Any manner of Torah study provides us with spiritual fuel to fight the yetzer hara. Studying Torah automatically strengthens us and makes us want to serve Hashem properly. But there are also specific benefits that come from certain kinds of Torah study.
As we discussed in Chapter 32, when we study halachos in depth, Hashem minimizes the yetzer hara in that area. Thus, learning the halachos of desire is quite helpful. Studying the halachos of a sin also impresses upon us that it really is forbidden, and creates a commitment not to do it. It no longer feels like theoretical knowledge that this is something we shouldn’t do. It feels real. This gives us the strength to stand up to our yetzer hara and confidently tell him no.
The most potent form of Torah study is in-depth learning that requires us to work hard and push our limits in learning. This includes toiling to figure out what the Gemara or its commentators really mean, working out complicated calculations in learning, questioning how this material fits with other sources, and thinking of answers to questions and contradictions. Breaking our heads in learning is the strongest performance enhancer in our battle against the yetzer hara. It’s the secret weapon that helps us defeat him again and again.