What makes someone a true hero? Is it having strength and power, or being able to control himself when it's difficult?
The Midrash describes a farmer who observes Shemittah as a mighty warrior. In the sixth year, G-d promises that his field will produce enough food to last for three years—the sixth, seventh, and eighth years. So why is he called a mighty warrior if he already has plenty of food?
Because the real challenge comes when his field produces an incredible amount. His yetzer hara can tell him, “Look how successful your field is! Imagine how much more you'll make if you keep working it next year.” Even though he knows that his abundance came from G-d's promise, the temptation can still be incredibly convincing.
That's what makes him a warrior. True strength is not just having power over others; it's having power over yourself.
We are constantly influenced by advertisements, social media, and the people around us. We can easily be convinced to abandon what we know is right.
A strong person is someone who can say: “I know what I believe, and I won't allow outside influences to make me abandon it.”