א"ר לוי בר חמא אמר ר"ש בן לקיש לעולם ירגיז אדם יצר טוב על יצר הרע שנא' (תהלים ד, ה) רגזו ואל תחטאו. אם נצחו מוטב ואם לאו יעסוק בתורה שנאמר אמרו בלבבכם אם נצחו מוטב ואם לאו יקרא קריאת שמע שנאמר על משכבכם אם נצחו מוטב ואם לאו יזכור לו יום המיתה שנאמר ודומו סלה.
R. Levi b. Hamma said in the name of R. Simeon b. Lakish: A man should always oppose [yargiz] the good impulse to the evil impulse ; as it is said : "Tremble [rigzu] and sin not" (ibid. iv. 5). If he conquer it, well and good ; but if not, let him occupy himself with Torah ; as it is said, "Commune with your own heart" (ibid.). Should this gain him the victory, well and good; but if not, let him read the Shema' ; as it is said, "Upon your bed." If he conquer it, well and good ; but if not, let him reflect upon the day of death; as it is said, "And be still. Selah."
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
M.: b. Lahma.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
On the Jeser Tob and Jeser Ra', the tendency towards good and evil, see J. E. XII. p. 601. To the literature there cited may now be added, Schechter, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, Chaps. XV, XVI, and Abelson, Immanence of God, Chap. XXIII.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
Of the Torah it is said, "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart" (Deut. vi. 6).
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
The Shema' was to be read "when thou liest down" (Deut. vi. 7).
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
Stillness being a symbol of death. Cf. "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence " (Ps. cxv. 17).
