chaim Mintz responds<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hashem (God) created a single force of evil that drives us to sin, through what we call the yetzer hara<\/em>. But even though all evil inclination stems from one source, Rav Yisroel Salanter explains that there are actually two types of yetzer hara<\/em>\u2014a physical one and a spiritual one. The purpose of both is to present us with challenges to overcome, thereby earning reward in Olam Haba<\/em><\/a> (the World to Come).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two Inclinations:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The physical yetzer hara<\/em> refers to forces that are rooted in our physical existence. Its sole drive is the pursuit of physical pleasure. It entices us by focusing our attention on what is immediately gratifying, causing us to overlook the long-term consequences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there is also a spiritual yetzer hara<\/em>, which is an external spiritual force that lures a person to sin. Unlike the physical yetzer hara<\/em>, which entices us through physical pleasure, the spiritual yetzer hara<\/em> tries to get us to sin even when there is no pleasure to be gained at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think Of It Like This<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, Chazal<\/em> describe these two aspects of the yetzer hara<\/em>. The Gemara <\/em>(Arachin<\/em> 15b<\/a>) relates that, in the End of Days, the animals will confront the nachash<\/em> (snake) and ask: \u201cOther animals harm in order to eat their victim, but why do you bite if you gain nothing from it?\u201d To which the nachash<\/em> will respond, \u201cAnd what benefit does a person derive from speaking lashon hara<\/a><\/em> (evil speech)?\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The animals are parallel to our physical yetzer hara<\/em>, causing harm out of a drive to attain pleasure. But the nachash<\/em> represents the spiritual yetzer hara<\/em>, who creates a drive to do evil even when there is no apparent gain, just for the sake of evil. While a person may sometimes speak lashon hara<\/em> thinking it will benefit him, there are times a person feels an irrational urge to speak it, despite gaining nothing. This is the influence of the spiritual yetzer hara<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realize The Difference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you understand the different mechanics of each yetzer hara<\/em>, you will be better equipped to overcome them. In general, it is unwise to fight the evil inclination head-on. Instead, we should seek to appease it so that it will leave us alone, allowing us to serve Hashem undisturbed. However, the method of appeasement must align with the unique nature of each yetzer hara<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When dealing with the drive toward physical pleasure, we can appease it with a measured amount of enjoyment. Instead of withdrawing completely and being overly ascetic, we should eat some good food, get sufficient rest, and engage with the world in a balanced way. By satisfying this drive in permissible ways, the urge loses its intensity and is less likely to drag us toward forbidden behaviors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Push Off Spiritual Sin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since the spiritual yetzer hara<\/em> is a drive in a person toward sin rather than physical pleasure, its form of appeasement must be different. The ba\u2019alei<\/em> mussar<\/em> (masters of virtue) suggest that when a person faces an overwhelming urge to sin, such as wasting time during Torah study or speaking lashon hara<\/em>, a useful strategy is to delay the sin rather than resist outright. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By telling oneself, \u201cI will give in, but in ten minutes,\u201d the spiritual yetzer hara<\/em> is initially appeased because it seems that the sin will eventually happen. As the person continues to delay, the intensity of the temptation weakens, and eventually, it can be overcome entirely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Short:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Besides the physical yetzer hara, the body\u2019s natural drive for physical pleasure, there is also a spiritual yetzer hara, a spiritual force that leads to sin, even without any physical benefit. Fight the spiritual yetzer hara by delaying, and as the intensity of the temptation weakens, you can eventually overcome it entirely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Learn more about the strength you possess with a study partner. Sign up to TorahMates today!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Written by Rabbi Aaron Shapiro<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have another question to ask a rabbi<\/a>? You can ask Rabbi Mintz your own question by joining Ask the Rabbi Live on Tuesdays at 9PM ET. You can also submit your questions to asktherabbi@oorah.org<\/a>, or head to oorah.org\/asktherabbi\/<\/a> to watch the latest Q&As.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz I sometimes find myself committing aveirot (sins) that serve no real purpose for me, such as gossiping about people. I understand why I desire physical pleasures, but what is driving me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14734,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[598,35,761,702,8],"tags":[252],"class_list":["post-14530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ask-the-rabbi","category-guides","category-jewish-faith","category-jewish-philosophy","category-judaism-101","tag-ask-the-rabbi"],"yoast_head":"\nTwo Types Of Yetzer Hara (evil inclinations) - Jewish Resources<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to keep yourself from sinning. 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