The Strongest Instincts

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

Rabbi Israel Chait discussed a midrash concerning man’s attempt to control the instincts: 

The form of a fiery lion cub came forth from the chamber of the Holy of Holies. Zechariah, the prophet, said to the Jewish people, “This is the evil inclination for idol worship.” When they caught hold of it one of its hairs fell out, and it let out a shriek of pain that was heard for four hundred parasangs (Sanhedrin 64a).

 Rabbi Chait asked, “What's the most interesting thing about the midrash? It's that the instincts emerged from the Kodesh Kodashim.” That room is the holiest religious cite. He said this teaches that the strongest instincts are religious matters. That's the Kodesh Kodashim. That's why they're coming out like a fiery lion cub; they are a strong, dangerous thing…what fire and a lion represent.

Why is it that religious matters are where the emotions are strongest? And you see it's true because of the Crusades, they had no gumption about killing people. Crusaders murdered, specifically targeting Muslims, Jews, and "heretical" Christians, due to a mix of extreme religious fanaticism, desires for plunder, and strategic brutality. Driven by the belief that they were conducting holy war to avenge Jesus or secure the Holy Land, they viewed non-Christians as enemies of God, often perpetrating massacres as, or to fulfill, a perceived religious obligation.

Rabbi Chait said And Hitler yimach shemo felt that he was on a divine mission from God. And look how far he and his army can go, how many people that they can slaughter with no resentment. What's the reason for this lack of guilt and ability to massacre innocents? 

Typically the instincts chase desires but there could be regret: you feel bad, you feel like an animal, like Achashveirosh wanted Vashti to dance naked in front of the other prime ministers of all the other countries. But she refused because there's a conflict in a person when they want to go after their desires: their dignity opposes open instinctual gratification. To do something brazenly instinctually open and show that she loves sex and dancing naked, that would impinge on her dignity. So on the one hand she had the desire to do it.  Vashti worked all the women naked so she was very lewd. But on the other hand she's got ego so that conflicts with the instincts. 

However when you're relating to religious matters and you feel that you're doing religious work like the Christian Crusades, there's no regret so your instincts can be fully expressed without remorse. That's where the instincts are their strongest. These instincts are strongest because there's no opposing force since one feels that his instincts are doing God’s work.