In this chapter, the Chovos HaLevavos introduces us to the ultimate battle of our lives: the war against the yetzer hara. The author warns us that this archenemy is not an outside force, but is deeply interwoven within our very neshama, spirit, and physical senses, constantly plotting our downfall while pretending to be a trusted friend. He explains that the yetzer hara's primary weapon is to sow doubt in our emunah and confuse our minds with false arguments.
We are urged to recognize that this internal struggle is the 'great war,' far more critical than any physical battle. The author shares a famous mashal of a pious man who reminded returning soldiers that conquering a physical enemy is only the 'small war,' whereas conquering the yetzer hara is the true, lifelong struggle that requires constant vigilance.
וְרָאִיתִי לְבָאֵר לְךָ מִן הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה דִּמְיוֹנִים, יוֹרוּ עַל מָה שֶׁלֹּא זָכַרְתִּי מֵהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּזָּהֲרוּ מֵהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם וְיִהְיֶה לְבָבָם שָׁלֵם לֵאלֹהִים; כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הֶחָכָם (משלי א): "יִשְׁמַע חָכָם וְיוֹסֶף לֶקַח" וְגוֹ׳.
I have seen fit to clarify for you regarding this subject some examples which will teach you about the things I have not explicitly mentioned, so that people will be on guard against them and their hearts will be complete with Hashem, as the wise man said: "Let the wise man hear and increase understanding."
וְהוּא שֶׁאֹמַר: בֶּן אָדָם, רָאוּי לְךָ לָדַעַת כִּי הַשּׂוֹנֵא הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ בָּעוֹלָם הוּא יִצְרְךָ, הַנִּמְסָךְ בְּכֹחוֹת נַפְשְׁךָ, וְהַמְּעֹרָב בְּמֶזֶג רוּחֲךָ, וְהַמִּשְׁתַּתֵּף עִמְּךָ בְּהַנְהָגַת חוּשֶׁיךָ הַגּוּפָנִיִּים וְהָרוּחָנִיִּים, הַמוֹשֵׁל בְּסוֹדוֹת (ס״א במדות) נַפְשְׁךָ וּצְפוּן חֻבְּךָ, בַּעַל עֲצָתְךָ בְּכָל תְּנוּעוֹתֶיךָ הַנִּרְאוֹת וְהַנִּסְתָּרוֹת שֶׁתִּהְיֶינָה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ, הָאוֹרֵב לְפַתּוֹת פְּסִיעוֹתֶיךָ (ס״א לעיתות פשיעתך); וְאַתָּה יָשֵׁן לוֹ וְהוּא עֵר לְךָ, וְאַתָּה מִתְעַלֵּם מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא אֵינוֹ מִתְעַלֵּם מִמְּךָ.
And this is what I say: O son of man, you must know that the greatest enemy you have in this world is your own yetzer hara, which is interwoven into the very powers of your soul, mixed into the makeup of your spirit, and partners with you in directing your physical and spiritual senses; he rules over the secrets of your soul and the hidden chambers of your chest, acting as your advisor in all your movements, both visible and hidden, that you wish to make, lying in wait to trip up your steps; and you are asleep to him while he is awake to you, and you ignore him while he never ignores you.
NoteThe author is describing how the yetzer hara is not an external enemy, but rather operates from within our own thoughts, feelings, and physical drives, making him incredibly dangerous.
לָבַשׁ לְךָ בִּגְדֵי הַיְּדִידוּת, וְעָדָה עֲדִי הָאַהֲבָה לְךָ, וְנִכְנַס בִּכְלַל נֶאֱמָנֶיךָ וְאַנְשֵׁי עֲצָתְךָ וּסְגֻלַּת אֹהֲבֶיךָ; רָץ אֶל רְצוֹנְךָ בַּנִּרְאֶה מֵרְמִיזוֹתָיו וּקְרִיצוֹתָיו, וְהוּא מוֹרֶה אוֹתְךָ בְּחִצָּיו הַמְּמִיתִים לְשָׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים, כמ"ש הַכָּתוּב בְּמִי שֶׁעִנְיָנוֹ כָּךְ (שם כו): "כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים חִצִּים וָמָוֶת, כֵּן אִישׁ רִמָּה אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְאָמַר הֲלֹא מְשַׂחֵק אָנִי".
He has clothed himself in the garments of friendship for you, adorned himself with the jewelry of love for you, and entered the inner circle of your trusted ones, your advisors, and your dearest friends; outwardly, from his hints and gestures, he seems to run to do your will, yet he is actually shooting you with his deadly arrows to uproot you from the land of the living, as the verse says of one whose way is like this: "Like a madman who shoots firebrands, arrows, and death, so is a man who deceives his friend and says, 'Am I not only joking?'"
וּמִן הֶחָזָק שֶׁבִּשְׁלוּחָיו אֲשֶׁר יוֹרֶה אוֹתְךָ וְיִלָּחֵם אוֹתְךָ בָּהֶם בְּמַצְפּוּן עִנְיָנְךָ, שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּדֵּל לְסַפֵּק עָלֶיךָ אֲמִתָּתְךָ, וּלְשַׁבֵּשׁ מָה שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵר לְךָ, וּלְעַרְבֵּב אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ בְּמַחְשְׁבוֹת כְּזָבִים וְטַעֲנוֹת שְׁקָרִים; יַטְרִיד אוֹתְךָ בָּהֶם מִתּוֹעֲלוֹתֶיךָ, וִיסַפֵּק עָלֶיךָ מָה שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵר לְךָ מֵאֱמוּנָתְךָ וְדָתְךָ.
And among the strongest of his weapons that he shoots at you and fights you with in the privacy of your inner self, is that he strives to cast doubt on your truths, to distort what is clear to you, and to confuse your soul with false thoughts and deceptive arguments; with these, he distracts you from what is for your benefit, and makes you doubt what has been made clear to you of your emunah and your Torah.
וְאִם תִּהְיֶה נִזְהָר מִמֶּנּוּ, וְתַזְמִין לוֹ שְׁלוּחֵי שִׂכְלְךָ לְהִלָּחֵם אוֹתוֹ בָּהֶם, וּתְסַלֵּק חִצָּיו מֵעָלֶיךָ, תִּנָּצֵל וְתִמָּלֵט מִמֶּנּוּ בעזה״י.
But if you are on guard against him, and you prepare the weapons of your intellect to fight him with, and deflect his arrows away from you, you will be saved and escape from him with the help of Hashem.
וְאִם תַּשְׁלִיךְ עִנְיָנֶיךָ אֵלָיו וְתִמָּשֵׁךְ אַחַר רְצוֹנוֹ, לֹא יִרֶף מִמְּךָ עַד שֶׁיְּאַבֶּדְךָ בִּשְׁנֵי הָעוֹלָמִים, וִישָׁרֶשְׁךָ מִשְּׁנֵי הַמְּעוֹנִים, כמ"ש בְּסָעִיף מִסְּעִיפָיו וְאִישׁ אֶחָד מֵחֲיָלָיו (שם ז): "כִּי רַבִּים חֲלָלִים הִפִּילָה וַעֲצֻמִים כָּל הֲרֻגֶיהָ, דַּרְכֵי שְׁאוֹל בֵּיתָהּ" וְגוֹ׳.
But if you surrender your affairs to him and are drawn after his will, he will not let go of you until he destroys you in both worlds, and uproots you from both dwellings, as is written concerning one of his branches and a soldier of his legions: "For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain; her house is the way to the grave..."
עַל כֵּן, אַל תַּטְרִידְךָ מִלְחֶמֶת זוּלָתוֹ מִמִּלְחַמְתּוֹ, וּקְרָב בִּלְתִּי קְרָבוֹ, וְהַחֶרֶב עִם מִי שֶׁהוּא רָחוֹק מִמְּךָ מִן הַחֶרֶב עִם מִי שֶׁלֹּא יִפָּרֵד מִמְּךָ, וּדְחוֹת מִי שֶׁלֹּא יַגִּיעַ אֵלֶיךָ כִּי אִם בִּרְשׁוּת מִדְּחוֹת מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹאֵל רְשׁוּת בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ עִמְּךָ.
Therefore, let no other war distract you from his war, nor any other battle from his battle; do not let the sword against a distant enemy distract you from the sword against the enemy who never leaves your side, and do not let repelling an enemy who can only reach you with Hashem's permission prevent you from repelling the enemy who needs no permission to enter, since he is already inside you.
וְאָמְרוּ עַל חָסִיד שֶׁפָּגַע אֲנָשִׁים שָׁבִים מִמִּלְחֶמֶת אוֹיְבִים וְשָׁלְלוּ שָׁלָל אַחַר מִלְחָמָה חֲזָקָה, אָמַר לָהֶם: "שַׁבְתֶּם מִן הַמִּלְחָמָה הַקְּטַנָּה שׁוֹלְלִים שָׁלָל, הִתְעַתְּדוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה הַגְּדוֹלָה!".
And they tell of a certain chasid who met people returning from a war against physical enemies, carrying spoils after a fierce battle, and he said to them: "You have returned from the minor war carrying spoils; now prepare yourselves for the major war!"
אָמְרוּ לוֹ: "וּמָה הִיא הַמִּלְחָמָה הַגְּדוֹלָה?" אָמַר לָהֶם: "מִלְחֶמֶת הַיֵּצֶר וַחֲיָלָיו".
They asked him: "And what is the major war?" He answered them: "The war against the yetzer hara and his legions."
וּמִן הַתֵּמַהּ, אָחִי, כִּי כָל אוֹיֵב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְךָ, כְּשֶׁתְּנַצַּח אוֹתוֹ פַּעַם וּשְׁתַּיִם, יִרֶף מִמְּךָ וְלֹא יַעֲלֶה עַל לִבּוֹ לְהִלָּחֵם בְּךָ, לְדַעְתּוֹ יִתְרוֹן כֹּחֲךָ עַל כֹּחוֹ, וְהוּא מִתְיָאֵשׁ מִנִּצּוּחַ אוֹתְךָ וּמִגְּבֹר עָלֶיךָ.
And it is a wonder, my brother, that with any other enemy you have, once you defeat him once or twice, he will back off from you and it will not enter his mind to wage war against you again, because he recognizes that your strength is greater than his, and he despairs of ever defeating you or overpowering you.
אֲבָל הַיֵּצֶר, אֵין מַסְפִּיק לוֹ מִמְּךָ נִצּוּחַ פַּעַם וּמֵאָה פְּעָמִים, בֵּין שֶׁנִּצַּח אוֹתְךָ בֵּין שֶׁנִּצַּחְתּוֹ; כִּי אִם יְנַצַּח אוֹתְךָ יְמִיתְךָ, וְאִם תְּנַצְּחֵהוּ פַּעַם אַחַת יֶאֱרֹב לְךָ כָּל יָמֶיךָ לְנַצֵּחַ אוֹתְךָ, כְּמוֹ שארז״ל: "אַל תַּאֲמֵן בְּעַצְמְךָ עַד יוֹם מוֹתְךָ".
But the yetzer hara is not satisfied with you defeating him once or even a hundred times, whether he defeated you or you defeated him; for if he defeats you, he will destroy you, and if you defeat him once, he will lie in wait for you all your days to defeat you, just as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death."
וְאֵינוֹ מֵקֵל בַּקְּטַנָּה שֶׁבִּקְטַנּוֹת עִנְיָנְךָ לְנַצֵּחַ אוֹתְךָ בָּהּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לוֹ מַדְרֵגָה לְנַצֵּחַ אוֹתְךָ בְּמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה.
And he does not consider even the smallest of your minor affairs too insignificant to defeat you in, so that it may serve as a stepping stone for him to defeat you in something greater.
וְעַל כֵּן, רָאוּי לְךָ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נִזְהָר מִמֶּנּוּ, וְאַל תְּמַלֵּא מִמִּשְׁאֲלוֹתָיו בְּךָ מְאוּמָה; רַק יִגְדַּל בְּעֵינֶיךָ הַמְּעַט שֶׁבַּמְּעָט מִנִּצּוּחוֹ וְהַמִּצְעָר מֵהִתְגַּבְּרוּתוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לְךָ מַדְרֵגָה אֶל מָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ.
Therefore, it is proper for you to be on guard against him, and do not fulfill any of his requests at all; rather, let even the smallest victory over him, or the slightest increase of your power over him, be great in your eyes, so that it may serve as a stepping stone for you to rise to what is even higher.
כִּי בִּמְהֵרָה תִּהְיֶה תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ אֵלֶיךָ, וְלֹא יַעֲמֹד לְפָנֶיךָ בְּעָמְדְּךָ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, כמ"ש (בראשית ד׳:ז׳): "וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל בּוֹ".
For his desire will quickly turn toward you, but he will not be able to stand before you when you stand firm against him, as it is written: "And to you is his desire, but you shall rule over him."
עַל כֵּן, אַל יַבְהִילְךָ דְּבָרוֹ וְאִם עָצְמוּ חֲיָלָיו, וְאַל יַפְחִידְךָ עִנְיָנוֹ וְאִם רַבּוּ עוֹזְרָיו; כִּי עִקַּר כַּוָּנָתוֹ לְאַמֵּת הַש''ֶקֶר, וּמְגַמַּת חֶפְצוֹ לְהַעֲמִיד הַכָּזָב, וְכַמָּה הִיא קְרוֹבָה מַפַּלְתּוֹ וְאִבּוּדוֹ מַהֵר אִם תַּרְגִּישׁ לְחֻלְשָׁתוֹ.
Therefore, do not let his words panic you even if his legions are mighty, and do not let his presence frighten you even if his helpers are many; for his main intention is only to make falsehood appear true, and his goal is to establish lies, and how close is his downfall and how swift is his destruction if you only realize his weakness.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁסִּפֵּר עָלָיו הֶחָכָם בְּאָמְרוֹ (קהלת ט׳:י״ד-ט״ו): "עִיר קְטַנָּה וַאֲנָשִׁים בָּהּ מְעָט, וּבָא אֵלֶיהָ מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְסָבַב אֹתָהּ וּבָנָה עָלֶיהָ מְצוֹדִים גְּדֹלִים. וּמָצָא בָהּ אִישׁ מִסְכֵּן חָכָם".
And as the wise man described him, saying: "There was a small city with few men in it, and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great siege-works against it. And there was found in it a poor wise man."
סִפֵּר עַל הָאָדָם בְּעִיר קְטַנָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא הָעוֹלָם הַקָּטָן, וְסִפֵּר עַל כְּלֵי גּוּפוֹ וּמִדּוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ בַּאֲנָשִׁים מְעַט, וּמָעֲטוּ אֶצְלוֹ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ גֹּדֶל לֵב הָאָדָם וְאֹרֶךְ מַאֲוַיָּיו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְחֶסְרוֹן כֹּחוֹ וְהַשָּׂגָתוֹ אוֹתָם.
He referred to man as a "small city" because man is called a miniature world, and he referred to the limbs of his body and the traits of his soul as "few men," which are few in comparison to the vastness of man's heart and his endless desires in this world, and his lack of strength and ability to attain them.
וְסִפֵּר עַל הַיֵּצֶר בַּשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל לְרוֹב חֲיָלוֹתָיו וַאֲנָשָׁיו וְצִבְאוֹתָיו, וְאָמַר "וְסָבַב אוֹתָהּ" מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַקִּיף כָּל עִנְיְנֵי הָאָדָם בְּנִרְאֵהוּ וְנִסְתָּרוֹ.
And he referred to the yetzer hara as the "great king" because of his many legions, men, and armies, and he said "and besieged it" because he encompasses all of man's affairs, both open and hidden.
וְאָמַר "וּבָנָה עָלֶיהָ מְצוֹדִים גְּדֹלִים" לְרֹב הִרְהוּרָיו הָרָעִים וּמַחְשְׁבוֹתָיו הָרָעוֹת וּמִקְרָיו הַמְגֻנִּים שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּדֵּל לְהָמִית אֶת הָאָדָם בָּהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ עֲתִידִין לְבָאֵר בעז״ה בַּשַּׁעַר הַזֶּה.
And he said "and built great siege-works against it" to refer to his many evil promptings, bad thoughts, and disgraceful situations with which he strives to destroy the man, as we will explain later in this gate with the help of Hashem.
וּמָה שֶׁאָמַר "וּמָצָא בָהּ אִישׁ מִסְכֵּן חָכָם" ר"ל עַל הַשֵּׂכֶל.
And when he said "and there was found in it a poor wise man," he was referring to the intellect.
וּמָה שֶׁסִּפֵּר עָלָיו בְּמִסְכֵּן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֲנָשָׁיו וְעוֹזְרָיו מְעַטִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר עָלָיו "וְאָדָם לֹא זָכַר" וְאָמַר "וְחָכְמַת הַמִּסְכֵּן בְּזוּיָה".
And he described him as "poor" because his supporters and helpers are few, as the verse says of him: "and no man remembered..." and "the wisdom of the poor man is despised."
וְעִם חֻלְשָׁתוֹ, כְּבָר סִפֵּר מְהִירַת תְּשׁוּקַת הַיֵּצֶר אֵלָיו בְּהִלָּחֲמוֹ בּוֹ, וְשֶׁהַזָּקָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מֵעַל הָאָדָם בִּנְקַלָּה; כִּי הַמְּעַט מִן הָאֱמֶת יְנַצַּח הַרְבֵּה מִן הַשֶּׁקֶר, כַּאֲשֶׁר הַמְּעַט מִן הָאוֹר דּוֹחֶה הַרְבֵּה מִן הַחֹשֶׁךְ.
Yet despite his weakness, the verse already tells of the yetzer's eager desire to wage war against him, and how easily his power to harm is removed from the man; for a little bit of truth will defeat a great deal of falsehood, just as a little bit of light dispels a great deal of darkness.
וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה הֶעָרָה עַל מִלְחֲמוֹת הַתַּאֲווֹת, וְלַעֲמֹד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ הַיֵּצֶר בְּהִשְׁתַּדְּלוּת וַחֲרִיצוּת; כִּי כְּבָר נִתְבָּרְרָה חֻלְשָׁתוֹ מֵעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, וּמְהִירוּת הִנָּגְפוֹ לְפָנָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי יד): "שַׁחוּ רָעִים לִפְנֵי טוֹבִים".
And in this there is an awakening to wage war against physical desires, and to stand against the yetzer hara with diligence and zeal; for his weakness in standing before the intellect has already been made clear, as well as how quickly he is defeated before it, as the verse says: "The evil bow down before the good."
וּתְחִלַּת מָה שֶׁיְּסַפֵּק אוֹתְךָ בּוֹ הַיֵּצֶר, וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְבָרֵר אוֹתוֹ אֶצְלְךָ, הוּא שֶׁנַּפְשְׁךָ אֵין לָהּ קִיּוּם מִבִּלְתִּי הַגּוּף, וְשֶׁהִיא נִפְסֶדֶת בְּהֶפְסֵד גּוּפְךָ, וְשֶׁאֵין לָהּ מְצִיאוּת אַחַר הַמָּוֶת, בְּדִמְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁאֵינָם מִתְקַיְּמוֹת כְּשֶׁיִּתְבּוֹנֵן בָּהֶם הָאָדָם; כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה סִבָּה לְבַקָּשַׁת הַהֲנָאוֹת הַכָּלוֹת וְהַתַּאֲווֹת הָאוֹבְדוֹת, וְשֶׁתֹּאמַר כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב עַל אַנְשֵׁי הַדַּעַת הַזֹּאת (ישעיהו כ״ב:י״ג): "אָכוֹל וְשָׁתוֹ כִּי מָחָר נָמוּת".
And the very first thing the yetzer hara will try to make you doubt, and will strive to prove to you, is that your soul has no existence without the body, that it perishes when your body perishes, and that it has no existence after death—using imaginary arguments that do not hold up when a person actually contemplates them; he does this so that it will lead you to pursue fleeting pleasures and lost desires, and so that you will say, as the verse says of those who hold this view: "Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
וְאִם תִּתְיַעֵץ עִם שִׂכְלְךָ בָּזֶה, יַרְחִיק מִמְּךָ הַדַּעַת הַזֹּאת בִּרְאָיוֹת [בְּרוּרוֹת] אֲשֶׁר זָכְרוּ אוֹתָן הַקַּדְמוֹנִים, וּבְדִבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים עֲלֵיהֶם הַשָּׁלוֹם.
But if you consult with your intellect on this, it will distance this view from you with clear proofs mentioned by the early sages, and with the words of the Nevi'im, peace be upon them.
The chapter outlines the relentless nature of the yetzer hara, who is never satisfied with a single victory and will lie in wait until a person's final day, as the Sages warned, 'do not believe in yourself until the day of your death.' To help us understand this constant threat, the author explains the passuk in Koheles of the 'small city' besieged by a 'great king,' where the city represents man, the king is the yetzer hara with his many deceptive tactics, and the 'poor wise man' who can defeat him is the intellect. We are exhorted never to give in to even the smallest request of the yetzer hara, but rather to stand firm with our intellect and trust that with Hashem's help, the enemy's downfall is swift once his weakness is exposed.
My dear brother, we often exhaust ourselves fighting external battles—worrying about what others think, managing our public image, or stressing over worldly matters. But the Chovos HaLevavos is teaching us a profound truth: the ultimate battlefield is not out there. It is inside your own heart. The yetzer hara is not a distant enemy; he is an intimate insider who knows your every weakness, masquerading as your best friend and advisor while quietly trying to plant doubts in your emunah and drag you down.
Do not be fooled when you win a single battle and think the war is over. The Sages warn us, "Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death." The yetzer hara never retires, and he is willing to start with the tiniest, seemingly insignificant compromise just to get a foot in the door. Yet, you must never despair. The wisest of men compared the intellect to a "poor wise man" who can defeat a great king. Just as a tiny amount of physical light automatically dispels a vast amount of darkness, a small, resolute stand for the truth of Hashem's Torah will completely shatter the falsehoods of the yetzer hara.
Today, when you feel the urge to make a "small" compromise in your avodah—whether it is delaying a tefillah by a few minutes, speaking a minor piece of lashon hara, or letting a tiny doubt linger in your mind—stop and recognize the enemy's hand. Treat that small spiritual skirmish as the ultimate battle for your neshamah, stand firm, and watch how quickly his power vanishes.
Identify one small, recurring excuse the yetzer hara gives you to slacken in your mitzvos today, and consciously reject it, remembering that even a tiny victory of truth completely dispels his darkness.