The Library

"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 ...

What tools can I use to make sure I make the best choices? A fascinating insight found in Midrash Tanchuma (Vayeshev) is that the righteous and the wicked both use their sense of sight, but for different purposes. "Tzaddikim elevate themselves with their eyes, as it sa...

"Can my desire to see improper images be re-channeled to strengthen me spiritually?" "How wonderful it would be if we could channel the energy of our lesser personality traits to serve Hashem." (Ohr Yisrael, Letter Four) Did you know that just as the eye is stimulated ...

"It's hard for me to believe that guiding others will help me correct my own inappropriate behavior and improper thoughts." "Another effective way of mastering ourselves is to in­struct a friend and guide him towards goodness. ... If we study the ways of human nature in o...

You can say, "just don't look," but I am surrounded by immodestly dressed people every day. Sometimes I think it's hopeless to try to avoid them. It's easy to become discouraged if you work in an environment where you must constantly be on guard. Don't give in! Consider t...

How can I gain control of the situation? And, come to think of it, why do I have this problem in the first place? One of the most important things to know when an improper sight is imposed upon your view is that its grip on you will fade! The sight could trigger an inten...

How can we utilize the various ideas that we learned concerning Shmirat Einayim to serve Hashem with great joy? The Arizal once revealed that the lofty spiritual levels he attained and the esoteric knowledge that he received were the result of his great happiness in servi...

Day 4 Remember That You Are a Member of a Unique Nation "And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying, Speak to all the community of the Children of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, Hashem your G-d, am holy." (Vayikra 19:2) How can a human being, who has a physica...

Day 3 "I feel burdened by my past conduct. It's hard for me to believe that Hashem will forgive me." If we have not properly guarded our eyes in the past, we can change our behavior and Hashem will help us to improve our ways. In fact, Hashem sent us an uplifting and en...