The Devisings of the Human Heart are Evil from Youth
by tillerofthesoil
“Rabbi Ammi son of Abba also said: What is the meaning of, There is a little town… (Ecclesiastes 9:14)? A little town—the body; and few people within it (ibid.)—the limbs; and a great king came against it and went round it (ibid.)—the יֵצֶר הָרָע (yetser ha-ra), evil impulse; and built against it great siegeworks (ibid.)—for sin; But he found within it a poor wise man (ibid.)—the יֵצֶר טוֹב (yetser tov), good impulse; and that person saved the town through his wisdom (ibid.)—to repentance and good deeds; but no one recalled that poor man (ibid.), for when the evil impulse gains dominion, none remember the good impulse. Wisdom is stronger for the wise than ten rulers who are in the town (ibid., 7:19). Wisdom is stronger for the wise—repentance and good deeds; than ten rulers—two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, membrum and mouth” (BT Nedarim 32b).
“Antoninus inquired of Rabbi [Yehudah ha-Nasi], ‘From what time does the evil impulse hold sway over man; from the formation or from issuing forth?!—‘From the formation,’ he replied. ‘If so,’ he objected, ‘it would rebel in its mother’s womb and go forth. But it is from when it issues.’ Rabbi said: This thing Antoninus taught me, and Scripture supports him, for it is said, at the tent flap sin crouches (Genesis 4:7)” (BT Sanhedrin 91b, cf. BT Niddah 30b-31a).
“Rabbi Naḥman son of Rabbi Ḥisda expounded: What is meant by, Then YHWH God יִּיצֶר (yiytser), fashioned, the human (Genesis 2:7)—written with two י (yods), to show that God created two impulses, one good and the other evil. Rabbi Naḥman son of Yitsḥak demurred. According to this, he said, animals, of which it is not written יִּיצֶר (yiytser), fashioned [with two י (yods), see Genesis 2:19: and YHWH God יִּצֶר (yitser), fashioned, from the soil each beast of the field…], should have no evil impulse, yet we see that they injure and bite and kick? In truth it is as stated by Rabbi Shim’on son of Pazzi; for Rabbi Shim’on son of Pazzi said: Woe is me because of יוֹצֵרִי (Yotseri), my Maker, woe is me because of יִצֶרִי (yitseri), my urge! Or again as explained by Rabbi Yirmiyahu son of El’azar; for Rabbi Yirmiyahu son of El’azar said: God created דוּ פַּרְצוּפִין (du partsufin), two faces, in the first man, as it says, From behind and in front You shaped me (Psalms 139:5)…
Rav said: The evil impulse resembles a fly and dwells between the two openings of the heart [cf. BT Sukkah 52b], as it says, A dead fly makes the perfumer’s oil chalice stink (Ecclesiastes 10:1). Shemu’el said: It is like a kind of חִטָה (ḥittah), wheat, as it says, At the tent flap חַטָּאת (ḥattat), sin, crouches (Genesis 4:7). Our Rabbis taught: Man has two kidneys, one of which prompts him to good, the other to evil; and it is natural to suppose that the good one is on his right side and the bad one on his left, as it is written, A wise man’s mind [lit., heart] is at his right, and the fool’s mind at his left (Ecclesiastes 10:2)” (BT Berakhot 61a).
“Here is a mystery. In all actions performed by the blessed Holy One, He begins with the external, and then the kernel within… The Other Side always precedes: growing, developing, protecting the fruit. Once it has grown, it is cast aside; What the wicked will prepare, the righteous will wear (Job 27:17)—that קְלִפָּה (qelipah), shell, is thrown away and the Righteous One of the world is blessed” (Zohar 2:108b).
“Rabbi Ḥiyya opened, ‘Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but YHWH delivers him from them all (Psalms 34:20). Come and see how intensely a person is attacked, from the day that the blessed Holy One endows him with a soul to exist in this world! For as soon as a human emerges into the atmosphere the evil impulse lies ready to conspire with him, as has been said; for it is written: At the tent flap sin crouches (Genesis 4:7)—right then the evil impulse partners with him.
Come and see that it is so! For animals all protect themselves from the day they are born fleeing from fire and all menacing sites; yet a human being is ready at once to fling himself into the fire, because the evil impulse dwells within him, instantly luring him into evil ways.
We have established what is written: Better a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to heed warning (Ecclesiastes 4:13). Better a child—the good impulse, who is a child, just recently with a person, accompanying him only from the age of thirteen, as had been said [see Avot de-Rabbi Natan B, 16; Qohelet Rabbah on 4:13; Midrash Tehillim 9:5; Zohar 1:78a-b (ST), 110b (MhN)].
Than a king—the evil impulse, who is called king, ruling over humanity in the world. Old and foolish, for he is surely old, as already established, since as soon as a person is born, emerging into the atmosphere, he accompanies that person. So he is an old and foolish king [on the link between foolishness and sin, see Numbers 12:11; BT Sotah 3a].
Who no longer knows how לְהִזָּהֵר (le-hizzaher), to heed warning. It is not written לְהַזְהִיר (le-hazhir), to give warning, but rather le-hizzaher, to heed warning—because he is a fool, of whom Solomon said The fool walks in darkness (ibid. 2:14), for he issues from dregs of darkness, deprived of light forever [but he who does not know how to take care of others is not yet considered foolish (Sullam)]…’
Than an old king—the evil impulse, as has been said, for since the first day he existed, he has never escaped defilement. And he is foolish—all his ways evil, leading humans astray, not knowing how to heed warning. He sidles up to people with ploys, luring them from the good way to the evil.
Come and see: This is why he hastens to be with a person from the day he is born, so that he will trust him. For look, when the good impulse arrives, the person cannot believe him—and considers him a burden! Similarly we have learned: Who is cunningly wicked? One who pleads his case in front of the judge before the other party arrives, as is said: The first to plead his case seems right… (Proverbs 18:17, cf. BT Sotah 21b). Similarly this cunning wicked one, as is said: The serpent was cunning (Genesis 3:1)—he arrives first, dwelling with a person before his counterpart comes to rest upon him. Since he appears first, pleading his case with him, when his counterpart—the good impulse—arrives, the person finds him obnoxious and cannot raise his head [cf. Zohar 2:199a: The good impulse, who guides all… said to him, ‘What are you doing sound asleep?’… Repent of your sins!], as if he loaded on his shoulders all the burdens of the world, because of that cunning wicked one who reached him first. Concerning this, Solomon said, The poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded (Ecclesiastes 9:16), because the other anticipated him.
So whoever accepts a person’s words before his counterpart arrives, acts as if he accepts belief in another, false god [see BT Shabbat 105b]. Rather, till the other comes and examines him (Proverbs, ibid.). This is the way of the righteous, for a righteous person does not believe that cunningly wicked evil impulse before his counterpart, the good impulse, arrives. Because of this, people stumble in the world to come.
However, one who is righteous, in awe of his Lord, endures many afflictions in this world so as not to trust and consort with that evil impulse, and the blessed Holy One delivers him from them all, as is written: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but YHWH delivers him from them all. It is not written Many are רָעוֹת לַצַּדִּיק (ra’ot la-tsaddiq), the afflictions for the righteous, but rather צַדִּיק (tsaddiq), [of] the righteous, because the blessed Holy One אִתְרְעֵי (itre’ei), delights, in that human being and delivers him from everything in this world and in the world that is coming [because the afflictions he suffers alienate him from the evil impulse (Sullam)]. Happy is his share!” (Zohar 1:179a-b, cf. Bahir §163-4).
For He knows יִצְרֵנוּ (yitsrenu), our devisings, recalls that we are dust (Psalms 103:14).
“In the time to come the blessed Holy One will bring the evil impulse and slay it in the presence of the righteous and the wicked. To the righteous it will have the appearance of a towering hill, and to the wicked it will have the appearance of a thread of hair. Both the former and the latter will weep; the righteous will weep saying, ‘How were we able to overcome such a towering hill!’ The wicked also will weep saying, ‘How is it that we were unable to conquer this thread of hair!’ And the blessed Holy One will also marvel together with them, as it is said, Thus says YHWH of Hosts, If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, would it also be marvelous in My eyes? (Zechariah 8:6) [cf. Zohar 1:190b].
Rabbi Assi said, ‘The evil impulse is at first like the thread of a spider, but ultimately becomes like cart ropes, as it is said, Woe unto them that draw guilt with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope (Isaiah 5:18).’
Rabbi Avira or, as some say, Rabbi Yehoshua son of Levi, made the following exposition: The evil impulse has seven names. The blessed Holy One called it Evil, as it is said, For the יֵצֶר (yetser), devisings, of the human heart are evil from youth (Genesis 8:21). Moses called it the Uncircumcised, as it is said, Circumcise the foreskin of your heart (Deuteronomy 10:16). David called it Impure, as it is said, A pure heart create for me God (Psalms 51:12) which implies that there is an impure one. Solomon called it the Foe, as it is said, If your foe is hungry, feed him bread, and if he thirsts, give him water, for you would heap live coals on his head, and YHWH will pay you back (Proverbs 25:21); read not, יְשַׁלֶּם-לָךְ (yeshalem-lakh), will pay you back, but יַשׁלִימֶנוּ-לָךְ (yashlimenu-lakh), will cause it to be at peace with you. Isaiah called it the Stumbling-block, as it is said, Heap it up, heap it up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of My people (Isaiah 57:14). Ezekiel called it Stone, as it is said, And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). Joel called it צְּפוֹנִי (Tsefoni), Hidden One, as it is said, But I will remove far off from you אֶת-הַצְּפוֹנִי (et-ha-tsefoni), the northern one (Joel 2:20) [cf. Jeremiah 1:14: Out of צָּפוֹן (tsafon), the north, an evil shall break forth].
Our Rabbis taught: But I will remove far off from you the northern one—the evil impulse which is constantly צָפוּן (tsafon), hidden, in the heart of man…
The school of Rabbi Yishma’el taught, If this repulsive wretch meets you, drag him to the House of Study. If he is of stone, he will dissolve, if of iron he will shatter [cf. BT Qiddushin 30a]. ‘If he is of stone he will dissolve’—for it is written, Ho, everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters (Isaiah 55:1) and it is written, Water wears away stones (Job 14:19). ‘If he is of iron, he will shatter’—for it is written, Is not My word like a fire? says YHWH; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29).
Rabbi Shemu’el son of Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: the evil impulse seduces you in this world and bears witness against you in the world that is coming, as it is said, Who pampers his slave from youth, in the end there will be מָנוֹן (manon) [alt., מָנוֹד (manod), dismay] (Proverbs 29:21), for according to the [method of letter permutation] א״ט ב״ה (at bah) Rabbi Ḥiyya [teaches] סָהֵדַה (sahadah), witness, is called מָנוֹן (manon). Rav Ḥuna pointed out an incongruity: It is written, For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to err (Hosea 4:12), but is it not also written, [for the spirit of harlotry] is in the midst of them (ibid., 5:4)? First it only causes them to err, but ultimately it enters into them. Rabba observed, ‘First the evil impulse is a wayfarer in the street, then he is called guest, and finally he is called man [of the house], for it is said, And a wayfarer came to the richman, and it seemed a pity to him to take from his own sheep and cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him, and he took the poor man’s ewe and prepared it for the man who had come to him [… doomed is the man who has done this! And the poor man’s ewe he shall pay back fourfold, in as much as he has done this thing, and because he had no pity!] (2 Samuel 12:4-6)” (BT Sukkah 52b).
“Rabbi Yeisa said, ‘At the moment he departs from the world, every inhabitant of the world sees Adam to bear witness that due to his own sins he is departing, not because of Adam—except for those three who departed due to the incitement of the primordial serpent, namely, Amram, Levi, and Benjamin; some say: also Jesse. They never sinned; no trace of a sin could be found upon them to warrant their death, but that incitement of the serpent was brought to bear upon them, as we have said” (Zohar 1:57b, cf. BT Shabbat 55b).
“Resh Lakish said: No man commits an offence unless a רוּחַ שְׁטוּת (ruaḥ shetut), spirit of folly, enters into him; as it is said: Any man whose wife may תִשְׂטֶה (tisteh), stray (Numbers 5:12)—[read שְׁטוּת (shetut), folly, instead of:] תִשְׂטֶה (tisteh), stray” (BT Sotah 3a).
A virtuous woman is a crown for her husband (Proverbs 12:4).
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a youth (Proverbs 22:15). קְשׁוּרָה (Qeshurah), bound up, and תוֹרָה (torah), law, instruction, are each numerically equivalent (Ba’al ha-Turim to Genesis 44:30).
“Whoever is greater than another has a greater יֵצֶר (yetser), impulse, drive” (BT Sukkah 52a).
“Rabbi Shemu’el son of Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: the evil impulse seduces you in this world and bears witness against you in the world that is coming” (BT Sukkah 52a).
“[The sages said,] ‘Let us pray that the Tempter of Sin [i.e., the evil impulse, may be delivered into our hands].’ So they prayed and it was delivered into their hands. They imprisoned it for three days; after that they sought a new laid egg for an invalid in the whole of Palestine and could not find one. Then they said, ‘What shall we do? Shall we pray that his power be but partially destroyed? Heaven will not grant it.’ So they blinded it with rouge. This was so far effective that one does not lust for his forbidden relations” (BT Sanhedrin 64a).
“The evil impulse will not be abolished until King Messiah arrives” (Zohar 2:236a).
“Rabbi Shim’on son of El’azar says: An iron bar in a forge—as long as it is in the flame you may mold it into any implement you like; so with the evil impulse—the only way to mold it is through the words of Torah, which are like fire” (BT Sukkah 52b).
“If this repulsive one attacks you drag him to the house of study. If he is of stone, he will dissolve; if he is of iron, he will shatter” (BT Sukkah 52b, cf. BT Qiddushin 30a).
“Our Rabbis taught: וְשַׂמְתֶּם (ve-samtem), And you shall set (Deuteronomy 11:18)—סַם תָם (sam tam), a complete remedy. This may be compared to a man who struck his son a strong blow, and then put a plaster on his wound, saying to him, ‘My son! As long as this plaster is on your wound you can eat and drink at will, and bathe in hot or cold water, without fear. But if you remove it, it will break out into sores.’ Even so did the blessed Holy One speak to Israel: ‘My children! I created the evil impulse but I [also] created Torah, as its antidote [lit., ‘spice’]; if you occupy yourselves with Torah, you will not be delivered into his hand, for it is said: For whether you offer well, or whether you do not (Genesis 4:7). But if you do not occupy yourselves with Torah, you will be delivered into his hand, for it is written, at the tent flap sin crouches (ibid.). Moreover, he is altogether preoccupied with you [to make you sin], for it is said, and for you is its longing (ibid.). Yet if you will, you can rule over him, for it is said, but you will rule over it” (BT Qiddushin 30b).
וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר (Ve-rav ya’avod tsa’ir), The elder the younger’s slave (Genesis 25:23).
“Richard Elliot Friedman has made the interesting suggestion that the Hebrew oracle here has the ambiguity of its Delphic counterpart: The Hebrew syntax leaves unclear which noun is subject and which is object—’the elder shall serve the younger,’ or, ‘the elder, the younger shall serve'” (Robert Alter).
“רַב (Rav), elder, is the subject. בֵּן יְכַבֵּד אָב (Ben yakhabed av), son honors father (Malachi 1:6), is similar [in that the definite particle אֵת (et) is absent]” (Ibn Ezra).
Look, in transgression was I conceived, and in offense my mother spawned me (Psalms 51:7).
“יֶחֱמַתְנִי (Yeḥematni), I was conceived—an expression of heat, as in: And יֵּחַמְנָה (yeḥamnah), went into heat, when they came to drink (Genesis 30:38)” (Rashi, cf. BT Niddah 31b).
“Rabbi Aha taught: David said before the blessed Holy One: Master of the Universe! Did my father Jesse have the intention of bringing me into the world? Did he not intend only to satisfy himself? The proof for this is that after they accomplish their desire he turns his face in one direction and she turns her face in the opposite direction, and You cause every single drop to enter, and this is what David meant when he said, Though my father and mother forsook me, YHWH would gather me in (Psalms 27:10)” (Vayikra Rabbah 14:5, cf. BT Avodah Zara 5a).
“The ministering angels asked the blessed Holy One: ‘Master of the Universe! Why did You impose the penalty of death upon Adam?’ He said to them, I gave him an easy command, yet he violated it.’ ‘But Moses and Aaron fulfilled the whole Torah—yet they died.’ As all have a single fate, the righteous and the wicked, the good [and the bad…] (Ecclesiastes 9:2), He replied—He maintains as the following Tanna. For it was taught: Rabbi Shim’on son of El’azar said: Moses and Aaron too died through their sin, for it is said, Inasmuch as you did not trust Me (Numbers 20:12): hence, had you trusted Me, your time had not yet come to depart from the world [on the view that they died sinless, this deduction is made: Inasmuch as you did not trust Me… the punishment therefore was that they would not lead, not that they should die, which would have been disproportionate to their fault (Maharsha)].
An objection is raised: Four died through the incitement of the serpent, namely: Benjamin the son of Jacob, Amram the father of Moses, Jesse the father of David, and Chileab the son of David. Now, all are known by tradition, save Jesse the father of David, in whose case the Writ gives an explicit intimation. For it is written, And Absalom had placed Amasa instead of Joab over the army, and Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Israelite, who had come to bed with Abigail daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother (2 Samuel 17:25). Now, was she the daughter of Nahash? Surely she was the daughter of Jesse, for it is written, whose sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail (1 Chronicles 2:16)? Hence it must mean, the daughter of one who died through the ploys of the נָּחָשׁ (naḥash), serpent. Who is [the author of this]? Shall we say, the Tanna [who taught] about the ministering angels?—Surely there were Moses and Aaron too! Hence it must surely be Rabbi Shim’on son of El’azar, which proves that there is death without sin and suffering without guilt. Thus the refutation of Rabbi Ammi is [indeed] a refutation” (BT Shabbat 55b).
“It has been taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: Man enters the world with clenched hands saying, ‘The whole world is mine; I shall inherit it!’ But when man leaves the world his hands are open, saying, ‘I have not taken anything from [this] world’” (Qohelet Rabbah 5:14).
“Said Resh Lakish: Come let us render gratitude to our forebears [who worshipped the golden calf], for had they not sinned, we should not have come to the world, as it is said: I had thought: you were gods, and the sons of the Most High were you all. Yet indeed like humans you shall die, and like one of the princes, fall (Psalms 82:6-7). Are we to understand that if the Israelites had not committed that sin they would not have propagated? Had it not been said, As for you, be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 9:7)—that refers to those who lived up to the times of Sinai. But of those at Sinai, too, it is said, Go, say to them, ‘Return you to your tents’ (Deuteronomy 5:27) which means to the joy of family life [which had been interrupted for three days, see Exodus 19:15: Ready yourselves for three days. Do not go near a woman]? And is it not also said, so that it would go well with them and with their sons forever (Deuteronomy 5:26)?—it means to those of their sons who stood at Sinai. But did not Resh Lakish [himself] say. What is the meaning of the verse This is the book of the lineage of Adam (Genesis 5:1)? Did Adam have a book? What it implies is that the blessed Holy One showed to Adam every generation with its expositors, every generation with its sages, every generation with its leaders; when he reached the generation of Rabbi Akiva he rejoiced at his teaching, but was grieved about his death [since he died a martyr during the persecution of Hadrian], and said, How weighty are Your thoughts, O God (Psalms 139:17). Also, what of the teaching of Rabbi Yose: The Son of David will only come when all the souls destined for bodies will be exhausted, as it is said, For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry: for the spirit should fail before Me, and the souls which I have made (Isaiah 57:16, see BT Yevamot 62b)—do not take Resh Lakish’s saying to mean that [if our ancestor had not sinned] we should not have come to the world, but that [they would have become immortal and] we should have been [disregarded] as if we had never come to the world. Does that mean then that if they had not sinned, they would have been immune from death? But there are written [in the Torah] the chapter about the widow of a man dying without issue, and the chapter about inheritances [which takes the incidence of death for granted]!—these were written conditionally. But are conditional passages written [in the Torah]?—certainly; for Rabbi Shim’on son of Lakish said: What is the meaning of, And it was evening and it was morning, the sixth day (Genesis 1:31) (BT Yevamot 3a)? It teaches us that the blessed Holy One made a condition with all creation, saying, ‘If Israel will accept the Torah all will be well, but if not, I will return the world to תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ (tohu va-vohu), welter and waste (Genesis 1:2)’” (BT Avodah Zarah 5a).
“The blessed Holy One has a quality whose name is Evil. It is to the north of the blessed Holy One, as it is written: Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land (Jeremiah 1:14)—any evil that comes to all inhabitants of earth comes from the north.
What is this one quality? It is the likeness of a hand. It has many messengers [i.e., fingers], and the name of them all is Evil. Some of them are big and some are small, but they all bring guilt to the world. This is because תֹהוּ (tohu), welter, is toward the north. תֹהוּ (Tohu) is nothing other than Evil. It תָּהָא (taha), confounds, the world and causes people to sin. Every evil impulse that exists in man comes from there. And why is it placed to the left [שְׂמֹאל (semol), left, alludes to סַמָאֵל (Samael)]? This is because it does not have any authority nor any place in the world except in the north. It is not accustomed to be anywhere except in the north. It does not want to be any place but in the north. If it remained in the south until it learned the routes of the south, how could it lead others astray? It would have to stay there days until it learned, and then it could not cause people to sin. It therefore is always in the north, to the left. This is the meaning of For the יֵצֶר (yetser), devisings, of the human heart are evil from youth (Genesis 8:21). It is evil from his youth, and it does not incline other than to the left, for it is already accustomed to being there. It is regarding this that the blessed Holy One said to Israel If you really heed the voice of YHWH your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and hearken to His commands (Exodus 15:26)—not to the commands of the evil impulse. And keep all His statutes (ibid.)—not the statutes of the evil impulse [all the sickness that I put upon Egypt I will not put upon you,] for I am YHWH your healer.
What does the evil impulse gain? What is this like? A king appointed clerks over the provinces of his kingdom, over his work and over his merchandise. Each and every thing had its clerk. There was one clerk in charge of the storehouse containing good food. Another was in charge of the storehouse containing stones. Everyone came to the storehouse containing good food. The clerk in charge of the storehouse of stones came and saw that people were only buying from the other. What did he do? He sent his messengers to tear down the weak house [so that people would need stones to rebuild them]. They could not do so, however, to the strong ones. He said, ‘In the time that it takes to tear down one of the strong, you can tear down ten of the weak. People will then all come and buy stones from me, and I will not be inferior to the other.’ Therefore it is written, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land (Jeremiah 1:14). It then continues, For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, says YHWH; and they shall come, and they shall set everyone his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 1:15). Evil will be their trade, and the evil impulse will also constantly strive. שָׂטָן (Satan) is ‘to turn aside,’ since he turns all the world aside to the scale of liability. How do we know? It is written, וַיֵּט (va-yet), and he turned aside, to her (Genesis 38:16), and the Targum renders this וּסְטָא (u-seta). It is likewise written שְׂטֵה (seteh), turn away, from it and pass on (Proverbs 4:15)” (Bahir §162-64).
הַתְפִלִין (Ha-tefillin), the phylacteries, overturn the יֵצֶר הָרָע (yetser ha-ra), evil impulse, since both are numerically equivalent (Rabbi Avraham Abulafia, Ḥayyei ha-Nefesh, cf. Rabbi Natan ben Sa’adia Har’ar, Sha’arei ha-Tsedeq).
YHWH God fashioned the אָדָם (adam), human, humus from the אֲדָמָה (adamah), soil (Genesis 2:7).
What gain is there for אָדָם (adam), man, in all his toil that he toils under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:3).
A human being, like soil, is raw potential. Accordingly, man’s actions, good or bad, are called fruit:
Say you to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds (Isaiah 3:10).
And they ate from the fruit of their way, and from their own counsels they were sated (Proverbs 1:31).
It is not so, however, with an animal: בְּהֵמָה (behemah), beast—בָּה מַה (bah mah), what is in it? An animal has no meaningful potential for growth:
“Rabba said: ‘A bull one day old is [already] called ‘bull,’ as it is written: When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born (Leviticus 22:27)” (BT Bava Qamma 65b).
(adapted from a sermon of Rabbi Yehudah Loew of Prague [Maharal], Shavuot, 5352 [1592 C.E.]).
“It has been reported, If one has learnt Scripture and Mishnah but did not attend upon disciples of the sages, Rabbi El’azar says he is an עַם הָאָרֶץ (am ha-arets), ignoramus [lit., people of the land]. Rabbi Shemu’el son of Naḥmani says he is a בּוּר (boor), boor; Rabbi Yannai says he is a Samaritan [and thus his bread and wine must not be used]; Rabbi Aha son of Ya’aqov says he is a magician. Rabbi Naḥman son of Yitsḥaq said: The definition of Rabbi Aha son of Ya’aqov appears the most probable; because there is a popular saying: The magician mumbles and knows not what he says; the tanna recites and knows not what he says.
Our Rabbis taught: Who is an ignoramus? Whoever does not recite the Shema morning and evening with its accompanying blessings; such is the statement of Rabbi Meir. The Sages say: Whoever does not put on tefillin. Ben Azzai says: Whoever does have tsitsit upon his garment. Rabbi Yonatan son of Yosef says: Whoever has sons and does not rear them to study Torah. Others say: Even if he learnt Scripture and Mishnah but did not attend upon disciples of the sages, he is an ignoramus. If he learnt Scripture but not Mishnah, he is a boor; if he learnt neither Scripture nor Mishnah, concerning him it says, [Behold, the days come, says YHWH, that] I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast (Jeremiah 31:27)” (BT Sotah 22a).
“[Hillel said:] A boor cannot fear sin, nor can an ignoramus be חָסִיד (ḥasid), devout” (M Avot 2:6).
“Man may be compared to twelve constellations. In the beginning, at birth, he is like a טָלֶה (Taleh), Lamb [Aries]—soft. He then becomes like a שׁוֹר (Shor), Bull [Taurus]—strong. He grows to become תְּאוֹמִים (Te’omim), Twins [Gemini]—his impulse appears [תְּאוֹמִים (Te’omim), Twins, alludes to תָמִים (tamim), whole, and the twin human impulses of evil and good]. At first it is weak like a סַרְטָן (Sartan), Crab [Cancer], but as it develops it prevails like a אַרְיֵה (Aryeh), Lion [Leo] [cf. BT Sukkah 52b]. If he sins he is [curious and seduced] like a בְּתוּלָה (Betulah), Virgin [Virgo]. If he adds sin to sin, he is weighed in the מֹאזְנַיִם (Moznayim), Scales [Libra]. If he continues in his rebellion they cast him into darkness and Hell like a עַקְרָב (Aqrav), Scorpion [Scorpio], is cast into dust, under brambles. If he repents he is shot into the open as one shoots an arrow from a קַשָּׁת (Qashat), Bow [Sagittarius]… Thereupon he becomes soft and clean like a גְּדִי (Gedi), Kid [Capricorn], and is pure as on the hour he was born. Pure water is poured over him from a דְּלִי (Deli), Pitcher, [Aquarius], and he proliferates like דָּגִים (Dagim), Fish [Pisces], that delight in the water. He dips in rivers of balsam, in milk, oil, and honey, and eats from the Tree of Life forever, and remains planted next to the righteous. He sits at the table of each and every righteous one and he lives forever [this account reflects the twenty-eight, or twenty-nine, year cycle known as ‘Saturn Returns’]” (Tanḥuma, Ha’azinu 1).