Trials of the Righteous
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Question
Hello, The Gemara in Berakhot, page 10a, mentions that King David blessed and thanked the Almighty: "He saw the downfall of the wicked and sang a song, as it is said: 'Let sinners cease from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul.'" Some interpretations of this verse suggest that when a person reaches the age of commandments, they achieve the level of "Chaya," which strengthens as one overcomes the evil inclination, and that the development of "Chaya" indicates the downfall of the evil inclination. Can it be concluded from this that there is a "point of success" where a person has succeeded and the evil inclination has been defeated? Or does it refer to a temporary victory, but the battle continues throughout a person's life?
Answer
Hello,
It is stated in the Gemara (Sukkah 52b):
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: A person's evil inclination strengthens against him every day and seeks to kill him, as it is said: "The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to kill him, but if it were not for the Holy One, blessed be He, who helps him, he would not be able to overcome it, as it is said: 'The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.'"
This means there is no point of surrender for the evil inclination, and until the day of a person's death, it tries to bring him down.
The definition from "Michtav Me'Eliyahu" is well-known, stating there is a "point of choice," meaning at any given moment a person does not face the entire spectrum of levels in serving God, and a completely righteous person does not have the trial of whether to desecrate the Sabbath or eat pork, but the struggle is at his level, such as whether to concentrate in a blessing or to hate someone.
What does it mean that the evil inclination watches to kill him? If the righteous person falls in a trial at his level, he may fall in a trial at a slightly lower level, and if he falls there too, he will again face a trial at an even lower level, until he comes to violate the entire Torah.