“The Lord said to His heart” – the wicked are under the control of their hearts:40They cannot control their base instincts. “The scoundrel says in his heart” (Psalms 14:1); “Esau said in his heart” (Genesis 27:41); “Yerovam said in his heart” (I Kings 12:26); “Haman said in his heart” (Esther 6:6). But the righteous, their hearts are subject to them:41They are able to overcome their evil inclinations.
“Hannah was speaking to her heart” (I Samuel 1:13); “David said to his heart” (I Samuel 27:1); “Daniel placed in his heart” (Daniel 1:8); “the Lord said to His heart.”42The righteous are always portrayed as speaking “to their hearts,” meaning that they dictate to the heart what to do, and not vice versa. “I will not continue…and I will not continue”43The Midrash will explain the repetition. – it is powerful, it is powerful.44The repetition indicates the intensity of God’s commitment, as if He were declaring an oath (see Isaiah 54:9).
The Rabbis say: “I will not continue” for the [present] children of Noah, “and I will not continue” for [future] generations. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said: Wretched is the dough whose baker attests in its regard that it is inferior – “[and the Lord said to His heart…] as the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Abba Yosei HaTorati says: Wretched is the leaven whose maker attests that it is inferior, as it is stated: “For He knows our inclination; mindful that we are dust” (Psalms 103:14).
The Rabbis say: Wretched is the sapling whose planter attests that it is inferior, as it is stated: “The Lord of hosts, who planted you, spoke evil of you” (Jeremiah 11:17). Antoninos asked our Rabbi,45Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the patriarch, also known simply as “Rabbi.” Antoninos was a senior Roman official who was friendly with him. saying to him: ‘From what point is the evil inclination implanted in a person?
From the moment he emerges from his mother’s womb, or even before he emerges from his mother’s womb?’ He said to him:’ Before he emerges from his mother’s womb.’ He said to him: ‘No. Were it implanted in him while still in his mother’s womb, he [the fetus] would dig through her innards and emerge [by force].’ Rabbi conceded to him, as he was in agreement with the opinion of the Biblical verse: “As the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth [neurav]” (Genesis 8:21).
Rabbi Yudan said: “ne’erav” is written; from the moment that he pushes out [ninar] to emerge from his mother’s womb. Antoninos also asked our Rabbi, saying to him: ‘From when is a spirit46The spirit of life. embedded in a person? From the moment he emerges from his mother’s womb, or even before he emerges from his mother’s womb?’ He said to him: ‘After he emerges from his mother’s womb.’
He said to him: ‘No. This is analogous to a piece of meat, if one were to leave it without salting it for three days, it putrefies.’47So, too, a fetus must possess the spirit of life, or it would rot away. Rabbi conceded to him, as he was in agreement with the opinion of the Biblical verse, as it is stated: ”You granted me life and kindness, and Your command [ufkudatekha] preserved my spirit” (Job 10:12) – from when did you place the soul in me? It is from when You deposited me48It is from when You deposited me in my mother’s womb. [hifkadetani].