Parshas Ki Seitzei begins with a warning. When Am Yisrael goes out to war, they must be aware of the temptation presented by the Eishet Yefat Toar, the woman of beautiful appearance. Chazal teach us that the ultimate battle is the battle within. If Am Yisrael can conquer the Yetzer Hara within themselves, they will be able to overcome their enemies as well. What can the laws of Eishet Yefat Toar teach us about how to conquer the Yetzer Hara?
There are three ways in which the Yetzer Hara can trap us. It can cause us to become stuck in the past, too focused on the present, or overly concerned with the future. We know that Hashem is היה, הוה, ויהיה, He was, He is, and He will be. To overcome the Yetzer Hara, we must learn to see our lives from this broader perspective.
Just like in a military battle, we must understand the strategy of our enemy. The Yetzer Hara tries to give us tunnel vision, causing us to see a limited perspective.
