Do Not Stray after Your Eyes
Many times, people come to me for a blessing for their loved ones. They often bring along a picture of their family, although this is completely unnecessary. I do not need a picture in order to bless them; their names are enough. Although I tell them this time and again, they still bring photos of their families. They obviously think that this will make my blessings more effective.
Unfortunately, many of these pictures depict immodesty, which causes me untold anguish. When I refuse to look at the photos, many people understand my motives and accept my act graciously, whereas others think I am rebuffing them and their problems. They insist that I see their family photo.
In such cases, I need to use all my powers of pretense. I act as though I am looking at the pictures, while not looking at them at all. This causes me great angst.
As soon as I finish imparting my blessing, I advise the people not to show their pictures in public, for that can, chas v’shalom, incur a curse instead of a blessing.
A woman once came to see me and placed a picture of her daughter in front of me, so that I bless her. Unwittingly, I glanced at the picture. Since the girl was immodestly dressed, I immediately closed my eyes.
About two weeks later, the girl herself came to me. I recognized her from her picture and remembered her issues. I was immediately beset by feelings of deep regret. “How could I keep in my mind an immodest picture and remember a person through that photograph?” I berated myself.
I immediately left the room and refused to accept the girl’s petition. I did further actions in order to remove her image from my mind, since it was disturbing my Avodat Hashem. Baruch Hashem, Torah study and mitzvot banished all vestiges of the photograph from my mind.
