Sin and Foolishness

A theme of Parshat נשא, is sin and repentance. We have the commandment to do וידוי, confession of our sins.

We also have the story of the סוטה, the woman suspected of being unfaithful to her husband, and sinning against him.

And we have the individual who is so concerned that he might give in to his own shortcomings, that he takes upon himself the vow to become a Nazir. He abstains from drinking wine. He grows his hair, and does not come in contact with the dead.

The Talmud tells us that a person only sins if he is overcome by a רוח שטות, a spirit of foolishness, or maybe, temporary insanity.

Rabbi Twerski wrote that if man would simply remember how exalted Hashem is, and how lowly man is, in comparison to G-d, he would never violate His holy commandments.

This is the reason why in so many synagogues, the verse, שויתי ה׳ לנגדי תמיד, that Hashem is always opposite me, is found on the ארון קדש. We must be consciously aware at all times, that Hashem is with us. Not only will it prevent us from sinning, but it will give us the wonderful feeling of having Him close to us.