The ego goes by a
few names. They are Yitzer HaRa, Serpent, and HaSatan.
The Yitzer HaRa is Hebrew for the Evil Inclination. This is the part of us that wishes to do
according to its own will not the Creator’s will. We find that Jacob wrestled to force it to
bless him, which means to follow the Creator’s will though Jacob. Thus the evil inclination is meant to bless
through proper control. This is a true
Israelite not through a bloodline.
The Serpent is revealed in the Garden of Eden. The Serpent’s role was to bring us to a new
awareness through contrast. It brings an understanding of good and
evil. It opened up the freedom of choice
that did not exist before.
HaSatan, which means “the adversary”, is not a demon with a pitchfork. It is simply a force that permits us to have
a range of choices, which we call “freedom of choice”. However, ultimately it is us who are HaSatan
for that force is within us. We choose
to resist the correct decisions we know we should make.
These titles are simply expressions of our possible
decisions and the decisions we make.
They are not spirits looking to set us up for punishment and
damnation. These are for fairytales.
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