The Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei_Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">Tikkunei Zohar, a central text of Kabbalah, dives right into this, and its answer might surprise you.
It speaks of the two chambers of the heart – and asks, which one gets seduced? According to the Tikkunei Zohar, it’s the left side. Ouch. It even backs this up with a verse from Ecclesiastes (10:2): "...the heart of the fool is to his left."
But wait, it's not all doom and gloom for the left side! The text doesn't stop there; it offers a fascinating counterpoint, a balancing act, if you will.
Quoting Ecclesiastes again (7:26), it says, "And I find woman more bitter than death..." Whoa, harsh! But then, immediately it pivots back to the right side: "The heart of the wise man is to his right..." And this, the Tikkunei Zohar equates with Proverbs 12:4: "A woman of valor is the crown of her husband."
So, what's going on here? It seems the text is using the idea of "woman" as a symbol. On one hand, she can be "more bitter than death," a force that leads us astray. But on the other hand, a "woman of valor" – Eshet Chayil in Hebrew – is the crown of her husband, a source of blessing and strength.
And it gets even better! The Tikkunei Zohar connects this virtuous woman to the yetzer hatov – the good inclination. She is, in essence, a person’s mazal, their good fortune. Proverbs 18:22 declares, "He that has found a woman, has found goodness..." This isn't just about romantic love; it's about finding that inner goodness, that guiding force that elevates us.
Think about it: The yetzer hatov, that impulse towards good, is often personified as a supportive, nurturing presence. It's that voice inside that nudges us to be better, to choose the right path.
The text then links this idea to a verse from Ezekiel (44:30): "...to let blessing reside in your house." And this, in turn, is connected to Proverbs 10:22: "The blessing of Y”Y will make wealthy..." That "Y”Y" is a shorthand for God's name, indicating that true wealth comes from divine blessing, channeled through this positive force.
Finally, the passage closes with a beautiful sentiment from Ecclesiastes (9:9): "See life with the woman that you love..." It’s an invitation to cherish the good, to embrace the blessings in our lives, and to find joy in the connections that uplift us.
So, the next time you feel that pull towards temptation from the "left," remember the "woman of valor," the yetzer hatov residing on the "right." Cultivate that inner goodness, embrace the blessings, and see life with the person – or force – that you love. It's a constant balancing act, this dance between our inclinations, but the Tikkunei Zohar reminds us that the potential for goodness, for blessing, is always there, waiting to be embraced.