תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף סט עמוד ב
אמרו: הואיל ועת רצון הוא נבעי רחמי איצרא דעבירה. בעו רחמי ואמסר בידייהו. אמר להו: חזו דאי קטליתו ליה לההוא - כליא עלמא. חבשוהו תלתא יומי, ובעו ביעתא בת יומא בכל ארץ ישראל ולא אשתכח
They [the Rabbis] said: Since this is a time of divine grace, let us pray for mercy from the evil inclination. They prayed for mercy, and it [the evil inclination] was handed over to them. It said to them: Realize that if you kill me, the world will be destroyed. They imprisoned it for three days, then looked in the whole land of Israel for a fresh egg and could not find one. [Soncino translation. Edited for gender neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. In this text, the rabbis attempt to trap the evil inclination that exists in each person. What happens when they succeed?
2. Why were the rabbis unable to find a fresh egg after three days?
3. What does this text teach us about our human nature and what motivates us to create?
Time Period: Rabbinic (Maccabees through the Talmud)