Derasha 2 on Bereishis 4:7

TT #157 · Parashas Bereishis · Fourth Aliyah · Passuk 7

Complete Passuk

הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשׇׁל־בּֽוֹ׃

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Kiddushin 30b (verified).

E-Daf image (Kiddushin 30b)

Chazal

Chazalתָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בָּרָאתִי יֵצֶר הָרָע וּבָרָאתִי לוֹ תּוֹרָה תַּבְלִין, וְאִם אַתֶּם עוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה אֵין אַתֶּם נִמְסָרִים בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֲלֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת, וְאִם לֹא תֵּיטִיב לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל מַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ בְּךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ, וְאִם אַתָּה רוֹצֶה אַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל בּוֹ.
The Sages taught: I created the evil inclination and I created Torah as its remedy. If you engage in Torah you will not be delivered into its hand, as it is said “If you do well, there is uplift”; if you do not, “sin crouches at the door.” Moreover, all its dealings are with you, as it is said “and its desire is toward you”; and if you wish, you can rule over it, as it is said “and you shall rule over it.”
On the daf / in context: The verse is read as a direct lesson about Torah as the antidote to the yetzer hara and about a person’s power to overcome it.
Type of Learning: Torah as remedy for the yetzer hara
What Is Learned: Torah study protects a person from the yetzer hara, and a person can ultimately rule over it.