Reply To: Can the severity of a sin be learned from the severity of the punishment?

OK I have many sources for what I hold.
What’s worse?
Depends on tons of factors
Starting point I think is there is no issur that I am aware of to sit near a woman (except ones wife in specific circumstances)
After that you start to get involved in
Enjoyment, and level of permissiblity of the woman in question.
Way too many variables to give a clear answer
Assuming there are no side female or relation issur going on it’s quite possible that it’s worse to fantasize which is basically the issue with sitting next to a woman than to actually do the act.
Strange but possibly true
Source, Gemarah יומא
גדולה הרהורי עבירה מעבירה עצמה וסימנך שילהי דקייטא קשה מדקייטא
Please excuse spelling and or paraphrase