GEN198 The mitzvoth are indeed for spiritual cleansing.  We live in a world of temptation and brutality.  Our senses are constantly assailed by a barrage of banality and obscenity.  Our mass media seek largely to cater to the lowest common denominator, the worst instincts and interests.  Who knows how much of the invidious “fallout’ is absorbed by our nature? Exposed to so much “dirt,” we need frequent cleansing with “a strong detergent that has deep-down cleansing action” (to borrow or paraphrase some of Madison Avenue’s scintillating language).  The Almighty wanted Israel to be cleansed and pure; and so He gave us a comprehensive Torah and surrounded us with mitzvoth. The Talmud tells us that in the days of Ezra the Sages prayed that the evil yearning to worship idols, which was still strong at that time, should be removed from the world; and their prayer succeeded.  Emboldened, they entreated further, that the power of the entire yetzer hara, man’s evil inclination, be ended forever.  And the Talmud relates that the sensuous inclination was given over into their hands, to do with as they chose.  But a prophet warned them, “Beware: if you destroy this, the entire world will be destroyed.” They decided to render the yetzer hara powerless for three days.  But that very day they learned their lesson: A fresh egg was needed to help cure a sick person; and in all the land of Israel no fresh egg could be found. For with the evil inclination removed, all passion and drive to cohabit and procreate came to an end, the reproductive function ceased, and chickens even stopped producing eggs!  Perforce the Sages gave the yetzer hara its freedom once again. [Talmud, Yoma 69b, Sanhedrin 64a].   Later Sages, in the days of Talmud and Midrash, affirmed this idea. Scripture writes, “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. [this verse]. And the Sages comment: “Very good refers to the yetzer hara. But is the evil inclination very good, then? Indeed, for if not for the yetzer hara [passion, lust] no man would build a house, marry, or beget children; nor would anyone engage in trade.” [Midrash Rabbah, Genesis IX, 7]. SINAI1 14-5