AND THE LORD SAID TO HIS HEART. The wicked stand in subjection to their heart [i.e. passions. Thus it says], The fool hath said in his heart (Ps. XlV, I); And Esau said in his heart (Gen. XXVII, 41); And Jeroboam said in his heart (I Kings XII, 25); Now Haman said in his heart Est. VI, 6). But the righteous have their hearts under their control; hence it is written, Now Hannah, she spoke at her heart (1 Sam. I, 13); And David said to his heart (ib. XXVII, 1); But Daniel purposed to his heart (Dan. I, 8); AND THE LORD SAID TO HIS HEART.6 I WILL NOT AGAIN CURSE THE GROUND, etc.: Let that indeed suffice. .... Antoninus asked our Teacher: ‘When is the evil urge placed in man?’ ‘As soon as he is formed [in embryo],’ he replied. ' If so,’ he objected, ‘he would dig through the womb and emerge; rather is it when he emerges [from the womb].’ Rabbi agreed with him, because his view corresponds with that of Scripture, viz. FOR THE IMAGINATION OF MAN'S HEART IS EVIL FROM HIS YOUTH (MINE ' URAW). R. Judan said: This is written mine'araw (from his awakening), which means, from when he awakes to the world. He asked him further: ‘When is the soul planted in man?’ ‘When he leaves his mother's womb,’ replied he. ‘Leave meat without salt for three days,’ said he, ‘will it not putrefy?4...

WAYYIZER: two formations, the good and the evil. (not talking about nature, talking about discernment of good and evil in the physical and material sense.) For if an animal possessed two [such formations,] it would die of fright on seeing a man holding a knife to kill it. But surely a man does possess these two faculties! [and he doesn't die when he sees a knife!] Said R. Hanina (Hinena) b. Idi: He bound up the spirit of man within him (Zech. XII, 1); for if that were not so, whenever a trouble came upon him he would remove and cast it from him.3

AND THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL (VI, 5). What is the meaning of, WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL? With every soul that He has created within you. R. Meir said: For every single breath which a man breathes he should praise his Creator. Whence [can this be inferred]? For it is said, For every breath praise thou the Lord (Ps. CL, 6). R. Simon said: The soul is called by the following five names: ruah, nefesh, neshamah, hayyah, yehidah.

R. Hoshaya said: Anyone who has knowledge but lacks the fear of sin, really has nothing, just as a carpenter who has no tools with him is not a real carpenter; because the bolts which guard learning are the fear of sin, as it says, And the fear of the Lord is its treasure-house (Isa. 33: 6). R. Johanan said: If one knows the Torah but does not fulfil it, it were better for him that he had not been born, and that the after-birth in which he lay had been turned over his face; for this reason does it say, ’And unto man He said: Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.’ R. Hiyya b. Abba said: What is the meaning of ’ The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom’?4 God said: ‘I will give you a reward in return for your good deeds ‘5; the reward being Torah, as it says, ’And unto man He said: Behold, the fear of the Lord, that as wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.’

Another explanation of NOW THESE ARE THE ORDINANCES. David said: The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever (Ps. XIX, 10). How is this so? Because you will find that a man who studies Midrash, Halachah, and Aggadah, but who has no fear of sin, is left with nothing in his hand. It can be compared to a man who said to his friend, ‘I have a thousand measures of grain, a thousand of oil, and a thousand of wine.’ His friend asked him, ' Have you store-chambers in which to keep them? If you have, then all those things are yours; but if you have not, then you have nothing.’ So is it with a man who studies everything; for unto him is said: ‘Hast thou fear of sin? If so, thou possesses everything.’ For it says, And the stability of thy times shall be a hoard of salvation- wisdom and knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, is its storehouse (Isa. XXXIII, 6). Hence does it say, ' The fear of the Lord is clean.’ The prophet too, proclaiming aloud, Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness (ib. I, 27).