An immoral thought can arrive uninvited, and it can stay longer than a person wants. R' Elimelech gives a verse to say several times and a teaching of Chazal to think about. What does he fear a thought left to linger will do?
6When an immoral thought comes to him, Heaven forbid, he should say several times, “Guard yourself from every evil thing,”1 and think then of Chazal's teaching on this verse: that a person should not have such thoughts by day and so come to a nocturnal emission.2 He must not let the bad thought linger in his mind at all, so that it does not defile the higher intellect.
In shortAn immoral thought is met with “Guard yourself from every evil thing” and Chazal's reading of it, and is not allowed to linger in the mind.
The maamar as a whole
The sixth practice deals with an immoral thought that comes unbidden. R' Elimelech prescribes saying several times, “Guard yourself from every evil thing,” and then thinking of Chazal's teaching on that verse: a person should not have such thoughts by day and so come to a nocturnal emission at night. He must not let the thought linger in his mind at all, and he gives the reason: a bad thought left to stay defiles the higher intellect.
Takeaway
When an impure thought comes, say “Guard yourself from every evil thing” at once and give the thought no room to linger, for R' Elimelech warns that a thought left to stay defiles the higher intellect.
Related learning
Sources he cites
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Translated with AI assistance. Sources and summaries were checked by a separate AI review; not yet reviewed by a human editor.
