The delusion of omnipotence is extremely dangerous. A person must know his strengths and abilities, but must also recognize his limitations.

Rebbe Zusia once said to his brother, Rebbe Elimelech, "Brother, the holy books say that Adam contained all the seed of future mankind. If so, then you and I were part of Adam. Why did we allow him to sin?"

Rebbe Elimelech answered, "The serpent had told him that if he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, he would be as great as Elohim. Had Adam not eaten from the Tree, he would have harbored the thought that if he had eaten its fruit he would have been equal to Elohim. Having that delusion would have been even more sinful than eating the forbidden fruit. Once the serpent had implanted this idea in his mind, there was no choice but to let him eat from the tree and find out that he cannot be as wise as Elohim.