Rabbi Nahman said in
Rabbi Samuel's name: 'Behold, it was good' refers to the Good Desire; 'And
behold, it was very good' refers to the Evil Desire. (It only says 'very good'
after man was created with both the good and bad inclinations, in all other
cases it only says 'and God saw that it was good') Can then the Evil Desire be
very good? That would be extraordinary! But without the Evil Desire, however,
no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children; and thus said
Solomon: 'Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is
a man's rivalry with his neighbour.' (Ecclesiastes 4:4). (Genesis
Rabbah 9.7)
