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Unlock This CourseThe lesson Why Do People Do Wrong? Selfishness, Greed and Sin set out the general ideas. Judaism gives its own answer. The rabbis taught that the Almighty placed two inclinations, or inner pulls, in every human being. The Hebrew word for inclination is yetzer.
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The two pull in different directions, so each person has to choose which one to follow, many times a day. The Torah points to the idea after the flood, when the Almighty says that the inclination of the human heart is evil 'from his youth' (Genesis 8:21). One rabbinic tradition adds that the yetzer hara is there from birth, while the yetzer hatov is fully grown only at about 13. This is the age at which a Jewish boy becomes responsible for keeping the commandments (12 for girls in Orthodox Judaism).
Remember that the Almighty called his finished creation 'very good'. One rabbinic teaching says that 'very good' includes the yetzer hara, because without it nobody would build a house, marry, have children or run a business.
The yetzer hara is made of natural drives: hunger, ambition, desire, the wish to own things. These drives keep human life going. They become sin only when they take control. Ambition can build a business that gives people work, or it can lead someone to cheat.
So the aim is to master the yetzer hara, not to remove it. The Torah says: love the Lord your God 'with all your heart' (Deuteronomy 6:5). The rabbis explained this as serving the Almighty with both inclinations, the good and the bad together.
Jewish teachers see all three as the yetzer hara at work, and the tradition answers each one.
The Torah commands: 'Love your neighbour as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18). The rabbi Hillel asked: 'If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I?' Looking after yourself is right. Living only for yourself is not.
The last of the Ten Commandments forbids coveting, which means longing for what belongs to someone else. A rabbi called Ben Zoma taught: 'Who is rich? The one who is happy with what he has.'
A person who does not know the commandments can break them without meaning to. Hillel taught that an ignorant person cannot be truly devout. This is one reason why learning matters so much in Jewish life.
Remember, the mitzvot are the commandments of the Torah. For Jews, a sin is breaking a mitzvah. This can mean doing what is forbidden or failing to do what is commanded. Some sins are against the Almighty and some are against other people.
The most common Hebrew word for sin is chet. It means missing the mark, like an arrow that falls wide of its target. This shows how Jews think about sin. Sin is a failure to live up to what a person could be, not a stain on their nature. A person who misses can aim again.
Judaism does not teach original sin, the idea that every baby is born carrying guilt from the first humans. Remember the morning prayer: the soul the Almighty gives is pure. The prophet Ezekiel taught that each person answers for their own sins, and that a child does not carry the guilt of a parent (Ezekiel 18:20).
Judaism says yes. The key text is in the story of Cain and Abel, the first two brothers in the Torah. Cain is angry and jealous of Abel. The Almighty warns him that 'sin crouches at the door' and wants to have him, 'yet you can be its master' (Genesis 4:7). Sin is pictured as a wild animal waiting to pounce. The temptation is real, but a person can win. Cain does not listen and kills his brother, the first murder in the Torah.
Jews believe the Almighty gave three main helps.
The Talmud pictures the Almighty saying that he created the yetzer hara, and created the Torah as its remedy. Study replaces ignorance with knowledge of what is right.
Keeping the mitzvot day after day trains good habits. Rules about food, giving and resting on Shabbat teach self-control. Ben Zoma taught: 'Who is strong? The one who masters his inclination.'
Teshuvah means 'returning'. It is repentance: being truly sorry for a sin and turning back to the Almighty and the right path. Its steps are taught in Peacemaking, Forgiveness and Restorative Justice in Judaism.
Jews differ in what they stress. Orthodox Jews stress keeping all the mitzvot carefully. Progressive Jews stress the ethical mitzvot, such as justice and kindness, and each person's conscience. Both agree that the struggle lasts a lifetime.
Who is responsible? Because every person can choose, Judaism teaches that human beings are responsible for these evils. They cannot blame the Almighty or their own nature. After the murder, Cain asks, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' (Genesis 4:9). The Jewish answer is yes. The Torah forbids hatred: 'You shall not hate your brother in your heart' (Leviticus 19:17). It commands, 'Justice, justice shall you pursue' (Deuteronomy 16:20). The Talmud adds that anyone who is able to protest against wrongdoing and stays silent shares the blame for it.
Are they inevitable? There are different views among Jews.
The yetzer hara is part of every person, so the pull towards hatred and violence never fully goes away in this age. Many Orthodox Jews believe that lasting peace will come only when the Almighty sends the Messiah, a future leader who will bring an age of peace.
No one is forced to sin, so no one is forced to hate or to fight. The prophet Isaiah looked ahead to a time when 'nation shall not lift up sword against nation' (Isaiah 2:4). Many Progressive Jews speak of a Messianic Age of peace that human beings help to bring about by their own actions.
Both groups agree that Jews must work for peace and justice now, as part of tikkun olam.
Do not call the yetzer hara 'evil' and leave it there: the rabbis taught that its drives are needed and can be put to good use. Do not write that Jews believe in original sin: Judaism teaches that the soul is pure and each person answers for their own choices. Do not describe teshuvah as just saying sorry: it means returning to the right path.
Paper 1 style. (a) and (b) test AO1; (c) and (d) test AO1 and AO2.
(a) Identify three ways in which religious believers try to overcome sin. [3 marks]
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two beliefs about why people do wrong in this religion. [4 marks]
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why followers of this religion believe that sin can be overcome. [6 marks]
(d) 'Human beings are born selfish.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]
(a) 1. Studying holy books (1). 2. Keeping religious commandments (1). 3. Repentance (1).
(b) Judaism. Jews believe every person has a yetzer hara, an inclination to do wrong (1), which pulls them to put themselves first instead of following the yetzer hatov (1). Jews believe ignorance leads to wrongdoing (1), because a person who does not know the mitzvot can break them without meaning to (1).
(c) Judaism. Jews believe sin can be overcome because the Torah says so. In Genesis 4:7 the Almighty tells Cain that sin crouches at the door, yet he can be its master. This means temptation is real but a person can defeat it.
Judaism does not teach original sin. The soul is pure and sin is chet, missing the mark, so a person is not trapped by a sinful nature and can aim again.
Jews believe the Almighty has given help. The Talmud calls the Torah the remedy for the yetzer hara, and keeping the mitzvot trains self-control.
When Jews do sin, teshuvah lets them return to the right path, so failure is never final.
(d) Plan. For: Genesis 8:21 says the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; one rabbinic tradition says the yetzer hara is present from birth and the yetzer hatov is fully grown only later; some scientists say humans evolved to look after themselves first.
Against: Judaism has no original sin and teaches that the soul is pure; every person also has a yetzer hatov, and Genesis 4:7 says sin can be mastered; the yetzer hara's drives are not selfish in themselves and can be used for good; some scientists say humans also evolved to cooperate.
Possible conclusion: judge each point as you go, then pick a side. For example: I partly disagree. People are born with self-centred drives, but in Judaism a drive is not a sin, and each person has the power to choose the good.
In part (d), look hard at the word 'born'. You can accept that the yetzer hara is there from the start and still argue that being born with a pull towards selfishness is not the same as being born selfish.