Yetzer

Yetzer is a Hebrew term meaning inclination, impulse, or disposition. The root Y-T-Z-R conveys shaping or forming, and yetzer is used in biblical and later Jewish thought to denote the inward motive that directs a person’s actions and character.

In rabbinic literature, the concept is most often discussed through two related ideas: yetzer hatov (the good inclination) and yetzer ha-ra (the evil inclination). Both are described as present within every person, with the yetzer hatov guiding one toward mitzvot and moral behavior, and the yetzer ha-ra pulling toward transgression. Rabbinic sources frame life as a continual contest between these impulses, emphasizing free will and the possibility of growth through study, prayer, repentance, and disciplined action. Some passages treat the yetzer ha-ra as a necessary spur to motivate effort, while others stress the need to refine or redirect it for virtuous ends.

In later Jewish philosophy and Kabbalistic thought, the two yetzerim are expanded into broader psychological and even cosmic dimensions. They are seen as forces that can be refined, transmuted, or elevated, and spiritual practices are described as ways to cultivate the yetzer hatov and restrain the yetzer ha-ra. Medieval thinkers such as Maimonides discussed the nature of these inclinations and emphasized the role of free will in shaping character and moral development.

In modern usage, yetzer often serves as a shorthand for inner moral balance—yetzer hatov as the drive toward ethical conduct and yetzer ha-ra as the temptation to sin. The term remains a central reference in Jewish ethics, liturgy, and everyday discourse about human motivation.