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Friday, July 19, 2019

INSIGHT 5779 - #37: BONDS OF SOCIETY

For  Balak
 
Not yet available on the Nishma website

For clarification purposes, I just want to further explain my point. To draw someone into a certain plan of behaviour which this person may find objectionable, the first step may be to draw the person into an activity which the person actually values. In sharing this activity with this other, some connection may also form. Steps can then be taken to foster the connection while drawing the person into other behaviours which this person may not necessarily value as much but would still not find objectionable. As the connection then strengthens, especially if it is seen as a value in itself, a slightly objectionable action could then be suggested and if that works, the potential to draw the person into further objectionable activities could be a result. As there is a connection between sexuality and relating, one could see how such a path could lead a person who values human relationships, over some time period, to be drawn in, by an initial simple act of relating, into a sexual misdeed -- even, albeit, initial concern for inappropriate sexuliaty.
Rabbi Ben Hecht

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