Shalom and welcome to our moment of reflection together.  Today’s teaching from Pirkei Avot is short and to the point, but oh so hard to implement.  Ben Zoma taught, “Who is strong?  One who controls their inclinations.” We often think of physical strength, yet true strength lies in mastering ourselves, our desires and impulses. The yetzer hara, our inclination towards negativity, whispers in our ear constantly.  It tempts us to anger, laziness, overindulgence. True strength, Ben Zoma reminds us, comes from recognizing those whispers for what they are and choosing a different path. This is the daily struggle of being human! This podcast was produced and sponsored by Daniel Aharonoff.