It takes being on a certain level to develop this perspective. Obviously, someone being pulled by his urges won’t want to even think about the folly of desire. And he wouldn’t believe that physical pleasures are overrated anyway, at least not before giving in and feeling empty, duped, and regretful. But even if we are not in the midst of a challenge, desire can still affect us in some way, and if it does, we probably won’t want to think about how desire doesn’t deliver. Desire can make us feel that these pleasures are the greatest, even if they aren’t available right now. Thus, it takes having some equanimity and freedom from desire — and a wish to defeat the yetzer hara — to think about these matters and see the truth.
The time to begin thinking about the folly of desire is when it is weak. We know that we can reduce our desire for a certain food by thinking that although it tastes great, eating it lasts for only a few seconds, and it is not “the most amazing experience ever that we can’t live without.” When the food is sizzling before us and our mouths are watering, we probably won’t want to think about this. But if we contemplate it beforehand, we can stay calm and not be blown away. Similarly, we can do this for any desire. It might be more difficult for the desires we are battling because they are always somewhat active, and when we are affected, it is difficult to think about this. Nevertheless, we can find the right time and contemplate the emptiness of pleasure.
The best time to start is when we are calm and able to see clearly. If we think about the low payoff of desire and remember that pleasure is not amazing enough to be treated like the pinnacle of life, we will create three lasting changes. First, we will lessen how much we naturally desire. When we are challenged, the pull of our desires will automatically be weaker and it will be easier to stay in control.
Second, during the challenge, we will be able to stop the yetzer hara from increasing our desires with his sales pitch that he repeats over and over. Like Yosef Hatzaddik, we can respond that these claims are lies. We can tell him that what he’s selling is not the greatest thing ever or the only thing that matters. Some of these truths might even surface automatically in our heads when we face a challenge.
Third, we might be able to pull ourselves back even if the yetzer hara grabs us and clouds our thoughts. Even if we will want to give in, we might have the strength to remind ourselves of the folly of desire and regain clarity. Though it seems unlikely, we can do it.
The more we think about these ideas when we are not being tested, the more we will feel these truths when we are challenged. Although it is difficult, we might be able to power through and regain our clarity if these ideas are already in place. We will see through the blinders and knock the yetzer hara back! We will stop him in his tracks and secure a valuable victory.