Common wisdom is that the fight with the yetzer harah occurs for the common people. The wicked are wicked because the yetzer harah has won while the righteous are righteous because they have conquered the yetzer harah.
In fact this is not necessarily so. The yetzer harah gets stronger if it is regularly conquered because a balance of forces is needed in order to have free-will.
While the point of free-will varies widely amongst people [Michtav M'Eliyahu] - the basic principle of free-will requires a stronger and smarter yetzer harah. This idea is expressed by the statement in Sukkah (52a) - the greater the person the greater is his yetzer. cont.
Sukkah(52a) R. Judah expounded: In the time to come9 the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring the Evil Inclination 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 hair thread. 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 hair thread!’ And the Holy One, blessed be He, will also marvel together with them, as it is said, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, it shall10 also be marvellous in My eyes.
While the point of free-will varies widely amongst people [Michtav M'Eliyahu] - the basic principle of free-will requires a stronger and smarter yetzer harah. This idea is expressed by the statement in Sukkah (52a) - the greater the person the greater is his yetzer. cont.
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