Hey.

I had a thought today in slichos.  It was something of a consolation to me, maybe it will be to others too, even if it's a little strange.

Fact of the matter, folks, is that whatever chataim we're talking about on this forum, odds are it's not the worst sin we've got in our bag of tricks.  I know for me it's not.  Anyone here speak lashon hara?  Guilty.  Embarrass another person? In public?  Scary stuff.  I'm pretty sure that any talmid chacham would agree - lashon hara is a lot worse than looking at images.

As it happens, I was going to post this earlier today and got delayed (thanks Hashem!) and just a few minutes ago I read the following in Shaarei Teshuva (3:111): when a man says he discovered that his wife was not a besulah, she is a candidate for the death penalty. Yet if he was lying and is punished, the Torah says (Deut. 22:19) that he is punished because he slandered her!  How wild is that??? He tries to have her killed, but that's not even mentioned here - just the fact that he said nasty things about this sweet bas Yisrael.  Incredible! Also sobering (no pun intended) - I have definitely not been careful enough with my speech.

The long and the short of it is, buck up.  This ain't the worst thing you've done.

Smith

P.S. By coincidence (I really think), the following siman (3:112) is where Rabbeinu Yonah hits the old favorite issur of self-pleasuring.  He says it's assur whether by hand or by foot.  Okay - someone go and explain THAT to me.

While there may or may not be truth to that, the real question is: Is such thinking justifying our wrongdoings enabling us to go on and continue without feeling so bad? Or is it making it easier to put teshuva back in scope without feeling crushed by the weight of our sins loosing all hope?

This, only we can answer ourselves.

2B

Mr. Smith wrote on 24 Sep 2009 21:14:


You are correct that there are more severe Aveiros than looking at Pritzus and Zera l'Vatalah.  However, the latter Aveiros affect our Kedusha far more than the Aveiros you mention.

By the way, the Rambam in Hilchos Teshuva states that only one who habitually embarrasses others publicly loses his Cheilek in Olam Habah (unless he does Teshuva).  Of course, even doing so occasionally is a serious sin.

Tizaher Bimitzvah Kalah K"Chamura she'ayn ata Yodeah matan secharan shel mitzvos

Without addressing your main point  directly, it was once mentioned here that the covenant/bris of the flesh (what we are primarily dealing with here) and the covenant of the mouth ie laws of purity of speech go hand in hand. If a person  guards one covenant it enables the safekeeping of the other.

Guard mentioned this in a chizuk email in the name of Rabbi Twersky.

Noorah

Second to last on this page: www.guardureyes.com/GUE/RTwerski/inspiration.asp

By hand or foot... "by hand" we all know what that means. "By foot" means inappropriate touching, without the actual act (I think)