The Spider's Web (The Yetzer Hora)

© 2005

Silky strands, glistening in the entrancing moonlight; slowly shimmering in the summer’s heat. Yet, its seeming innocence belies, what lies beneath...

Enticing man since the beginning of time, it hides in a shadow of a shadow, waiting patiently for the inevitable.

Seemingly innocent and weak, but in reality, devious and irresistible.
It promises ecstasy, but delivers pain. Making the beautiful ugly, and the ugly beautiful.

For eons of time, many have approached its lair and tried to escape, but failed miserably. Making fools of even the wisest of men, its unsuspecting victims are trapped, time and time again.
_______________
Deftly spinning its web in countless ways, the victim’s innocent glance, gives the spider the opening, to shoot its desires deep into his bowels.

The web’s dazzling shine, hypnotizes him, in endless arrays of tantalizing movements and deceptions. One caressing strand, after another, entraps it prey.

Slowly, step by step, the victim comes closer and closer, succumbing to the spider’s irresistible allure. Being pulled in deeper and deeper, into its deadly web.

Suddenly, the spider pounces! Shocked, the captive fiercely struggles to escape. But it’s too late, there is no turning back.
____________
As bleak night, slowly turns into brilliant day, the spider realizes, that its end is near. It frantically reaches into its bag of tricks, only to find it empty.

All its deceptions have been uncovered, one by one.

Fear races through its being, as it desperately searches one last time; hoping against hope, that just one more trick might be found.

Yes, one is left, the most powerful one- Coldness! For thousands of years it has been hidden, only to be used in a dire situation, for this, the last battle.

The spider gathers all its powers, for this last delusion. It has to work, it cannot fail, all of eternity depends on it.

With Herculean effort, it fights one last battle.
______________
At first, it seems to be winning; yes one victim falls, another, and another.

But slowly, its energy wanes, as the Tzaddik’s piercing glance, throws the fear of G-d into its abyss; penetrating into the spider’s deepest dungeons; bringing life, where only death reigned.

The game is over.
________________
Before it was a King, but now only a pauper.
A sad mirage, that entangled mankind in its tentacles, leading them to destruction. Making the worthless seem priceless, and the priceless seem worthless.

Now the mask has been removed; the truth is openly visible. The spider has completed its mission; it has carried man to his destiny.

The time has come; the redemption has arrived!