Noach 8:21 · unit 3

TT #42 · Parashas Noach · Third Aliyah · Passuk 8:21

The Complete Passuk

…כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו…

…for the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth…

Chabad.org — 8:21

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Kiddushin 30b.

Sefaria — Kiddushin 30b

E-Daf image — Kiddushin 30b (size=3)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
כִּי יֵצֶר… רַע — תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן: קָשֶׁה יֵצֶר הָרָע שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ יוֹצְרוֹ קְרָאוֹ רַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר… כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע.

English: “For the inclination… is evil” — The Sages taught: How difficult is the yetzer hara, that even its Creator called it evil!

Type of Learning

Custom (emphasis on the severity of the yetzer from the divine naming).

What Is Learned

The yetzer is so formidable that even its own Creator designates it as evil.