The more one delves into the secrets of nature, the more one discovers the secrets of spirituality as well, because the physical world and the spiritual world were created by the same Creator. Hashems purposely left fingerprints all over the place.

 

Take the mosquito, for example; the mosqito's proboscis (stinger) is so sharp and thin, that most people can't feel it penetrating their skin. After the mosquito bites, she (only female mosquitos bite) leaves a tiny bit of saliva on the wound. The saliva momentarily desensitizes the wound, giving the mosquito enough time to make her getaway. By the time you feel the sharpness of the bite and the onsetting itch, the mosquito has long gone; that's why most anti-mosquito slaps are a second too late.

 

A common denominator between the mosquito and the Yetzer is that they both contaminate us. Mosquitos cause Yellow fever, Malaria, and West Nile Virus, while the EI contaminates the mind and soul with epikursis (rejection of faith), confusion, insecurity, and depression, just to name a few.  If you think that the mosquito is an ugly creature, you should see the Zohar and the Talmud's description of the Yetzer...

 

The Yetzer Hora, or Evil Inclination (EI), acts like a mosquito. Unless a person has an acute sense of spiritual awareness, he or she never feels the sting of the EI. Here's an example of how the EI desensitizes a person:

 

The EI tells you that all those people who speak about redemption and Moshiach are nut cases. He also tells you that you can be a woman of valor or a Talmid Chocham (Torah scholar) without Moshiach, redemption, and the rebuilding of our Holy Temple. Those who believe the EI become completely desensitized in their daily prayers. How?

 

Three times a day, we ask Hashem, "Umaher legalenu", that He should speedily redeem us. We ask three times a day to see the rebuilding of our holy Temple when we say, "Boneh Yerushalayim." We also ask three times a day for Moshiach and salvation when we say, "Matzmiach keren yeshua." If that's not enough, we also ask morning, noon, and night, "Visechezena eynenu," that we should merit to see all the glory of Hashem's return to Zion with our own eyes.

 

The above prayers are mandatory for every Jew, three times a day. So, if a Jew doesn't anxiously await Moshiach, redemption, salvation, and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, then he or she has been utterly desensitized by the EI.

 

Some people wonder why Hashem doesn't answer their prayers. Rote prayers spoken in robot fashion, with no sensitivity or awareness of what is being said, can't possibly be answered.

 

A good repellant protects against mosquitos. Spiritual awareness protects against the desensitization process of the EI. Learn Torah, learn what you're saying, and be aware at all times of what you're doing. The greatest thing to look forward to about Messianic times is that the EI will be utterly destroyed, and the world will fill with spiritual awareness. Once everyone is spiritually aware, there'll be a perfect harmony and peace on earth, when the lamb will be able to live peacefully alongside the lion.

 

 

(We invite you to visit Rabbi Lazer Brody’s award-winning daily web journal, “Lazer Beams”)