One's Inner Struggle

Torah Thoughts on Parshas Ki Seitzei by Rabbi Jacob Roth

"כִּי תֵצֵא לַמִלְחָמָה עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ וּנְתָנוֹ ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וְשָׁבִיתָ שִׁבְיוֹ" דְבָרִים כ''א:י'

“When you will go out to war against your enemies, and God your Lord will deliver him into your hand, and you will capture its [people as] captives.” Devarim 21:10

The opening verse in this week’s parashah is talking about a situation when the Jewish people would be at war. Rav Avraham Schorr points out that it is obvious that when one goes to war he goes to war “against his enemy”. The verse could have simply said: “When you will go out to war”, as the words “against your enemies” seem unnecessary. It is also interesting to note that the verse is written in the singular form when it seems that the plural would have been more appropriate.

Rav Schorr answers that from the way the verse is written, we can learn a lesson beyond its simple reading. He quotes Rav Simcha Bunim Mi’Pshischa, who says that this battle actually refers to a person’s inner struggle with his “enemy”, the Yetzer Hara. This is why the pasuk specifies the enemy, and directs it to each person individually.

This also can shed some light on a well-known Mishnah in Pirkei Avos, “Who is a 'גִבּוֹר' – 'a mighty one'? It is one who conquers his Yetzer [Hara]." The word "גִבּוֹר", which means mighty, is often associated with a warrior. In order to be successful in defeating the Yezter Hara one must treat it as a war, something which cannot be taken lightly.

Rav Schorr also notes that the verse says “your enemy”, and the Mishnah says “his yetzer”. This teaches us that each person has his own personal battle to overcome that is separate from anyone else's. Each person has to realize that someone else’s battle may not be the same as his own and he must learn how to overcome his own personal situation.

This may seem difficult, but a closer reading of the verse can give us some chizuk. The verse can be read, “When you go out to battle, God will give over the enemy in your hands.” Rav Schorr says that the key to beating one’s personal Yetzer Hara is simply to “go out to battle”. As long as a person makes an effort to try to correct his flaws, Hashem will “give over his enemy” – He will assist the person to make sure that he is successful. Our job is just to put in the effort.

In Ashrei we say “God is close to all who call out to him בְּאֶמֶת" – honestly. This means that when we sincerely try to come close to Hashem, He automatically comes close to us. As long as we are sincere in our efforts to battle our Yetzer Hara, which is something only we can know, Hashem will make sure to help us win the battle. 

With this in mind it can make our job this Elul a little bit easier. May we each be zoche to truly accomplish teshuvah on our level and merit the success that comes along with it.

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Rabbi Jacob Roth graduated FYHS in 2009, learned in Eretz Yisrael at Yeshivat Torat Shraga, and spent a year in the Gruss Kollel. He returned to HTC, graduated in 2014, and completed Semichah in 2016. He is currently a 5th Grade Rebbe at Arie Crown Hebrew Day School.