GEN637 He who cultivates his sensual nature instead of letting his sense of God and of awe before him control his conduct, and win the victory for his higher nature, creates in himself, as the Talmud says, a strange god; that is, he allows the natural impulse to evil, which the religious man subdues through the good deed, to grow ever stronger until finally it becomes his master.  To be sure, man’s heart is evil from his youth [this verse], that is, as our sages teach, evil example can even in childhood have a devastating effect upon the purity of the soul, but over against evil example education and good example stand as equally strong forces.  Thus, Judaism does not believe in the depravity of human nature; it only asserts susceptibility to sin.  If the soul of man is pure, so is his body also; man’s body as God’s creation carries within itself, no natural uncleanness.  Nor is the evil inclination embedded in man’s corporeal life.  The human being who sins acts out of moral perversity.  Over against all other views, Judaism holds firmly to the purity of the human being.  FOJE 93-4