Q&A: Master of His Spirit
Master of His Spirit
Question
According to Maimonides in the Eight Chapters, chapter six, should we say that what the Talmud says — “whoever is greater than his fellow, his inclination is greater than his” — applies only to a divine command, but in human and moral matters, certainly if he is greater then his inclination does not desire them?
Answer
An interesting question. I don’t know. It may be possible to distinguish between the evil inclination that pulls you toward a transgression and the natural tendency that tells you it is not proper to do it.
Discussion on Answer
Although there they said, “whoever is greater…” regarding the story with Abaye and the young man and woman, where the issue there was the prohibition of sexual immorality, and the prohibition of sexual immorality is a divine command and not a rational commandment… (just as in the article “I do not desire it, but what can I do…” it is dealing with divine commandments and not human or moral ones)
Nonsense. In order to be greater than his fellow, his inclination must necessarily be greater.
The inclination is the motivating force.
And that has nothing to do with the question of whether he desires them or not.
Now I looked at the source, and Maimonides himself says what I wrote above, so in short there is no question. Thanks.