Sefer Hachasidim (69) writes: ‘‘Nothing separates a person from impurity like closing his eyes.’’ By closing one’s eyes, he can overcome desires. It is known that blind men have less desires as a result of being unable to see, as the heart does not desire what it cannot see.
Rav Pinchos of Koretz zy’’a did not usually attend funerals, but he once went to the levaya of a simple man. When he saw that many people were wondering why he went out of his way to attend this funeral, he said, ‘’Can you see that a pillar of fire is going before him?’’
He then related that this man was a musician who would sing and play music at weddings. Everyone always thought that he was blind. In truth, however, he was not. He actually pretended to be blind because he didn’t want to see any forbidden sights at a wedding. Therefore, he closed his eyes and acted like he was blind for many years. At the end of his life, as he lay on his deathbed, he opened his eyes and said, ‘’Let me see the world one last time.’’
This Yid gave up his ability to see for so many years in order to ensure that he didn’t anything inappropriate.