There’s a Sefer; it’s called Sefer Yetzirah. Amazingly enough, it was authored by none other than Avraham Avinu, alav hashalom (peace be upon him). It is arguably one of the oldest books that we have in the library. There, Avraham Avinu tells us that every month on the Jewish calendar represents a different limb in the human body. He talks about the months of Tammuz and Av, and says those months actually represent the two eyes of a person. He quotes a pasuk (verse) in Megillat Eicha that we actually read during those months: Eini, eini yordah mayim. My eye, my eye. One eye for Tammuz and one eye for Av.
I found that incredible because those two months, or at least for us in North America, are our summer months. And those are the months when we have the greatest challenge when it comes to Eini, eini yordah mayim. Watching the eyes. Could be Avraham Avinu was giving us a hint way back. In those months, those are the parts of the body that need the most protection.
Furthermore, there is a pasuk in Iyov: Berit karati le'einai. Umah etbonen al betula (And why should I gaze at a maiden?). The great rabbi from Nikolsburg explained this pasuk. Berit karati le'einai. I have made a covenant with my eyes. The covenant is that I will protect them. I won't lie. I won't look. I will fulfill the mitzvah (commandment) of Shemirat Enayim (Watching the eyes). That's the Berit. And then he says, if I make a covenant with my eyes, Umah etbonen al betula. I don't have to worry about betula.
Well, what is betula? Our rabbis tell us that every month has a horoscope, a certain symbol. So, for example, the month of Av is Leo. We would call that the lion. The month right after that is Elul. Elul is Virgo. Actually, in Hebrew, it is betula. The rabbi from Nikolsburg said, “If a person makes a covenant with his eyes, Umah etbonen al betula. You don't have to worry about Elul. Your Elul will go fine.” In Elul, we start making teshuvah (repentance) for the high holidays. As long as you made a Berit with the eyes, Umah etbonen al betula. There is not too much concern about your work in Elul. With your work in Elul, which is the mazal (a certain symbol) of betula, you'll be ahead of the game. You'll be well prepared for the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippurim.
Berit karati le'einai. Umah etbonen al betula. And that reminds us, as we come to the summer months, how careful we have to be. Avraham Avinu was giving us a full warning. Eini, eini. Tammuz and Av. July and August.