You may think that you are removed from a particular major temptation, such as the desire for wealth. Still, you may be much worse off than someone else who is steeped in that desire, because you may be so deeply involved in another desire that it totally overshadows even the desire for riches. Having a desire that can completely overwhelm another desire surely makes you much worse off.
The desire in which you are involved may be less significant than the one you avoid. But still, you are worse off, since you have fallen so deeply into a worldly desire that you became oblivious to all others.
A stubborn infant can literally strike his head against the wall to spite his mother. There are some people who exhibit the same stubbornness and lack of self-control. They give up everything because of some stubborn, overpowering desire.
יֵשׁ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁנִּדְמֶה עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁהֵם רְחוֹקִים מֵאֵיזֶה תַּאֲווֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת, כְּגוֹן מִתַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה. דַּע, שֶׁאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁהוּא גָּרוּעַ יוֹתֵר מֵחֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְשֻׁקָּע בְּאוֹתָהּ הַתַּאֲוָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֵיזֶה תַּאֲוָה אַחֶרֶת שֶׁהוּא מְשֻׁקָּע בָּהּ כָּל־כָּךְ עַד שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה שֶׁהִיא תַּאֲוָה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד נִתְבַּטְּלָה אֶצְלוֹ כְּנֶגֶד אוֹתָהּ הַתַּאֲוָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא גָּרוּעַ יוֹתֵר, כִּי הוּא מְשֻׁקָּע כָּל־כָּךְ בְּאֵיזֶה תַּאֲוָה עַד שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ תַּאֲוָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁל מָמוֹן וְכַיּוֹצֵא נִתְבַּטֵּל אֶצְלוֹ מֵחֲמַת הַתַּאֲוָה.
You may think that you are removed from a particular major temptation, such as the desire for wealth. Still, you may be much worse off than someone else who is steeped in that desire, because you may be so deeply involved in another desire that it totally overshadows even the desire for riches. Having a desire that can completely overwhelm another desire surely makes you much worse off.
וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הָיְתָה הַתַּאֲוָה שֶׁהוּא מְשֻׁקָּע בָּהּ קְטַנָּה מִתַּאֲוָה הָאַחֶרֶת שֶׁהוּא רָחוֹק מִמֶּנָּה, עִם כָּל זֶה אֵין נָפְקָא-מִנָּהּ [הבדל] כְּלָל, מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא מְשֻׁקָּע בָּהּ כָּל־כָּךְ עַד שֶׁתַּאֲוָה גְּדוֹלָה נִתְבַּטֵּל אֶצְלוֹ עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה כַּנַּ"ל.
The desire in which you are involved may be less significant than the one you avoid. But still, you are worse off, since you have fallen so deeply into a worldly desire that you became oblivious to all others.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ עַקְשָׁן, כְּגוֹן תִּינוֹק, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל עַקְשָׁנוּת לְבַד יָכוֹל לְהַפְקִיר עַצְמוֹ לְגַמְרֵי וּלְהַכּוֹת ראֹשׁוֹ בְּתֵבָה, מֵחֲמַת עַקְשָׁנוּת כְּנֶגֶד אִמּוֹ, שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה לָהּ לְהַכְעִיס. כְּמוֹ כֵן יֵשׁ בִּבְנֵי אָדָם שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהַפְקִיר הַכֹּל וּלְסַלֵּק כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת בִּשְׁבִיל אֵיזֶה תַּאֲוָה אוֹ עַקְשָׁנוּת שֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה:
A stubborn infant can literally strike his head against the wall to spite his mother. There are some people who exhibit the same stubbornness and lack of self-control. They give up everything because of some stubborn, overpowering desire.