ולא ראו איש את אחיו (בא י:כג)

A talmid of the holy Gaon of Vilna (Vilnius, Lithuania) tragically became blind yet continued dwelling in the house of Torah and learning despite his disability.  The Gaon of Vilna took it upon himself to marry off this talmid.  A match was found with a kallah – bride who agreed to marry this learned bochur – bachelor, despite him being blind, and her father agreed to support the couple so that the bridegroom could continue his studies undisturbed.

On the wedding day of this bochur, the joy of the holy Gaon was indescribable.  When it came time for the mechutonim – parents of the chassan and kallah to escort the chassan to cover his kallah with a veil before the chuppah, the Gaon told the chassan: “Our holy Chazal say ‘אסור לקדש אשה עד שיראנה’ – a man is not allowed to betroth his kallah before he sees her.”  Just as the Gaon finished uttering this statement, the chassan suddenly started seeing and beheld his wife-to-be before covering her face – as is the custom.  All those present witnessed this great miracle, and the wedding was celebrated with great joy.