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From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 21:29:23 -0500
Subject: Yeser = Impetuousness in Yeser Tov and Ra

I would like to thank Micha Berger [V25#83] for his support of my
posting that Yeser Ra = Impetuousness, with some excellent sources from
the Moosar movement.  I also concur that (if done properly!) a renewed
Moosar movement could significantly help our business ethics. In this
posting however I would like to explain the Yeser in Yeser Tov vs Yeser
Ra.

The Radack, in the Book of Roots(Sharashim)states that Yeser is used
both for
      >> the passions of people and their habitual thoughts (Raayonotauv) >>
He then goes on to give examples from the Bible for both yeser tov and ra.

Let us analyze the difference between "passions" and "habits" with
respect to impetuousness. By way of example a sexual passion is inborn:
a person seeing a sexual cue might "impetuously" respond with an
improper remark or act. This is the Yeser Ra--impetuousness in inborn
passions.

But (to use Micha's term) FFH, frum from habit, is NOT inborn but rather
learned.  Thus if e.g. I spontaneously say "praise be He,praise be his
name" (baruch ho oovaruch shmo) when hearing a blessing then it is my
Yeser Tov acting--impetuousness (or spontaneity) in habit.

Having carefully defined the terms we can now analyze the Jewish
position: "You should conquer your Yeser Ra" does not mean "you should
destory your passions" but rather "you should destroy the
'impetuousness' of your passions" Similarly "You should develop your
Yeser Tov" does not mean that a terminal goal is to be FFH but rather it
means that you should "first" develop spontaneous good habits which
afterwards you will invest with Cavannah and meaning.

Russell Jay Hendel, Phd, ASA, rhendel @ mcs drexel edu