The Role of Torah in the Struggle to Avoid Arayos

Mishlei 5:19-20

The drive for forbidden conjugal relationships is rooted in fantasy and delusion. Clarity of perception is critical to reducing the pull of ta’avah. A person who observes the laws of yichud and who takes careful precautions to avoid ordeals in arayos appears to the outsider as very much pre-occupied in this area, but this is the pre-requisite for success.

Learning is not just an intellectual activity. The antidote to a powerful attraction to the superficial beauty of arayos is a replacement attraction and connectedness to the beautiful woman that is Torah. Pre-occupation with Torah thoughts can save us from sin because it nourishes the same deep elements within the human psyche.