1. So why is it surprising when the soul’s desire to join with something beautiful is defeated?
2. Joseph, an example of self-control, is praised for this very thing.He had full control over his sexual desire through mental effort.
3. Although he was a young man in his sexual prime, he defeated his sexual urges with clear thinking.
4. Clear thinking isn’t just being able to have control over strong sexual urges but over every other desire as well.
5. So the Law says, "You will not desire your neighbor’s wife or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
6. Since the Law commanded us not to desire, I should be able to convince you even more that clear thinking is able to control desires.This also proves true in the case of emotions that prevent justice.
7. It is obvious that clear thinking is in charge of the emotions—otherwise, how could someone who always indulges in binge eating in private, or a person who tends to overeat, or a person who tends to get drunk, learn a better way?
8. As soon as people who love money decide to live according to the Law, they are forced to change their way of life, lending to those who ask without charging interest and canceling all debts in the seventh year.
9. If people are greedy, they are forced by the Law through clear thinking, so they don’t pick up the grain in the field that they missed the first time or go back through the vineyard to pick the last clusters of grapes.In every other matter we can also see that clear thinking controls the emotions.
10. The Law even controls affection for parents so that a person does not desert moral values because of them.
11. It exercises control over a husband’s love for his wife so that he corrects her if she ignores the Law.
12. It rules love for children by punishing them when they do wrong.