T130 PNC - Greater Person Greater Inclination — Humility Shields From Licentiousness (1 seg)

The Talmud (Sukkah 52a) teaches: 'If someone is greater than his fellow, his evil inclination is greater than him.' The greater a person becomes spiritually, the larger and more powerful the yetzer hara that confronts him. This is not a punishment but the natural consequence of having more spiritual substance — there is more for the yetzer hara to fight against and more territory it wants to reclaim. Yet through humility, a person is saved from licentiousness and merits the preservation of the covenant (shmirat habrit) — as our Sages teach (Sotah 4b). One who is truly humble is not seen as a significant target by the forces of impurity. Humility is thus a shield: the arrogant person presents a large ego-target that the yetzer hara can assail, while the humble person — who considers himself as nothing — has reduced the surface area of his ego and thereby reduced his vulnerability.