Avot217

7:
One of the first things that a Jew learns as part of his or her religious education is the first parashah of the Shema. And if he leads a religious life quite often (perhaps even twice a day!) he recites this parashah. So one of the verses in that parashah [>Deuteronomy 6:5] should be very familiar:

As is their wont, the sages never took the words of the Torah at face value, but asked themselves why an idea should be phrased exactly the way it is. In this particular case they pondered on the meaning of 'all' in this context. What multiplicity does the human heart contain that prompts God to demand our love with 'all' of our heart? In the Gemara [Berakhot 54a] they give their answer to this question:

8:
Rabbinic psychology posits that every human being is possessed of two basic instincts or tendencies. The 'bad instinct' [yetzer ha-ra] is the tendency to do what is wrong, what is forbidden by the Torah and human ethics. This instinct is part of our psyche from the womb. The 'good instinct' [yetzer ha-tov] is the tendency to do what is right and just and is acquired in early life as part of our religious and ethical education. (A person is deemed to be possessed of his yetzer tov by the age of Bar-Mitzvah.)

To do wrong, then, is a constant temptation which requires the active interference of the tendency to do good. When Cain is contemplating committing the first murder God warns him [Genesis 4:6-7]:

9:
We can now understand more easily the second clause in our present mishnah: Rabbi Shim'on ben-Zoma is extolling the person who is able to control his baser instinct. Once again, ben-Zoma is turning popular conceptions upside down: the true hero is not the great fighter who captures cities and makes a name for himself in the world. The true hero is the simple Jew who, with enormous moral effort, brings himself to lead a righteous life by constantly conquering his baser tendency. The 'proof text' offered by ben-Zoma is from Proverbs 16:32.

To be continued.

In Avot 214 I wrote about the halakhic plight of our women folk. Michael Epstein asks:

Are you talking about the difficulties of obtaining a get? the second class status in many synagogues? single parents who struggle financially? all of the above? or something else. It's not like you not to say what you mean.

I respond:

We must read my words in their context. I was referring to the halakhic efforts hinted at by Rabbi Eli'ezer ben-Ĥisma in the mishnah, which we interpreted by quoting the example of Rabban Shim'on ben-Gamli'el concerning birds' nests and the issue of Niddah. However, if my interpretation of his words is correct then doubtless, today, he would excoriate all the difficulties that Michael mentioned – and more.