Why Isaac Was Blinded for Gazing Upon the Divine Presence

Another interpretation: at the hour when he was bound upon the altar, he lifted his eyes on high and looked at the Divine Presence. They offer a parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who was strolling at the entrance of his palace and saw the son of his beloved friend peeking in at him through the window. He said: If I kill him, I distress my friend; rather, I decree that his windows be sealed shut. So too, at the hour when Isaac was bound, he lifted his eyes and looked at the Divine Presence. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I slay him, I distress Abraham My friend; rather, I decree that his eyes dim. So he looked upon the glory of the Divine Presence. But is it not written, "For no man shall see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20)? Rather, in place of death his eyes dimmed in his old age. From here you learn that a blind man is reckoned as dead. It is forbidden to gaze at the image of a wicked man, as it is said, "Were it not for the presence of Jehoshaphat... I would not look toward you, nor see you" (2 Kings 3:14). And Rabbi Eliezer said his eyes were dim, as it is said, "And it came to pass when Isaac was old, that his eyes were dim from seeing" (Genesis 27:1), because he had gazed at the wicked Esau. But did that cause it? Did not Rabbi Yitzchak say: Never let the curse of a common man be light in your eyes, for Abimelech cursed Sarah and it was fulfilled in her offspring, as it is said, "Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes" (Genesis 20:16). Do not read "a covering [kesut] of the eyes" but "dimming [kehot] of the eyes," as it is said, "his eyes were dim from seeing." So this and that together caused it. Another interpretation: it is like a great man who had a fine and praised hall, and his neighbors were burning straw and stubble and sending smoke in through the window, so he went and sealed up the window. So too, the wives of Esau worshipped idols, and Isaac would see and be grieved; at once his eyes dimmed.