By GYE
Sometimes, when we find ourselves drawn, time and time again, to look at things we know we shouldn't, we ask ourselves, "wouldn't it be great if I just couldn't see"?
But then, we start to think about how wonderful it is to be able to see. We begin to realize that without your eyes, you wouldn't be able to get around, to support yourself and family, to enjoy food, to enjoy the beauty in your wife and children, and to enjoy the beautiful world. We ask ourselves, "Which is better? To be blind and have no test, or to enjoy the tremendous gift of sight and simply learn to work on myself?"
We need to realize that our eyes don't belong to us. They were given to us by G-d to be able to live a fulfilling and meaningful life, and to experience his infinite goodness. So how can we let ourselves use this precious gift to rebel against him?
Sent in by "todaystheday613"
Thank you so much for your email (see part 1 of this article). It was perfectly timed for me. This morning at davening, I saw a boy who unfortunately was blind and was davening with a Braille siddur. I thought to myself, this kid cannot see and I have this unbelievable gift of sight, how can I possibly use it for the wrong things? Hashem gave us the gift of sight to be used for kadosh matters, to learn Torah, to daven and do mitzvos. We are stealing from HaShem when we use it for inappropriate things! I have to remind myself of the boy I saw today every time I’m tempted to look at something inappropriate. Nebech, he cannot see but let me use my vision for the right things - to serve HaShem.
By a GYE Member
There are different categories of aveiros, some are forgiven with teshuva alone, some need yesurim ch"v, etc. The worst aveiroh of Chilul Hashem is only forgiven with death, r"l.
However, this psak can be accomplished in a different manner. It says that 4 people are considered like a meis - a dead person - and one of them is someone who is blind. If a person, when faced with temptation in shmiras eynayim, closes his eyes - he makes himself like a blind man - with that he receives a kapparah for even the worst aveiroh of chilul Hashem.