The specific warning: 'Therefore hear me, my sons, and do not ignore the words of my mouth. Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house.' 'Do not ignore' (lo tasureh) and 'keep to a path far from her' (rechok mishukhah orchacha) counsel complete avoidance. This is not a strategy of moderate engagement or testing one's ability to resist at the boundary. Rather, the wise person avoids situations of temptation entirely. 'Do not go near the door of her house' (al tiqrev el pesach beyita) indicates that one should not position oneself where temptation is near. Prevention through avoidance is better than relying on resistance at the moment of temptation.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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