753. Concerning the Evil Inclination

It is written in the books that the evil inclination itself is satisfied when it is defeated. There is an allegory in The Zohar about a king’s son, etc.

We should interpret that it is known that the evil inclination is called “will to receive,” and on that will to receive there was a Tzimtzum [restriction], meaning it does not receive anything because it is not given. But when a person defeats the evil inclination, meaning works in order to bestow, he receives all the delight and pleasure. It follows that the evil inclination itself is happy that he did not yield to it.

This is the meaning of “Anyone who chases honor, honor flees from him.” In other words, if he runs from reception of pleasure, the pleasure chases him and he receives the pleasure in full. But if he chases the pleasure, the pleasure runs from him because of the Tzimtzum that was on the quality of reception. This is why it was said about the righteous, “Their reward is twofold,” whereas the wicked, “Their misfortune is twofold.”

This is why it was said about the wicked, “Their days are short and rife with anger,” for even when they obtain a state of day, it promptly leaves them. Hence, they are angry about that. Conversely, the righteous are rewarded with long days, meaning that the illumination with which they have been rewarded does not depart from them.