The Gemara continues: Rav Kahana was selling baskets [in the marketplace]. A noblewoman approached him and tried to force him to sin with her.
“I will go beautify myself,” he said.
He went up to the roof and jumped off. Eliyahu Hanavi came flying and caught him just before he hit the ground.
Eliyahu told Rav Kahana, “You troubled us to come four hundred parsos to save you!”
Rav Kahana responded, “What caused me to have to sell baskets and brought about this situation? Is it not poverty?”
Upon hearing this, Eliyahu gave him a chest full of money.
We see that Hashem performs miracles to protect and benefit a person who overcomes challenges of immorality. Hashem does this because it takes great effort for a person to overcome his nature and thus it is considered a legendary act. Hashem treasures these victories so much that He makes miracles for those who accomplish them. If we take advantage of our opportunities to conquer our desires, we can accomplish great achievements! Let’s remember the significance of what we are accomplishing and fire ourselves up to accomplish even more.
We must celebrate every victory we score against the yetzer hara in battles of desire. This brings home the message that we gain immensely by doing the right thing. It helps us appreciate what we are doing. Celebrating our accomplishments will make us eager to fight the yetzer hara. We will be so energized that we won’t feel we missed out on anything by not indulging. We will feel ourselves gaining and growing — we will see that we are doing much better than we ever have! We will have something so exciting that we won’t even want to give in to our desires.
When you stop the yetzer hara in his tracks, you must get excited. Think about how hard it was to win, and how great that makes your accomplishment. Recall the list of legendary tzaddikim who did similar acts. Think about how much Hashem cherishes such accomplishments. Remember the true definition of greatness, and realize that these acts put you on your way there. Pump your fist with excitement over what you were able to accomplish.
Think about how fortunate you are. Instead of following a desire, which would have only brought you a brief enjoyment but left you with nothing, you have accomplished something you will be proud of forever! This is another step toward greatness! You are so lucky that Hashem challenged you to enable you to accomplish.
Remember that Hashem is proud of you. This is a special time to talk to Him. Tell Him, “I know You are so proud of what I just did. I know You consider it a significant accomplishment. You are so excited that I accomplished this with Your help, and that makes me very happy.”
Pump yourself up, and your success will spill into your next battle. You are accomplishing what you were put here for! You are succeeding! You are on the road to greatness! Use the exhilaration to impress upon yourself that spiritual accomplishment is worth aspiring for. Celebrating your victories is the most important thing you can do to develop a drive for success through self-control.
This message is stressed by Chovos Halevavos (5:5), which tells the reader:
Don’t listen to [even the smallest of] the yetzer hara’s wishes. Rather, hold highly in your eyes even the most minuscule victory and slightest increase of power over the yetzer hara. This will lead you to reach even greater success. The yetzer hara will be quick to obey you and he won’t stand up to you if you stand up to him.
This is what happens when we fight back against the yetzer hara and celebrate every victory, no matter how small it seems. Celebrating our victories brings us to win our battles and rule over the yetzer hara.