Cerastes in the Soul

Question

The letter Shin~Pei~Yud~Pei~Nun spell “shphiyphon” meaning “adder” – an intriguing word in Genesis 49:17. Even more interesting is the word spelled Nun~Pei~Shin – “nephesh – meaning soul, also in this word.

Is there a cerastes , a horned snake, in every human soul?

Could this be likened to the “yetzer hara” – the evil inclination?

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Answers

  1. Yes. The primordial snake in the Garden of Eden that persuaded Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge is described as being the Yetzer Harah (evil inclination). Is there a “snake” inside of each and every one of us? Yes, absolutely. Our task in this world is to fight against the Yetzer Harah and not allow ourselves to be seduced by its wiles.

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