My Constant Companion
In general, whenever I fly, I always have an escort with me. But on one flight abroad, my escort could not come, so I found myself flying alone. As I took my seat, I asked Hashem to be my escort, sparing me from sitting near a strange woman. How happy I was to note that as the plane filled and the gates closed, the seat near me remained empty. I immediately thanked Hashem for this great kindness.
But my joy was premature. Suddenly, the doors opened again and a woman, with a dog, to boot, was ushered to the seat next to me. For the entire duration of the flight, I pressed myself against the window. I did not wish to rub shoulders with such seat-mates, or their impure canines. I suffered terribly as I battled my Evil Inclination through the trip. My only desire was to disembark the plane without falling prey to my Yetzer Hara.
When we finally landed, I immediately stood up and turned toward the exit. But, to my chagrin, the woman refused to step aside. She claimed she was in no hurry. I was forced to stand near her for an extended time and suffered greatly. I am certain it was my Yetzer Hara which blocked my passage from this place of temptation.
This flight taught me a thing or two. Although I am a scion of tzaddikim and attempt to serve Hashem faithfully, I am never secure from the seductions of the Yetzer Hara. The battle with the Yetzer Hara is ongoing, lasting as long as a person lives on this earth. Therefore, one may never be self-assured until his dying day. He must constantly ask to be spared from his number one enemy, who lurks in the chambers of his heart.
