Thread: A question on Christian Scripture.

שטן (Satan) appears for the first time in Deuteronomy 22:22 -- ויתיצב מלאך ה' בדרך, לשטן לו (and God placed an angel in the path, to 'stumble' him [Bilam, riding on his ass]).

Satan is an "interrogator"; the "prosecuting attorney", if you will, in the בית דין של מעלה (the High Court of Heaven).

Furthermore, Judaism teaches that each of us has two יצרים (inclinations): יצר הטוב and יצר הרע (good and evil inclinations, respectively). The רמב"ם (Maimonides) taught that when we, in our God-given freedom of choice, choose to follow our "good inclination", God strengthens our ability to continue doing so. Conversely, when we follow our "evil inclination"...

And the Talmud teaches us that, despite what "logic" might dictate, one who tries to destroy his "evil inclination" leaves himself without an opposing force with which to contend... "Character is built through adversity".