ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף דברים 11:18

Secondly, it teaches us that even from the angle of the impulse of man being evil, there is no excuse to say it was because of it that one did not occupy oneself with Torah. As behold, the Torah rules over the evil impulse. For when he is occupied with it, the evil impulse does not rule over him, as it is found (Kiddushin 30b:8), “My son, if this wretched one encounters you, pull it into the study hall. If it is a stone it will melt, and if it is iron it will break, as it is stated, Is not My word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces (Jeremiah 23:29).” Behold, that the fire of Torah overpowers the evil impulse to the point that it cannot rule over those that study it. And that is why [the Torah] was given with fire, to indicate that it is fire, which rules over and overpowers the evil impulse; such that this is not a claim at all. And this is [the understanding] of the matter of the two breads of chametz [leavened grain] that came with the lambs of [Shavuot], chametz being something which the Torah distanced with all of the sacrifices besides the bread of the holiday of Shavuot. And even though they were not sacrificed and offered on top of the altar, they were nevertheless called sacrifices, like the other grain offerings. And, if so, why were they presented specifically with chametz? However, the reason for the thing is that chametz is the evil impulse, which is the leavening in the dough that prevents [proper behavior], from which it is truly proper to distance oneself, so long as there is any concern in the world – even a very distant concern – that one come to sin on account of it. However, when there is no concern at all, it should not be distanced. Hence God commanded to offer chametz, which is the evil impulse, on [Shavuot], the day of the giving of the Torah, and on no other, because the Torah does not permit it to rule over man. That is as we say in Kiddushin (30b:3-5), “The Sages taught, And you shall place [vesamtem] (Deuteronomy 11:18) – sam tam [a perfect elixir]. The Torah is compared to an elixir of life. There is a parable that illustrates this: A person hit his son with a strong blow and placed a bandage on his wound. And he said to him, ‘My son, as long as this bandage is on your wound, eat what you enjoy and drink what you enjoy, and bathe in either hot water or cold water, and you do not need to be afraid. But if you take it off, the wound will become gangrenous.’ So too the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel, ‘My children, I created an evil inclination, and I created Torah as its antidote. If you are occupied with Torah, you will not be given over into the hand of the evil impulse, as it is stated, If you do well, shall it not be lifted up (Genesis 4:7). But if you are not occupied with Torah, you are given over to its power, as it is stated, yet sin crouches at the door.’ So it is that someone [submerged by his] evil impulse will make the Torah ownerless. But even though the power of the evil impulse is great, the power of the Torah is greater, as it was said, Is not My word like fire, such that the Torah negates its power. And, if so, this too is not a claim or justification at all.