Rabbi's Teachings

This sermon was delivered on Rosh Hashanah,  Day 1: Wrestling with the Yetzer Hara: Building Unity Amid Division

Within each of us, there are two competing forces—the yetzer hara, the inclination toward selfishness and destructive impulses, and the yetzer hatov, the inclination toward kindness, goodness, and moral action. The Talmud teaches us that both of these inclinations are essential to the human experience. The yetzer hara often gets a bad reputation, but it is not purely evil. It represents the raw, primal desires within us, which, when unchecked, can lead to harmful behaviors. Yet, without it, we would lack the drive to achieve, to create, or to make an impact on the world. The yetzer hatov guides us toward the right path, offering the moral compass to harness our raw desires for the greater good. 

The challenge for each of us, especially as we enter a new year on Rosh Hashanah, is to strike a balance between these forces and ensure that we are channeling our energy, passion, and ambitions for positive outcomes. 

One of the most significant ways we, as a shul community, can test our own balance between these two forces is how we will come out of this upcoming election cycle—whether we allow the yetzer hara to fuel division and animosity or whether we channel it into unity.

In 586 BCE, the First Temple was destroyed, and the Jews were exiled to Babylon. When they returned, they found the Temple as an abandoned pile of rubble. They searched the grounds, but all they found was the yetzer hara, the evil inclination, hiding in every stone and crack. Of course, the Jews were horrified to find the yetzer hara everywhere.The Jews prayed and fasted for three days, and the yetzer hara burst from the Temple like a wild beast. They captured it, but noticed that chickens stopped laying eggs. The Israelites saw that keeping the evil inclination trapped caused just as much devastation as when it was free. So, they blinded the beast and released it into the world with its powers diminished.

The wild beast in this story is metaphorical, but it is represented as a physical creature to show just how much of a physical struggle it can be to control our baser instincts.Sometimes getting control of our impulses can feel like wrestling a tiger. This story however offers insights about the nature of the yetzer hara–It is not purely evil. 

Our sages taught that the yetzer hara is essential for human creativity and drive. Without it, the world would stagnate. As Rabbi Nahman said, "If not for the evil inclination, no one would build a house, take a wife, or have children". The yetzer hara is what drives us to build, to create, and to live fully. But, like a wild beast, it must be controlled and channeled.

It should be surprising to no one that we are a month out from election day. In the political realm, the rising tide of divisiveness, anger, and frustration that seems to define so much of our discourse can only be characterized as the yetzer hara. We see the yetzer hara reflected in the growing polarization of our society. This force can lead to destruction and deepening divisions. Yet, we now know that just as the yetzer hara can divide us, it can also lead us to build and innovate. 

My questions are: 

How do we channel this primal energy constructively, 

especially in our polarizing times?

And, what are the stakes for us here at Bnai Israel if we don’t? 

We are a truly purple congregation, and this is not my first purple pulpit. Bnai Israel and my former pulpit, Temple Sholom, are models of how to navigate being in community and relationship with those with whom you fundamentally disagree. 

In our congregation, we have best friends, we have loving partners, who couldn’t sit further from the other’s aisle politically. 

Yet–they sit next to each other at services, they raise families together, they engage in strongly worded debates and then a few minutes later go grab some lunch together. We understand that our unity is rooted in something deeper than politics—it’s our shared values and commitment to each other as a community.

A great example of how our congregation navigates differences was at our Tisha B’Av Service. We came together to watch Screams Before Silence, a documentary that highlights the horrific large-scale sexual acts of terror committed on October 7th. The film brought up intense emotions, and in the discussion that followed, it was clear that there was more diversity of opinion in the room than there was commonality—apart from the shared goal of bearing witness to these atrocities. 

People expressed deeply held and often opposing views on the situation in Israel and Palestine, on Netanyahu and Hamas, and on the role of global leaders like Biden. In that room, we had a microcosm of the political landscape. And yet, despite these strong opinions, what was most remarkable was how we handled our differences. 

People did not hold back on their thoughts, but no one attacked another person’s character. We disagreed patiently, passionately, and respectfully. There was no name-calling, no belittling, only thoughtful, deeply felt opinions. We all understood 

that our views were shaped by our individual experiences and long-held beliefs, and rather than writing each other off, we found a way to move forward together. 

This is the kind of community we are—a congregation that values unity over uniformity, where diversity of thought doesn’t divide us but makes us stronger.

Our congregation is a beautiful shade of purple, and because of that, we do creative things together. We embrace different ways of thinking from Hebrew School to Adult Education, and the conversations are always vibrant and interesting. We embrace the different subcultures within our synagogue– ideas that come in from legacy families, to those who moved here decades ago to a few months ago, to young families li

ke mine who moved down to Wilmington for new work opportunities. While many congregations are made up of many subcultures, what has impressed me the most is the concern that we have for making sure that we reach out, as best we can, so that each subculture feels connected and represented.

So what is at stake for Bnai Israel, then, this coming election cycle? 

Losing the bonds we have worked so hard to build up. It takes so much longer to rebuild than it does to destroy.
Avot de-Rabbi Natan 16, a commentary on Pirkei Avot, warns, "Jealousy, lust, and honor remove a person from the world." 

These are expressions of the yetzer hara that can destroy relationships and societies. 

In recent years, we have seen both Democrats and Republicans engage in this kind of yetzer hara-fueled behavior. 

In the aftermath of the 2016 and 2020 elections, many buzzwords were circulating in our country: Disappointment, Betrayal, Anger. 

Many rejected dialogue with anyone who supported the other side. We have seen in this election cycle, outside the walls of this holy congregation, that nothing has changed. There is still a deep sense of mistrust on both sides of the aisle surrounding the caliber of those running for office and the fairness and safety surrounding elections and their results, and early voting has barely started.

But we know the yetzer hara is not inherently evil. It is simply energy—passion, desire, and drive. 

So, how can we use that energy to build and unite?

Elizabeth Gilbert, in her book Big Magic: Creative Living

Beyond Fear, reminds us that fear, imperfection, and uncertainty are all essential parts of the creative process. She writes, “You must forever relinquish your fantasies of perfection… because nothing is ever finished, nothing is ever perfect.” Her words reflect the nature of the yetzer hara: without embracing imperfection and struggle, we would never take risks, create, or grow. Just as the yetzer hara fuels our drive to build and innovate, so too does embracing fear and uncertainty allow us to move forward, both personally and collectively.

Elections, in particular, are amazing ways to channel the yetzer hara into something positive. Voting, campaigning, and civic engagement are all forms of creative energy—ways in which we take our desires and passions and turn them into actions that shape the future. Just as the yetzer hara drives us to build homes and create families, it can also drive us to participate in and support the democratic process.

Take, for instance, one of our fabulous teens here at Bnai Israel, Edie Zeldin. Last year as a Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Feminist Teen Fellow, she worked on a capstone project to help get out the vote. Neither Edie nor her teen counterpart are yet old enough to vote, and yet they felt called as teens to host postcard writing parties at their synagogues to encourage those who were eligible to vote to make the effort to do so. In her nonpartisan postcard campaign here, she encouraged not yet registered or undecided voters to make a plan to vote, and to make sure that when they vote, they have the youth of this country in mind. At our small but mighty postcard party, there were people of different political persuasions. 

We see from this that elections are not just competitions for power; they are opportunities for creative expression. They allow even our teens to rise up as leaders.

But we must also remember the dangers of allowing the yetzer hara to dominate us. Toxic political division can lead to the same kind of destruction that the Jews found when they returned

to the broken Temple. If we continue to let our political differences tear us apart, we risk finding our own country in ruins—but we know the breakdown of a country starts smaller. It starts behind closed doors in family conversations gone wrong. It starts with nasty exchanges with acquaintances on each other’s facebook walls when they post something we don’t agree with. 

It starts with giving up on each other in this congregation because we can’t love the person behind the political opinion.

A stronger, more creative, more passionate, more diverse Bnai Israel in every way imaginable will be a huge step towards healing our country, regardless of what color North Carolina turns on November 5th.

If you are finding yourself filled with creative energy about this upcoming election, consider volunteering as a poll worker. We at Bnai Israel Congregation are proud to be part of a massive, nonpartisan initiative across the Jewish communities nationally to recruit poll workers for the upcoming election to help ensure a free, fair, safe, and accessible election for all voters. 

Just as you can vote your voice, you can volunteer your voice. We at Bnai Israel are always looking for new ideas, new perspectives, from all of you, from our teens to our seniors. Be like Edie Zeldin this year–share your ideas with me and we will turn that idea into something concrete. 

This election isn’t just about politics; it’s about who we choose to be as a community. I challenge each of you not only to vote but to engage in meaningful conversations. Volunteer as a poll worker, initiate civil dialogue, or share your ideas with synagogue leadership. We must be a community that chooses unity over division and action over passivity. Let your voice be heard in a way that brings us closer together.

As we enter this new year, let us embrace the yetzer hara—

the creativity, passion, and energy within us—that drives us to engage with the world, even when it feels divided. Our differences, when approached with respect, can become sources of strength rather than division. As we step into this new year, we carry the potential to heal—not just ourselves, but our congregation and the wider community. Through small, individual acts of kindness, creativity, and responsibility, we can rebuild what feels broken, creating a world where our differences become opportunities for growth and unity.

Let this Rosh Hashanah be a time to reflect 

on how we can harness our instincts for good and contribute to the repair of our country, while ensuring we remain united here at Bnai Israel. May we all pledge to protect this congregation and use it as a model for how our country could be.

Shana Tova U’Metuka—may this new year be one of renewal for us all, and may we build a world where our differences inspire growth and collaboration.