In davening (ma’ariv) we make the following request from HaKadosh Baruch Hu:
??????? ???? ???????????? ?????????????? – And remove the satan from in front of us, and behind us.
I understand the request for “infront of us”. I want to do a mitzva, but the yetzer hara is trying to stop me. What is the case of behind us?
There are 2 ways in which the yetzer hara attacks from behind.
a) After doing a mitzva, the yetzer hara makes us wish we hadn’t. (The Rambam writes, that the same way one can do teshuva on their averos, one can also do teshuva on their mitzvos R”L). and,
b) Reminding us of all the bad we have done in the past, trying to prevent us from moving forward (using images, reminders, or insults such as faker).
Both of there Yetzrei Hara (front and back) are dangerous and we need siyata d’shmaya in our quest to conquer it.
Nevertheless, we must realize when the yetzer hara is attacking, and how he is doing so.