When a person has contact with gentiles—i.e., he has business dealings with them—he must protect himself very well so that it does not harm him. For it is quite easy for him to be caught in their snare, God forbid; to sever himself from his level of Judaism. Is it not enough [of a danger] for a person that he is in this lowly world, in which angels are incapable of withstanding the [temptations of this] world? For so we find, that angels once came to this world and stumbled greatly (Zohar I, 58a).
However, the fact is that Jews are stronger than angels. They are capable of remaining firm in this world, overcoming this world and clinging to the Blessed Creator. But to also have contact with gentiles is extremely difficult. Therefore, he has to protect himself very well, to be steadfast, immovable from his level of propriety and his Judaism.
מִי שֶׁהוּא מְעֹרָב בֵּין הָעַכּוּ"ם, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲסָקִים וּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן עִמָּהֶם, צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד מְאֹד שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק לוֹ, כִּי בְּקַל יוּכַל לְהִתָּפֵס בְּרִשְׁתָּם, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לַחֲלֹק עַצְמוֹ מִמַּדְרֵגַת יַהֲדוּתוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ, כִּי לֹא דַּי לְהָאָדָם שֶׁהוּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַשָּׁפָל, אֲשֶׁר מַלְאָכִים אֵין לָהֶם כֹּחַ לַעֲמֹד בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁפַּעַם אַחַת בָּאוּ מַלְאָכִים בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם וְנִלְכְּדוּ מְאֹד (זוהר בראשית דף נח).
When a person has contact with gentiles—i.e., he has business dealings with them—he must protect himself very well so that it does not harm him. For it is quite easy for him to be caught in their snare, God forbid; to sever himself from his level of Judaism. Is it not enough [of a danger] for a person that he is in this lowly world, in which angels are incapable of withstanding the [temptations of this] world? For so we find, that angels once came to this world and stumbled greatly (Zohar I, 58a).
אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לָהֶם כֹּחַ יוֹתֵר מִמַּלְאָכִים, וְהֵם יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמֹד בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם וּלְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וּלְהִדָּבֵק בְּהַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, אֲבָל לִהְיוֹת גַּם־כֵּן מְעֹרָב עִם הָעַכּוּ"ם, זֶה קָשֶׁה מְאֹד, עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד מְאֹד, לִהְיוֹת כְּיָתֵד חָזָק בַּל יִמֹּט מִמַּדְרֵגַת כַּשְׁרוּתוֹ וְיַהֲדוּתוֹ:
However, the fact is that Jews are stronger than angels. They are capable of remaining firm in this world, overcoming this world and clinging to the Blessed Creator. But to also have contact with gentiles is extremely difficult. Therefore, he has to protect himself very well, to be steadfast, immovable from his level of propriety and his Judaism.