Rav Chanani Herzberg was a noted menahel (administrator) and mechanech (educator) for many years. He was once driving with his Rebbe (rabbi), Rav Shlomo Freifeld, in the Catskills. They got to the town of Woodridge, and Rav Shlomo Freifeld turned to Rav Chanani and said, “Would it be okay if you could walk into this bakery and get me a pastry and a coffee? I’m a little bit hungry and a little bit thirsty.” Of course, Rebbe stopped the car, parked, walked into the bakery, got the coffee and the Danish, came back, and gave it to his Rebbe. He noticed that Rav Shlomo Freifeld was sad. Something was wrong. “Rebbe, is everything okay?” he asked. Rav Shlomo pointed across the street. There was a drugstore, and in its front window were magazines. A few Yiddish boys were looking at the front window. They were looking at the magazines. Rav Shlomo was beside himself.
Rav Chanani turned to him and said, “Rebbe, what do you want to do?” Rav Shlomo said, “I want you to walk into the store, find the owner, and ask him how much money he makes in July and August off magazine sales.” “What, Rebbe? That’s a little strange,” Rav Chanani said. “Please,” Rav Shlomo said, “Rav Chanani, please go in there.” Chanani walked in, went over to the proprietor, and said, “I know this is strange, I know it’s weird. My rabbi’s in the car, and he wants to know how much money you make—what your profits are—in July and August off magazine sales.” The guy said, “What?” Chanani said, “Please, it’s for my rabbi.” The guy said, “You know, okay.” The proprietor made a little cheshbon (calculation) and said to him, “$150.” The story goes back 40, 50 years ago, maybe more.
Chanani went back to the car and said to him, “Rebbe, he said $150.” On the spot, Rebbe Freifeld took out a checkbook and a pen and wrote a check for $150, which by today’s standards is probably $1,000. He said, “Go to the proprietor and ask him if he would agree to remove those magazines from the front window of the store, and I will pay him this $150; he’ll have nothing to be worried about.” Again, Rebbe Chanani was a little bit taken aback, but the rabbi said, “You do.” He walked into the store, went over to the proprietor, and handed him the $150 check. The fellow said, “What’s happening here?” Chanani said, “My rabbi doesn’t want the boys. I don’t want to look at these pictures. Would you agree to take them out of the store window?” The fellow said, “He’s willing to pay $150?” Chanani said, “Yeah, it’s important to him.” “Wow,” the fellow said. “I respect that. Tell your rabbi he could keep the $150. Starting today, I’m going to move the magazines to the back of the store. These boys should not have to see this.”
It’s absolutely amazing and remarkable. Sometimes, when it comes to Shemirat Einayim (guarding the eyes), we’re concerned that if we don’t look, if we walk with our eyes down, people are going to look at us like we’re strange, like there’s something wrong. It’s not true. God does the right thing, particularly in the area of Shemirat Einayim. People just respect them. And most importantly, we gain respect in the eyes of the Ribono Shel Olam (Master of the Universe) himself. And there’s nothing more amazing than that.