Status:Completed Date: 18 Mar-Cheshvan 5785
R. Reuven "Tzettel Kattan 07 - Guard Your Eyes " Audio
Neither post nor transcript have been reviewed by R. Yaron Reuven shlita
Tzetil Katan - Hebrew fragment
Takeaway
Be mindful of what you look at, both online and offline. The Sitra Achra (literally "the other side") and her "husband," S"M", represent negative spiritual forces that seek to draw individuals away from G-d and holiness. Immodesty, particularly when seen through one's eyes, creates a vulnerability that these forces can exploit.
The Initial Breach When a person gazes at something immodest, it creates a crack in their spiritual defenses. The eyes, being the "windows to the soul," become a gateway for impure influences to enter. This initial breach disrupts the individual's connection with G-d and creates an opening for the Sitra Achra and Samael to gain a foothold.
The Allure of the Sitra Achra The Sitra Achra embodies the seductive power of the material world and the allure of instant gratification. She represents the temptation to indulge in physical desires and prioritize the transient pleasures of this world over the eternal rewards of the spiritual realm. Through the immodest image, she whispers promises of pleasure and excitement, enticing the individual to stray further from the path of holiness.
Samael's Deception Samael, often depicted as the "angel of death" or the "accuser," represents the destructive aspect of the yetzer hara. He amplifies the negative thoughts and emotions that arise from exposure to immodesty, fueling feelings of guilt, shame, and self-loathing. He whispers lies and distortions, convincing the individual that they are unworthy of G-d's love and that true happiness can only be found in the pursuit of physical pleasure.
Severing One's Soul The ultimate goal of the Sitra Achra and Samael is to sever the individual's connection with G-d and siphon off the soul's Divine Energy. The more a person indulges in immodesty, the more they empower these negative forces. The influence of the Sitra Achra and Samael grows stronger. They cloud the individual's judgment, making it increasingly difficult to discern right from wrong.
Save yourself
As soon as one sees something accidentally that’s inappropriate, prevent the yetzer hara from gaining a foothold in one's mind by saying
"V’Lo Tat’uru Acharei L’vavchem V’Acharei Einechem" ("Do not follow your heart and your eyes") -- Deuteronomy 15:39
This lahash (statement recited with the intention of invoking spiritual power) interrupts the process by which a fleeting glance can escalate into a destructive fantasy embedded in one's mind.
The Dormant Yetzer Hara
There are dormant aspects of the yetzer hara (evil inclination) that we may not even be aware of until they are awakened.
The Subconscious and the Yetzer Hara Much of the yetzer hara's influence operates beneath the surface of conscious awareness. It subtly shapes our desires, thoughts, and perceptions, often without our realizing it. Dormant aspects of the yetzer hara reside in the subconscious, waiting for the right trigger to activate them.
Awakening of The Yetzer Hara
Visual Stimuli: Exposure to inappropriate sights, even seemingly innocuous ones, can act as a trigger, awakening dormant desires and fantasies. What might seem like a neutral observation can unexpectedly ignite a latent inclination towards impropriety.
Environmental Factors: Our surroundings play a significant role in shaping our desires and behaviors. Constant exposure to immodesty in advertising, media, and social interactions can gradually desensitize us and normalize what is inappropriate, thereby awakening dormant aspects of the yetzer hara.
Unguarded Thoughts: Allowing our minds to wander into fantastical or unrealistic scenarios can also awaken dormant inclinations. The more we entertain such thoughts, the stronger they become, eventually influencing our desires and actions.
Unresolved Emotional Issues: Undealt with emotional baggage, such as past traumas or unresolved conflicts, can create vulnerabilities that the yetzer hara can exploit. These emotional wounds can become breeding grounds for negative thoughts and behaviors, awakening dormant inclinations.
Domino Effect
One small compromise can kick off a cascade of negative thoughts, desires, and actions.
1. The Initial Exposure: The process often begins with unintentional exposure to an inappropriate image or situation. This could be a fleeting glimpse of immodesty in public, a suggestive advertisement online, or an unexpected scene in a movie.
"Even if you’re in a situation where you’re not doing it electively, you’re not doing it intentionally, you still have to continuously provide your neshamah protection."
2. The Second Glance: The Choice to Engage: The critical moment is the second glance. The first exposure might be accidental, but the second glance represents a conscious choice to engage with the inappropriate stimulus. This is where the yetzer hara (evil inclination) begins to gain a foothold. Rav Reuven warns:
"It’s not the first look, it’s usually the second look, the turn-around one… At that moment, your mind starts transferring the information to your imagination, to your heart."
3. The Power of Imagination: Once the image has entered the mind, the imagination takes over. The yetzer hara begins to weave fantasies and scenarios, amplifying the initial stimulus and creating a powerful pull towards further engagement.
"The longer you look, the more fuel you’re giving to your imagination to think more and more things."
4. The Weakening of Defenses: Repeated exposure and engagement with inappropriate material weakens one's spiritual defenses. The yetzer hara becomes stronger, and the ability to resist temptation diminishes.
"If you’re not protecting your eyes, you’re not protecting your heart, and certainly you’re not protecting your soul."
5. The Descent into Addiction: For some, this process can lead to addiction. The individual becomes increasingly dependent on the stimulation provided by inappropriate material, seeking it out compulsively and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they try to abstain.
"Pornography is no less addictive than the hardest drugs in the world."
6. Long-Term Spiritual Damage: The individual's connection with G-d becomes weakened, leading to a sense of spiritual emptiness and despair. Rav Reuven quotes the Zohar Hakodesh
"Meaning that all of the hard work that you’re doing learning Torah, instead of it going into your account to make you stronger, if you’re not protecting your eyes… that learning goes and empowers the sitra achra (the other side, i.e., evil forces)."
Indicators of Spiritual Damage
"You have not called upon Me, O Jacob, for you have grown weary of Me, O Israel" - Isaiah 43:22-24
Diminished Joy in Mitzvot and Spiritual Practices A key indicator of spiritual damage is a loss of enthusiasm for mitzvot (commandments) and spiritual practices. What once brought joy and fulfillment may now feel like a burden or an obligation.
Increased Difficulty Concentrating During Prayer
Finding it challenging to focus during prayer can be another sign of spiritual damage. The mind may wander to inappropriate thoughts or fantasies, making it difficult to connect with G-d and experience the serenity and focus that prayer should bring.
Heightened Irritability and Emotional Volatility Spiritual damage can manifest as increased irritability, anger, and emotional volatility. The individual may find themselves easily frustrated, impatient, and prone to outbursts of anger. This emotional instability can stem from the guilt, shame, and inner conflict caused by engaging in behaviors they know are wrong.
Increased Susceptibility to Temptation As spiritual defenses weaken, the individual becomes more vulnerable to the yetzer hara (evil inclination) and may find themselves engaging in increasingly risky behaviors. This can create a vicious cycle, where each transgression further weakens their resolve and makes them more susceptible to future temptations.
The Path To Repair
Nip in the Bud by saying "V’Lo Tat’uru…"
As soon as one sees something accidentally that’s inappropriate, say in order to prevent the yetzer hara from gaining a foothold in one's mind.
"V’Lo Tat’uru Acharei L’vavchem V’Acharei Einechem" ("Do not follow your heart and your eyes" - Deuteronomy 15:39)
This lahash (statement recited with the intention of invoking spiritual power) interrupts the process by which a fleeting glance can escalate into a destructive fantasy embedded in one's mind which the Other Side is permitted to exploit further.
Crying Over One's Sins
Tears of genuine remorse are a powerful tool for spiritual cleansing. The Sha'arei Teshuvah (Gates of Repentance) by Rabbeinu Yonah of Gerondi (1:15) states that crying over sins committed with the eyes can specifically repair the damage caused by those transgressions. This is based on Psalm 119:136, "Palgei Mayim Yorde’u Einay, Al Lo-Shomru Toratecha" ("Streams of water flow from my eyes, because they have not kept Your law").
Fasting
The Avodat Hapenim (Inner Service) (3:11) suggests that the difficulty experienced in guarding one's eyes can be considered a form of fasting. This doesn't mean that struggling with temptation automatically atones for the sin, but rather that the struggle itself demonstrates a recognition of the problem and a willingness to fight against it.
Helping Others with Their Teshuvah
Assisting others in their process of repentance can be a powerful catalyst for one's own spiritual growth. The Likkutei Etzot (Collected Counsels) (Teshuvah 2) states that helping others do teshuvah, especially regarding sins of a sexual nature, is particularly beneficial for one's own teshuvah in this area.
Halachot
Rambam (Maimonides) In Mishneh Torah, Rambam prohibits looking at animals mating (Hilchot Issurei Biah 21:1) to prevent immoral thoughts. He also states that looking at women in ways that could incite lustful thoughts is forbidden, even regarding one’s wife during niddah (menstrual impurity).
Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer (21:1) echoes the Rambam’s prohibition against looking at animals mating, reinforcing the importance of guarding one’s gaze.
Gemara (Talmud)
"What is meant by 'Do not stray after your heart'? Rabbi Akiva says: A man should not drink from this cup and gaze at another cup."
Rashi explains that this refers to a man who is intimate with his wife while thinking about another woman. Even if his wife is unaware of his thoughts, this is considered a transgression.
Nedarim 20b
The verse states: “And that you not go about after your own heart” (Numbers 15:39). Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said that it is derived from here that a man should not drink from this cup while setting his eyes on another cup, i.e., one should not engage in sexual intercourse with one woman while thinking about another woman. Ravina said: This statement is not necessary with regard to an unrelated woman. Rather, it is necessary only to state that even with regard to his own two wives, he should not engage in sexual intercourse with one while thinking about the other.
Guarding One's Eyes Saves All of Kla'l Israel
Many Gedolim (great Torah sages) have spoken forcefully about the severity of guarding one's eyes and the devastating consequences of the "sin of youth" (masturbation, wasting seed) which includes and is in addition a consequence of improper sexual thoughts, actions, and looking at inappropriate material.
Rav Shmuel Wozner Shevet Halevi (4:160) Chazal relates the sin of youth as "the most heinous crime in the Torah," linked not only to individual suffering but also to collective suffering and "harsh decrees against the Jewish people."
This concept is rooted in the principle of areyvut (mutual responsibility). The actions of each individual have a ripple effect on the entire community.
By guarding our eyes and resisting the temptations of the yetzer hara (evil inclination), we not only protect ourselves but also contribute to the spiritual well-being of the entire Jewish community.
Addendum
AI podcast
Printable PDF
IYH kindly partner with R Reuven shlita and his Rav the Gaon R Kachlon shlita for kiruv, kollelim and avrechim in E.Y. and spreading Torah .
≡ 🪐(🔐🔤)∪(💭📍)∖(📚🔍)⟨CC-BYSA⟩⇔⟨🔄⨹🔗⟩⊇⟨👥⨹🎁⟩⊂⟨📝⨹🔍⟩⊇⟨🔄⨹🔗⟩⊂⟨📚⨹🔬⟩⊇⟨🔄⨹🔗⟩🪐
(📜🔥 Créé par HKBH avec Yehudi Tam comme un récipient reconnaissant, dans la miséricorde 📜🔥)