The Shvilei Pinches (Parshas Shoftim, 5772) quotes a famous teaching of the Rama that says that the sprinklings of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur (one up, and seven down) refers to the Yetzer Hara and the Yetzer Tov. He writes (Toras HaOlah, Part 2, 26:11):
אמנם מניין ההזאות שהיו שמונה על בין הבדים ועל הפרוכת, וארבע על קרנות המזבח, ושבעה באמצעו, הוא מבואר בדרך זה. כבר נודע הזאות יום הכפורים (חלק ג פרק נח) שהוא אחת למעלה ושבעה למטה, כמו שיתבאר בהלכות יום הכפורים אם ירצה השם יתעלה. והטעם שהיו רומזים על עניין יצר הרע המחטיא האדם, והוא נקרא בשבעה שמות, ולכן היה זורק שבעה הזאות למטה ואחד מלמעלה שהוא נגד יצר טוב, והיה מונה עם כל הזאות שלמטה שלמעלה כמו שאמרו (יומא נג, ב) וכך היה מונה כו', להורות כי מן הראוי לשתף יצר הרע עם יצר הטוב, ואז שניהם כאחד טובים, והיה זורק כמו שנאמר (יחזקאל לו, כה) וזרקתי עליכם מים טהורים. כמו שיתבאר כל זה אם ירצה השם יתעלה בסדר יום הכפורים (חלק ג פרק נט). ולכן היה זורק אלו הזאות על בין הבדים והפרוכת. וכבר נודע חלק ראשון פרק חמשה ועשרים על מה היו רומזים, ובדרך שכתבתי בסמוך.
The number of sprinklings, which were eight between the poles, eight on the curtain, four on the horns of the altar, and seven in the middle, is explained in this manner: It is already known regarding the sprinklings of Yom Kippur (Part 3, Chapter 58) that there was one above and seven below, as will be explained in the laws of Yom Kippur, G-d willing. The reason is that they alluded to the evil inclination that leads a person to sin, which is referred to by seven names. Therefore, the High Priest would sprinkle seven times below and one time above, corresponding to the good inclination. He would count each of the lower sprinklings along with the upper one, as it is stated (Yoma 53b), "and thus he would count, etc.," to teach that it is appropriate to combine the evil inclination with the good inclination, and then both together are good. He would sprinkle, as it is written (Yechezkel 36:25), "I will sprinkle clean water upon you." All of this will be explained, God willing, in the order of Yom Kippur (Part 3, Chapter 59). Therefore, these sprinklings were done between the poles and on the curtain. It is already known from Part 1, Chapter 25, what they symbolized, and in the manner I have written previously. (emphasis mine)
The Shvilei Pinches then goes on to quote from a sefer called "Shevet Sofer", written by Rabbi Simchah Bunem Sofer, the grandson of the Chasam Sofer. The Shvilei Pinches says:
In his view, when the Kohen Godol sprinkled “one above and seven below,” he had in mind to make a case proving Yisroel’s merit before HKB”H in the Kodesh HaKodoshim on Yom HaKippurim. The Gemoreh (Beroches 17a) presents a prayer recited by Rabbi Alexandri: ”רבון העולמים גלוי וידוע לפניך שרצוננו לעשות רצונך ומי מעכב ”שבעיסה שאור—Master of the Worlds, it is revealed and known before You that our will is to perform Your will. And who prevents us from doing so? The yeast in the dough—the yetzer hora. This, too, is the message inherent in the Kohen Godol’s sprinkling and counting protocol in the Kodesh HaKodoshim on Yom HaKippurim.
Thus, the Kohen Godol presented his case before HKB”H: ”למעלה אחת —”he sprinkled one above, indicating that there is but one way to connect with HKB”H above--by means of the yetzer tov. Conversely, ”למטה שבע—”the seven below indicated that there are seven ways by which one can fall into the spiritual abyss as a result of the yetzer hora’s forces of evil. Therefore, it is appropriate for HKB”H to forgive Yisroel for all of their transgressions. The Shevet Sofer concludes: והוא” incredible an is this—רמז נפלא ודבר גדול גילה לנו הרמ“א בזה“ message revealed to us by the Ramoh.
I have trouble understanding what the Shevet Sofer is explaining to us here.
We have a wonderful teaching in the Gemara that "we should always incite our good inclination against our evil inclination" (Berachos 5a), can the words of the Shevet Sofer mean that the one time the Kohen Gadol sprinkles upwards, referring to the yetzer tov, symbolises that we should incite the yetzer tov to overcome the yetzer hara?
Anyone able to expound this teaching? I am also looking for his original words (of the Shevet Sofer). Does anyone have access to his sefer on this?
