One of the things Hashem (God) has blessed us with, in the miraculous workings of our body, is peripheral vision. This refers to the ability to detect motion and movement outside the main focus area of our sight. It enables us to detect potential danger when walking or driving as well as gauge our position and avoid bumping into things.
Sometimes, people have lost some of that ability and develop what is known as “tunnel vision.” In some cases, the peripheral view is, in fact, so limited that it appears they are looking through a tunnel. In other instances, it may just be that these areas are fuzzy and they are not able to recognize the things they’re not directly looking at.
Physical Vision and Spiritual Awareness
To me, as a Jew, I feel this is one of our most important faculties. Not in a physical sense, but in a broader humanistic and spiritual sense. You see, when we are focused on one thing, to the exclusion of all else, we are exhibiting signs of a disease. While on the physical level, it may be glaucoma, a retinal issue, or a brain injury, on a spiritual level, it can be much worse.
The Brisker Rav’s Sensitivity to Others
We are supposed to be aware of others in our periphery or environment, and take notice of them. There is a famous story of the person who asked the Brisker Rav if he could use milk for the four cups at the Seder. The Rav said it was not allowed, and gave the person a large amount of money to purchase the wine needed.
When a family member asked why he gave the man so much, many times more than the wine would’ve cost, he replied, “If he asked to use milk, then clearly he does not have enough money for meat either. I therefore gave him enough to buy whatever he needed.”
Not simply focused on the actual question, the rabbi was keenly aware of the entire person to whom he was speaking. He was concerned for his benefit and was able to infer a bigger issue. This is a form of spiritual, peripheral vision.
Thinking About the People Around Us
I was in a shul and a person sat in a spot where a pillar blocks part of the access. When the fellow pulled the chair out and sat down, he did not move his chair forward under him, sitting at the edge. Because of this, there was not enough room for people to walk past. A fellow behind him, who did take note of what happened, moved his own table to make room for those people rather than embarrass the fellow by asking him to move. The person who sat down could certainly not be faulted for not seeing behind himself, as he doesn’t have eyes in the back of his head.
However, had his spiritual peripheral vision been keen, this man would have taken note of the placement of his chair and worried that perhaps he would block the aisle. He would have made sure that other people would not be inconvenienced by his choice of seat.
Similarly, when I thought I saw an empty parking space at a store, I was dismayed to see that someone had parked his motorbike at the end of the space so it looked open, but was not really.
Why was I so dismayed? Surely, he has a right to a parking space as well? It was because the spot right next to where he parked his bike has a large cement pillar in it, supporting a light post, and it’s less than suitable for parking cars. Had our young friend’s peripheral vision been working to spiritual capacity, he would have intuited that by parking in the other spot, he could leave this one for someone driving a car.
When we discuss our lives, the people with peripheral vision take note of who’s listening. They won’t go on and on about their lavish vacation when they see someone who works hard to make ends meet and can’t afford to take a break, or bring their kids to fancy amusement parks or foreign destinations. Maybe they won’t focus on the cute things their children did when there is someone not yet blessed with children in the room. If someone rambles on without being aware of who he might run into with his words, then perhaps there is some sort of disconnect in his brain.
Training Ourselves to Notice Others
But there is good news! This condition can be treated. It takes exercise of the mind, to imagine others and their feelings. Think about the next person who will come along, or the person who is already there, and consider their feelings and situation. With mental conditioning and spiritual stretching, we can start to grow our outward awareness, just as the Brisker Rav did.
A good trick to jumpstarting this visual acuity improvement is by focusing on loving other people and wanting the best for them. When you do that, you will start to pick up the clues that you’re on a collision course with their feelings or best interests, and you will be able to avoid those painful mishaps. Your focus will expand and you’ll start to see others in a whole new light.
By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
Did you enjoy this column? Feedback is welcome and appreciated. E-mail info@JewishSpeechWriter.com to share your thoughts. You never know when you may be the lamp that enlightens someone else.
