The Library

"When B'nai Yisrael went down to Egypt, they be­haved with modesty - each person living in his own tent, as the verse says (Shemot 1:1): 'Each man and his household came.' Reuven did not look at Shimon's wife, nor did Shimon look at Reuven's wife. Rather, each man lived m...

Does desire really distort reason? We can't really fool ourselves, can we? Rabbi Yisrael Salanter commented on the sophisticated mechanism in our minds that rationalizes wrongdoing. We actually convince ourselves that we are blameless. He writes: Physical desires urge a...

"Common courtesy precedes Torah." (Vayikra Rabbah 9:3) Couldn't not looking at a woman be construed as rudeness? Naturally, every situation requires tact and common sense. The law does not expect us to treat modestly dressed women as if they do not exist. We are expected...

Awareness of Hashem is hard to sustain in today's culture. What tools can I utilize to help me develop and maintain it? Just as a security guard will deter a thief from robbing a store, the awareness that you are in G-d's presence will empower you with the ability to co...

"That sounds like a good thing to do, but truthfully, I'm too busy to take the time." When the Jewish People were slaves in Egypt, Pharaoh was concerned that they would rebel and overthrow his rule. In order to prevent them from organizing a rebellion, he saw to it that...

In today's world, it's unrealistic to avoid immodestly dressed women. What can I do in a situation that is unavoidable? The darkness of night causes two types of visual misjudgment. In Mesilat Yesharim(chapter 3), the Ramchal explains that when it is dark: (1) We cannot s...

That all makes sense, but how can you prepare for what you don't expect? "When an army plans a war, the generals de­sign a strategy. They consider every detail and prepare for every scenario. But when the war is actually fought, there are always unforeseen events and situ...

Changing my focus seems to be unnatural. Show me how I can train my eyes to avoid normal eye-level. Since keeping your eyes lowered is not the norm, you need to accustom yourself to this new focus. The best way to change an old habit is to consciously practice a new beh...

"The keys to control" are exactly what I need! What do routine and experience have to do with controlling my eyes? "Routine and experience are the keys to control in every matter." (Ohr Yisrael, Letter Four) Rabbi Salanter used the word "routine" quite in­tentionally, fo...

But life isn't like a business plan! What motivation can I use to keep from repeating mistakes in Shmirat Einayim? "One can assess the results of his business affairs, and then try to rectify things before trouble occurs... We have the ability to learn from our mistakes. ...

In my company, men and women work together all the time. Even though I own the company, I feel reluctant to impose my religious dress standards on my employees. Is there something I can do to encourage proper attire? "Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of t...

I've been trying to control my eyes, but controlling my thoughts is beyond me. Besides, if a thought flashes through my mind, it doesn't mean anything. I can still control my behavior. "Who is strong? One who subdues his passions." (Avot 4:1) "A master of his passion...

In my professional life, I sometimes deal with women. Most of them dress conservatively, so I never thought there was a problem associated with looking at them. How can I function in the business world if I can't even look at a beautiful woman? Here's a simple question....

I enjoy life and see the world as a beautiful place. What is meant by the "deceptive nature" of the world? On Day 11, we discussed the importance of developing a deep awareness of Hashem. Another concept related to this is what Rabbi Salanter calls "Wisdom of the World....

Wasn't Mike's problem unusual? Do I need to worry about extremes? Mike and Gail were married and lived in a vibrant observant community. They both came from tra­ditional Orthodox families. Their goals were to build a Jewish home which reflected classic Torah ideals. But...

"My wife and I make a solid effort to make the environment in our home Jewish, but I never thought of this in light of Shmirat Einayim." If you are an employee, you probably have little control over your work environment. Short of requesting a respectable dress code, th...

What is the relationship between Shmirat Einayim and the success of my children in living a lifestyle of Torah values? Is there anything more beautiful than sitting with your family at the Shabbat table and discussing Parshat HaShavuah? Each one of us wants to see the ...

For today's Chizuk e-mail, I point you to an inspiring article written by Tzvi Fishman on his Arutz Sheva Blog: At the center of this month’s Torah readings is Yosef HaTzaddik. The Holy Zohar teaches that Yosef earned the esteemed title of Tzaddik because he guarded the...