Sukkah 52a Part 4/4

AI summary (may contain mistakes)

How does the yetzer hara, called the hidden one, grow? The Gemara says it grows greater as its opponent grows, as an elder taught Abaye after Abaye feared he could not have held himself back. We learn that it strengthens daily, is beaten only with Hashem's help, and is broken by Torah. Enticing us and testifying against us is only its side job, and what it really wants is to be knocked down, like a trainer hoping his boxer knocks him out.

Key points

• An elder taught Abaye that whoever is greater than his friend has a greater yetzer.
• The Gemara learns from rak ra kol hayom that the yetzer hara strengthens every day.
• Without Hashem's help, the Gemara says, a person could not overcome the yetzer hara.
• Drawn to the bais medrash, says the Gemara, a stone yetzer melts and an iron one shatters.
• Rabbi Chiya's atbach reads manon as sahada, so the pampered yetzer becomes our witness.

In this shiur

1. 0:00The yetzer hara called the hidden one
2. 0:52Abaye and the traveling pair
3. 4:22Growing stronger every day
4. 6:09Seeking to kill, and Hashem's help
5. 10:18Drawing him to the bais medrash
6. 14:59Enticer here, witness in Olam Haba
7. 17:09The atbach of Rabbi Chiya
8. 25:03The yetzer hara's real job

Topics

• Yetzer Hara
• Talmud Torah
• Atbach