To Win at War by the Righteous Kabbalist, our Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Shmueli
The Evil Inclination, says Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, you drive it away with Torah! With light! You bring light, and the light dispels the darkness. Have you ever seen someone drive away darkness with a stick? Turn on a light—the darkness goes away!

Rabbi Shimon said: Woe and alas! 'Under a servant when he reigns, and a fool when he is filled with food'—for the Good Inclination was taken captive by its hand, and it rules over him."
Look at what Rabbi Shimon says: He says: "'When you go out to war against your enemies'"—who is man's true enemy? Who is the primary enemy? It is the Evil Inclination.
And it is constantly lying in wait for a person to trap him in its net.
That is the Evil Inclination. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: What is "war"? The war of Torah!
That is learning Torah against it, learning and reciting Zohar, Psalms, Daf Yomi, Halachot (Jewish laws)—that is the war against the Evil Inclination!
You want to fight against the Evil Inclination? Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: "I created the Evil Inclination—I created the Torah as an antidote for it."
There is the Torah! If this scoundrel meets you—drag him to the house of study!
There is a remedy! The Torah tells us what the remedy against the Evil Inclination is. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says:
The Evil Inclination—you do not drive it away with sticks!
The Evil Inclination, says Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, you drive it away with Torah! With light!
You bring light, and the light dispels the darkness. Have you ever seen someone drive away darkness with a stick? Turn on a light—the darkness goes away!
You give Torah,
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: "And then it will be delivered into the hand of man"—then it will be in the person's hand, "as it is said, 'And Hashem your L-rd, delivers them into your hand'"—it will be like clay in the hands of the potter, "and you take them captive."
And then, even that which it captured and snatched away—the Evil Inclination—through a person's sins—because through sins it drops sparks of holiness, drops many things—"and you take them captive," now you take them back!
Thus says Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
May we all, and all our brothers of Israel, be privileged to be inscribed and sealed for a good year!