The Marketplace of Evil: How Social Media Fuels the Yetzer Hara

by Ram ben Ze'ev

The Marketplace of Evil: How Social Media Fuels the Yetzer Hara

There was once a time—not long ago—when people thought carefully before they spoke, let alone before they broadcast their opinions to the world. Today, with the tap of a finger, we share, repost, and comment without hesitation. And while the world marvels at the power of instant communication, Torah reminds us that every word, every action, and yes, every click, carries weight—eternal weight.

We are taught in בראשית (Bereshit, Genesis) that man is formed with two inclinations: the יצר טוב (yetzer tov, good inclination), and the יצר הרע (yetzer hara, evil inclination). The yetzer hara is not merely a personal struggle—it is a cosmic force that feeds off the darkness of the world, and like any fire, it requires fuel. Today, social media is its forest.

When someone posts something vile—whether anti-Jewish, immoral, obscene, or just bitter—it is not always the original post that does the most damage. It is the viral response. It is the resharing by the “outraged,” the commentaries by the self-righteous, the mockery by the smug. Each reaction, each retweet, each indignant reply amplifies the very thing it claims to oppose. And why? Because we have come to believe that we must respond, that silence is complicity, and that our "two cents" are somehow a moral obligation.

But the Torah says otherwise.

King Solomon (שלמה המלך – Shlomo HaMelekh), the wisest of men, wrote in משלי (Mishlei, Proverbs 10:19): "ברב דברים לא יחדל פשע, וחשך שפתיו משכיל" – “In the multitude of words, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”

This is not just good advice; it is halakhic (הלכתי) instruction. The חפץ חיים (Chofetz Chaim) codified entire volumes on the laws of לשון הרע (lashon hara, evil speech), רכילות (rechilut, gossip), and אבק לשון הרע (avak lashon hara, the "dust" of evil speech)—all of which are rampantly violated online every second. And the most dangerous violation? The amplification of evil speech under the guise of “commentary.”

We are forbidden not only to speak lashon hara, but to listen to it, to accept it, and certainly to pass it on—even when it is “already public.” Once evil is in the air, you have a choice: let it die, or give it more oxygen. Most choose the latter.

Maimonides (רמב"ם – Rambam), in הלכות דעות (Hilchot De’ot) 5:1, writes: "דרך בריאים להיות שומעין דברי חכמה ואינם מדברים כל היום." – “The way of the healthy-minded is to listen to words of wisdom and not to speak all day.”

Speech is not neutral. Torah speech builds worlds. Negative speech destroys. And in this age of digital immediacy, where every individual has a megaphone, restraint is no longer piety—it is survival.

When someone posts a video filled with hate, what should be done? Ignore it. Report it, perhaps, if necessary. But do not comment. Do not link to it. Do not write long replies filled with indignation. These are all gifts to the yetzer hara. The evil one does not care if he is loved or hated—only that he is seen.

We must stop pretending that amplifying darkness is a form of activism. It is not. It is weakness. It is a society addicted to noise, to attention, and to self-importance.

If one must speak, let them speak Torah. Let them share light. Let them build.

Tehillim (תהלים 34:14) states: "נצר לשונך מרע ושפתיך מדבר מרמה." – “Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.”

Our duty is not to battle every piece of evil on its own terms. Our duty is to deny it the one thing it needs to survive: amplification.

In these final generations before the arrival of משיח (Mashiach), the battlefield is no longer the town square—it is your timeline. The stakes have not changed. Choose what you share, what you amplify, what you dwell upon.

Because if you're not adding light, you're adding darkness.

Call to Action

The next time you see something evil, vile, or grotesque online—stop. Don't share it. Don't comment. Don’t give it life. If you must respond, respond with Torah, with kindness, with light.

Amplify what is holy, not what is hateful. If we truly believe in the power of words, we must also believe in the power of silence. Choose to elevate. Choose to build. Choose to protect your soul and the souls of others from becoming fuel for the yetzer hara.

Because silence, in the face of evil, is not complicity when silence starves evil of its food.

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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue