Tiferes Shlomo: Remember That You Are a King's Son

The primary objective of the Yetzer Hara is not to make a person sin as much as it is to make him forget that he is the son of a King.

Attribution printed on the image: Tiferes Shlomo, Parshas Chukas

A reflection on the teaching

A person who forgets his dignity may begin to act as though nothing he does matters. The teaching printed here describes that loss of identity as a danger in its own right. Remembering that we are children of the King gives us a reason to return after a mistake. It also gives us a standard for how to behave. Dignity and responsibility belong together. When the yetzer hara tells us that we are beyond repair, we can ask what action would fit the person we are called to be, and begin there.

Source note: The attribution above is transcribed from the image. The exact source and English wording have not been independently verified.