T128 PNC - They Blinded Its Eyes — Yetzer Hara Subdued But Not Destroyed (1 seg)

The Talmud (Yoma 69b) records that in the time of Ezra, the Men of the Great Assembly prayed and were able to subdue the evil inclination for sexual immorality — they 'blinded its eyes and left it.' Yet even with its eyes blinded, the yetzer hara for immorality was not destroyed — it still remains in the world. The teaching here: even when a great spiritual victory is won over the yetzer hara, it is not eliminated but only limited or blinded. The underlying drive remains, changed in its form. This is not a failure but a necessary feature of the world: the yetzer hara must remain for human beings to have free choice and the opportunity to earn genuine spiritual merit. What changes through spiritual work is not the elimination of the drive but the loss of its ability to fully 'see' — its power to entice and seduce is reduced, even if its existence continues. The person must know: the victory over the yetzer hara is real, but ongoing vigilance is still required.