(Extracted from a letter)
.One might ask: if the above is so simple and logical, how can one explain the comparatively small number of those who live in accordance with the Torah and the Mitzvot, while the number of those who transgress it is so much greater?
The answer to this question is also simple: "I see things from my own perspective." When one reflects on their conduct and actions, particularly in daily life (not on special occasions of spiritual elevation, such as Yom Tov, etc.), it's not difficult to see that a large part of our actions are motivated by our own desires and inclinations, not by our intellect. This is especially true where the conflict doesn't provoke the threat of immediate retaliation. The distant father figure is the threat of sanctions; the weaker the intellectual motivation, the stronger the behavior influenced by desire and emotion, even more so when the sanctions are "abstract" in nature. The fear of physical sanctions (prison, fines, etc.) is more effective than admonition or reasoned argument in the name of morality, justice, humanity, and so on.
There is also an additional factor of human nature involved. When a person succumbs to temptation and commits a "sin," they can experience two kinds of reaction: if they are honest and courageous, they will recognize their act for what it is—a fault, as well as a breach of their true desire and conscience. They recognize their fault as a sign of weakness, and then they will seek to overcome it and do better next time, because "God has compassion and forgives those who acknowledge their error and decide to correct it.".
On the other hand, someone who fears facing the truth and its consequences if they fail begins by making excuses and justifying their negative actions. Moreover, as "one transgression leads to another," the guilt complex and the need to justify themselves will become increasingly persistent and exert more pressure, both to appease their conscience and to present themselves in a certain light to others. "Love covers all offenses," particularly self-love, and "a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise," especially when it is self-bribery accompanied by vanity. Then they will be inclined to act in their own favor, and in this distorted way of thinking, they will find a personal philosophy or worldview that aligns with their behavior, one that not only justifies them but also transforms vice into virtue.