If You Could Do Any Aveirah

Which sin would you like to commit - and is that a legitimate wish?

A friend of mine asked me a hypothetical question last week. We are commited to mitzvah observance, and no man has the power to say otherwise. But suppose that Hashem Himself appeared to you and said that you are allowed to do one single aveirah. What would you choose - if any?

It’s an interesting question. Is there someone that you have always wanted to murder? Are you desperate to get a tattoo? Do you have a burning urge to tie your right shoelace before your left?

The question also raises the issue about whether it is legitimate to actually want to commit a sin, even if one does not actually follow through with doing it. Should we try to eradicate such desires? Or is it better to demonstrate the strength of having them but not following them?

I didn’t need more than a second to come up with my personal answer. But since my visit to Thailand this past week, I’ve had to modify it. (The rest of this post is for paid subscribers/ museum supporters; it also includes pictures that some may find disturbing.)