This shiur is based on sources compiled and explained by Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, Rabbi Asher Resnick, Rabbi Yehoshua Werde, Rabbi Ari Enkin, Rabbi Gil Student and Mr. Daniel Sayani. I thank them for their illuminating pieces on this topic.
This shiur is dedicated לעלוי נשמת שמעון רחמים בן חנה- as an elevation for the soul of Shimon Rahamim ben Hana upon the occasion of his yahrtzeit.
Shprintze: Mama, Yente the matchmaker is coming.
Hodel: Maybe she's finally found a good match for you, Tzeitel.
Golde: From your mouth to God's ears. [...] Why is she here now? It's almost Sabbath. (She turns to her daughters.) Out, all of you! I want to talk to Yente alone.
Tzeitel: But, Mama, the men she finds... The last one was so old. And he was bald! He had no hair.
Golde: A poor girl without a dowry can't be particular. If you want hair, marry a monkey.
Tzeitel: Even a poor girl has to look at her husband sometimes.
Golde: A husband is not to look at, a husband is to get.
Tzeitel: But, Mama, I'm not yet . I don't...
Golde: Sha! Do you have to boast about your age? (She spits three times.) You'll tempt the evil eye.
There are many traditions pertaining to the evil eye: spitting three times, throwing salt over one's shoulder, wearing a red string, having a hamsa, fish imagery and so on. But where do these traditions come from? Are they effective? And what exactly does Judaism understand the evil eye to be?
Unsurprisingly, there are different Jewish viewpoints as to what the evil eye is. They fall into the following three categories:
1. A Destructive Force of Nature
2. Showiness That Could Lead to Jealousy
3. Psychological Impact
(as taken from Rabbi Asher Resnick's Jewish Clarity series on the evil eye- link here)
כי עין הרע יש בו כח אשיי שורף ומקבל האדם היזק מן המזיק אשר יש לו כח אשיי שורף, כי העין הזה שורף כמו האש שהוא שורף
(as written by The Maharal)
The evil eye has within it a burning energy and man can be harmed by one who has that burning power, because this type of eye can burn like fire that burns
(translation from Rabbi Asher Resnick at Jewish Clarity-link)
“The Rabbis placed their eyes on someone and he died." The Hazon Ish wrote – Among the foundations of the creation, a person can use their thoughts to spur the hidden causes in the world of action. A simple thought [expressed through one’s eyes] can cause terrible destruction even among solid physical things. This is one of the mechanisms that Hashem uses to carry out His din (judgment) in the world. And it is possible that the greater a person is, the greater will be the power contained within his eyes.
רבי יהושע אומר עין הרע. פי' מי שאינו שמח בחלקו ועויין את חברו העשיר ממנו מתי יעשר עושר גדול כמוהו והוא גורם רע לעצמו. ולחברו כאשר אמרו חכמי הטבע. מכל אשר לרעהו אויר עולה מן המחשבה ההוא ושורף את הדברים שעויין בהם בעיניו הרע. גם בקרבו ישרף אחר שמתאוה לדברים שאין יכולת מצוי בידו לעשות המחשבה ההיא מקלקלת גופו כי יתקצר רוחו ומציאתו מן העולם וזהו עין הרע שאמר ר' יהושע וראי' לזה הפי' על שאמר בכאן עין הרע בלשון זכר שזהו העויין ברע. ולמעלה אמר עין רעה שפי' על מדת הכילות שלא כדברי מקצת המפרשים ויצר הרע ושנאת הבריות כמשמען מוציאין את האדם מן העולם:
Rabbi Yehoshua says: The evil eye: Its explanation is one who is not happy with his lot and places his eye on his fellow who is wealthier than he, [thinking] when will I be as wealthy as the great wealth of this man? And this causes evil to himself and to his fellow. [It is] like the wise men of science say about everything that is his neighbors: vapor comes up from that thought and burns the things that he put his eye towards with an evil eye. He also burns [himself] inside. Since he desires things, the thought of which he does not have the ability in his hand to materialize his, he destroys his body - as he shortens his spirit and removes it from the world. And this is the evil eye about which Rabbi Yehoshua spoke. And the proof of this explanation is that here he said, evil eye (ra) in the masculine - which is the one that put his eye [to something] for evil. And above (Avot 2:9), it said evil eye in the feminine (raah), the explanation of which is about the trait of stinginess. [And it is] not like the words of some of the commentators. And the evil inclination, and hatred of the creations - like their simple meaning -remove a person from the world.
According to this approach, the evil eye is a destructive force that a person must actively guard against. It is a kind of consuming energy that can actively harm another individual and may even harm the practitioner as well.
Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, author of מכתב מאליהו, wrote the following:
The Rabbis (Gemara Eruvin 64ab) teach us –
One that becomes wealthy should [be sure to] do a mitzvah with some of his money to prevent an ayin hara (evil eye) from damaging it. What exactly is this ayin hara which is spoken about in so many different places? It is clear that if one causes his friend to become jealous of him, he is responsible and liable for the pain he caused him. And this could even cause him to ultimately lose his wealth. He, therefore, needs to do mitzvot to protect himself from difficulties.
The mechanism of the ayin hara is rooted in the spiritual reality of all people being connected to one another. Ayin hara means that one is jealous of another, is bothered by his very being, and [therefore] he wants only bad for him. Since all people’s lives are mutually dependent on one another, it is possible that this will cause the [successful] person’s life to be limited, and thereby more susceptible to injury or damage.
The Maharal taught that even a lack of concern for another can be considered like an ayin hara. Whoever is aware of another’s needs and has the ability to help him, but is uninterested in doing so, is declaring that this other person is irrelevant and superfluous to him.
When one is jealous of another and gazes upon him with an ayin hara, this can cause damage. However, justice demands that this will only happen if the recipient of the ayin hara had previously done something to make himself vulnerable to the ayin hara. One possibility would be that he had caused the first person to be jealous of him in a very specific manner.
It is clear and well-established that one who is not self-focused, is a giver and not a taker, in all of his matters, will not arouse any jealousy. This is why the descendants of Yosef are not susceptible to the ayin hara – because Yosef was so selfless. Chazal are thereby teaching us that one who lives out of the public eye, and whose aspirations are completely separate from those of the street, will not arouse jealousy.
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik wrote the following:
The matter of the ayin hara is crystal clear to me. There are people whose lives are entirely dependent on the thoughts of others – whether they approve of them, forget about them, or praise them. At the moment they realize that others no longer approve of them or care about them – this immediately destroys their spiritual strength and self-confidence… People like this see themselves exclusively from the perspective of others, without recognizing their independent abilities. For people like this, the ayin hara can be devastating. When others gaze upon them with an ayin hara, meaning some degree of opposition or disapproval, their very humanity can be completely destroyed.
This was the meaning of Rebbe Yochanan when he said – “I am from the offspring of Yosef.” He did not mean he had a tradition that he was actually his descendant, but rather that in this quality he was similar to Yosef. Yosef understood his spiritual strengths from his own recognition, not from the perspective of others. And without this recognition that he had of his own abilities, independent of the values of others, in this case his brothers, Yosef would never have amounted to anything, and his dreams would have immediately ceased.
Below you will find an assortment of Jewish texts that reference the evil eye in one way or another. As you will see, this clearly demonstrates that the concept of an evil eye appears within Jewish tradition.
(ט) הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֡ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֣ה דָבָר֩ עִם־לְבָבְךָ֨ בְלִיַּ֜עַל לֵאמֹ֗ר קָֽרְבָ֣ה שְׁנַֽת־הַשֶּׁבַע֮ שְׁנַ֣ת הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ וְרָעָ֣ה עֵֽינְךָ֗ בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙ הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹן וְלֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן ל֑וֹ וְקָרָ֤א עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־ה' וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃
(9) Beware lest you harbor the base thought, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is approaching,” so that your eyes will be evil towards your needy kinsman and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt.
(נד) הָאִישׁ֙ הָרַ֣ךְ בְּךָ֔ וְהֶעָנֹ֖ג מְאֹ֑ד תֵּרַ֨ע עֵינ֤וֹ בְאָחִיו֙ וּבְאֵ֣שֶׁת חֵיק֔וֹ וּבְיֶ֥תֶר בָּנָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹתִֽיר׃ (נה) מִתֵּ֣ת ׀ לְאַחַ֣ד מֵהֶ֗ם מִבְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֹאכֵ֔ל מִבְּלִ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ כֹּ֑ל בְּמָצוֹר֙ וּבְמָצ֔וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֛ אֹיִבְךָ֖ בְּכָל־שְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃
(54) He who is most tender and fastidious among you shall turn an evil eye to his brother and the wife of his bosom and the children he has spared (55) to share with any of them the flesh of the children that he eats, because he has nothing else left as a result of the desperate straits to which your enemy shall reduce you in all your towns.
(6) Do not eat the bread of one with an evil eye; Do not crave for his dainties;
Questions to Consider
What do you see as the underlying similarity between these three texts? What kind of person is one who has an evil eye?
In this next series of texts, we look at some instances of the evil eye referenced by commentaries to the Torah. The first instance deals with Hagar when she originally conceived her child, started to put on airs, and fled Sarah because Sarah treated her harshly.
(ה) וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָגָר וַתַּהַר, וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (בראשית טז, יא): הִנָּךְ הָרָה וְיֹלַדְתְּ בֵּן, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה בָּהּ שָׂרָה עַיִן רָעָה וְהִפִּילָה עֻבָּרָהּ.
And he (Abraham) came to Hagar and she became pregnant: And what do we learn from the angel's assurance to her in Genesis 16:11 "Behold you will become pregnant and give birth to a son?" It teaches us that Sarah placed the evil eye upon her and she (Hagar) miscarried her baby (the one she had originally conceived with Avraham prior to fleeing from Sarah.)
This next text deals with the scene when Hagar and Ishmael were sent out of the covenantal family (originally by Sarah, but due to God's request, Abraham permitted this to occur).
(ב) ואת הילד. אַף הַיֶּלֶד שָׂם עַל שִׁכְמָהּ, שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה בוֹ שָׂרָה עַיִן רָעָה וַאֲחָזַתּוּ חַמָּה וְלֹא יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בְּרַגְלָיו (בראשית רבה):
(2) ואת הילד AND THE CHILD — the child, too, he placed on her shoulder, for Sarah had cast an evil eye upon him, so that a fever seized him and he could not walk (Genesis Rabbah 53:13).
This next text seeks to address the question of why the brothers of Joseph entered Egypt via multiple gates.
(א) בתוך הבאים. מַטְמִינִין עַצְמָם שֶׁלֹּא יַכִּירוּם, לְפִי שֶׁצִּוָּה לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְרָאוּ כֻּלָּם בְּפֶתַח א', אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס כָּל א' בְּפִתְחוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּשְׁלֹט בָּהֶם עַיִן הָרָע, שֶׁכֻּלָּם נָאִים וְכֻלָּם גִּבּוֹרִים:
(1) בתוך הבאים AMONG THOSE THAT CAME — They hid themselves in the crowd that people should not recognize them, for their father had bidden them not to show themselves all at one entrance to the city but that each should enter by a different gate in order that the evil eye should not have power over them (i.e. that they should not attract the envious attention of the people) for they were all handsome and stalwart men (Midrash Tanchuma 1.:10:6).
The following text reflects on why the second pair of tablets lasted while the first set was broken.
(ב) פְּסָל לְךָ וֶהְיֵה נָכוֹן לַבֹּקֶר. כָּךְ בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה, וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיֹת הַבֹּקֶר וְגוֹ' (שמות כה, ח). וְכָאן: וְגַם אִישׁ אַל יֵרָא. הַלּוּחוֹת רִאשׁוֹנוֹת עַל שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ בְּפֻמְבֵּי, לְפִיכָךְ שָׁלְטָה בָּהֶם עַיִן הָרַע וְנִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ. וְכָאן אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֵין לְךָ יָפֶה מִן הַצְּנִיעוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמָה ה' דּוֹרֵשׁ מִמְּךָ כִּי אִם עֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וְאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת (מיכה ו, ח).
(2) Hew thee and … and be ready by the morning (ibid. 34:1–2). With reference to the first tablets, it is written: And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightning (ibid. 19:16). But with regard to the second tablets, it is said: Neither let any man be seen (ibid. 34:3). Because the first tablets were given openly, the evil eye prevailed over them, and (for that reason) they were broken. But in this instance (the second tablets) the Holy One, blessed be He, said: There is nothing more desirable than humility, as it is said: And what doth the Lord require of thee: only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the God (Mic. 6:8).
The following texts reference acts that can cause an evil eye. In the first case, one may not leave out a discovered object when guests are present.
The following text lists a variety of different actions:
1. One who earns his living through selling rods or jugs
2. Merchants who sell their wares in an open market (which is highly visible)
3. Those who raise weaker animals (which feed on other people's fields)
4. Those who earn money for chopping down beautiful fruit trees
5. Those who always take the better part of an item when splitting it
תנו רבנן המשתכר בקנים ובקנקנים אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם מאי טעמא כיון דנפיש אפחזייהו שלטא בהו עינא: תנו רבנן תגרי סימטא ומגדלי בהמה דקה וקוצצי אילנות טובות ונותנין עיניהן בחלק יפה אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם מאי טעמא דתהו ביה אינשי:
The Sages taught with regard to a sign of blessing: One who earns a living from selling rods or jugs will never see a sign of blessing from them. What is the reason for this? Since their volume is great, the evil eye dominates them. People believe that one is selling more than he is actually selling. Similarly, the Sages taught: Merchants who sell their wares in an alleyway [simta] adjacent to a thoroughfare, where they are seen by all; and those who raise small livestock, which tend to damage other people’s fields; and those who chop down good fruit trees, even if they were permitted to do so; and those who direct their eyes to the fine portion with the intention of taking that portion for himself when dividing an item with others, will never see a sign of blessing from them. What is the reason for this? It is that due to these actions people wonder about him and pay special attention to his conduct. Due to that attention, his actions will not be blessed.
Now we segue to those who acquire wealth without effort.
פתח אידך ואמר המחזיק בנכסי הגר מה יעשה ויתקיימו בידו יקח בהן ספר תורה אמר רב ששת אפילו בעל בנכסי אשתו
The other one then opened a different discussion and said: With regard to one who took possession of a convert’s property, what should he do so that it remain in his hands? The property of a convert who died without children is regarded as ownerless, and is acquired by the first person to perform a valid act of acquisition upon it. Since in this case the one who took possession of the property did not acquire it through his own labor, his ownership is tenuous, and he is liable to lose it unless he uses it for the purpose of a mitzva. One in this situation should buy a Torah scroll with part of the revenue, and by the merit of this act, he will retain the rest. Rav Sheshet said: Even a husband who acquired rights to his wife’s property that she had brought into the marriage as her dowry should use part of the profits for the acquisition of a Torah scroll.
Under typical circumstances, putting one's beauty on display might also cause the evil eye to occur.
רבי יוחנן הוה רגיל דהוה קא אזיל ויתיב אשערי דטבילה אמר כי סלקן בנות ישראל ואתיין מטבילה מסתכלן בי ונהוי להו זרעא דשפירי כוותי אמרי ליה רבנן לא קא מסתפי מר מעינא בישא אמר להו אנא מזרעא דיוסף קא אתינא דלא שלטא ביה עינא בישא דכתיב בן פורת יוסף בן פורת עלי עין ואמר רבי אבהו אל תקרי עלי עין אלא עולי עין
Similarly, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Yoḥanan was accustomed to go and sit at the gates of the women’s immersion sites. Rabbi Yoḥanan, who was known for his extraordinary good looks, explained this and said: When the daughters of Israel emerge from their immersion, they will look at me, and will have children as beautiful as I. The Sages asked him: Master, do you not fear the evil eye? He said to them: I descend from the seed of Joseph over whom the evil eye has no dominion, as it is written: “Joseph is a bountiful vine, a bountiful vine on a spring [alei ayin]” (Genesis 49:22). “Ayin” can mean both “spring” and “eye.” And Rabbi Abbahu said a homiletic interpretation: Do not read it alei ayin, rather olei ayin, above the eye; they transcend the influence of the evil eye.
Having one's property/ prosperity be visible and watched by others exposes a person to the evil eye.
א"ל רב יהודה לרבין בר ר"נ רבין אחי לא תזבין ארעא דסמיכא למתא דא"ר אבהו אמר רב הונא אמר רב אסור לו לאדם שיעמוד על שדה חבירו בשעה שעומדת בקמותיה
§ Rav Yehuda said to Ravin bar Rav Naḥman: Ravin my brother, do not buy land that is near a town, as Rabbi Abbahu says that Rav Huna says that Rav says: It is prohibited for a person to stand by another’s field when its ripe grain is standing, i.e., when its produce is ready for harvest, as he might harm the produce with the evil eye. Similarly, land near a town may be harmed by the people of the town watching it.
Do those who cast the evil eye upon others simply go unpunished? What do the sages say about one who does this?
(יא) רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, עַיִן הָרָע, וְיֵצֶר הָרָע, וְשִׂנְאַת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם:
(11) Rabbi Yehoshua says: The evil eye, the evil inclination, and hatred of the creations remove a person from the world.
(א) אמר שחריצות לממון ורוב התאוה ורוע הנפש והוא חולי המרה השחורה שיביא האדם למאוס ראות עיניו וישנאהו וייטב לו חברת החיות והתבודדות במדברות וביערות ויבחר לו מקום שאינן מיושב וזה אצלם לא מצד פרושות רק לרוע תאותם וקנאתם בזולתם אלו ימיתו [האדם] בלא ספק כי יחלה גופו וימות טרם עתו:
(1) He said that desire for money and much desire and badness of the soul - and that is sickness of the black bile which brings a man to be disgusted with that which his eyes see and he will hate it and he will prefer the company of animals and isolation in wildernesses and in forests and he will choose an uninhabited place, and this is with them not because of asceticism but rather because of the evil desire and their jealousy of others - these will, without a doubt, kill a man. As his body will get sick and he will die before his time.
(יט) כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. וּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. עַיִן טוֹבָה, וְרוּחַ נְמוּכָה, וְנֶפֶשׁ שְׁפָלָה, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. עַיִן רָעָה, וְרוּחַ גְּבוֹהָה, וְנֶפֶשׁ רְחָבָה, מִתַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. מַה בֵּין תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לְתַלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע. תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, אוֹכְלִין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְנוֹחֲלִין בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח) לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ, וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא. אֲבָל תַּלְמִידָיו שֶׁל בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע יוֹרְשִׁין גֵּיהִנֹּם וְיוֹרְדִין לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים נה) וְאַתָּה אֱלֹקִים תּוֹרִידֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת, אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמִרְמָה לֹא יֶחֱצוּ יְמֵיהֶם, וַאֲנִי אֶבְטַח בָּךְ:
(19) Anyone who has these three things is from the students of Abraham, our father, and [anyone who has] three other things is from the students of Bilaam the evildoer: [one who has] a good eye, a humble spirit and a small appetite -- is from the students of Abraham, our father. [One who has] an evil eye, a haughty spirit and a broad appetite - is from the students of Bilaam the evildoer. What [difference] is there between the students of Abraham, our father, and the students of Bilaam the evildoer? The students of Abraham, our father, eat in this world and possess the next world, as it is stated (Proverbs 8:21), "There is what for those that love Me to inherit, and their treasuries will I fill." But the students of Bilaam the evildoer inherit Gehinnom (Purgatory) and go down to the pit of destruction, as it is stated (Psalms 55:24), "And You, God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; the people of blood and deceit, they will not live out half their days; and I will trust in You."
וא"ר יצחק ג' דברים מזכירין עונותיו של אדם אלו הן קיר נטוי ועיון תפלה ומוסר דין על חבירו דא"ר (אבין) כל המוסר דין על חבירו הוא נענש תחלה שנאמר (בראשית טז, ה) ותאמר שרי אל אברם חמסי עליך וכתיב (בראשית כג, ב) ויבא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכותה
And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Three matters evoke a person’s sins, and they are: Endangering oneself by sitting next to an inclined wall that is about to collapse; expecting prayer to be accepted, as that leads to an assessment of one’s status and merit; and passing a case against another to Heaven, for Rabbi Avin said: Anyone who passes a case against another to God is punished first. Praying for God to pass judgment on another causes one’s own deeds to be examined and compared with the deeds of the other, as it is stated: “And Sarai said to Abram: My anger be upon you; I have given my maid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes; let the Lord judge between me and you” (Genesis 16:5), and it is written afterward: “And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her” (Genesis 23:2). Sarah called upon Heaven to pass judgment between her and her husband, and therefore she was punished and died first.
Questions to Consider
-What are the ramifications (spiritual and/or physical) for someone who casts the evil eye upon others?
-How might this relate to the popular saying, "He sows the seeds of his own destruction?"
-For those who are familiar, sometimes these things may come to pass simply because of the stature of the person who is jealous/ casting the curse (compare to Jacob's statement to Rachel about the Terafim, Eli's statement to Samuel about death). See also Moed Katan 17b: "Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel taught: Wherever scholars have turned their eyes, death or poverty has ensued."
Are there creatures that are simply immune to the evil eye, and if so, why?
Are there protections one might use against the evil eye, and if so, what are they?
Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, cited a different proof, from Jacob’s blessing of Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Menashe: “The angel who redeems me from all evil shall bless the young and in them may my name be recalled, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and may they multiply [veyidgu] in the midst of the earth” (Genesis 48:16). Veyidgu is related etymologically to the word fish [dag]. Just as the fish in the sea, water covers them and the evil eye has no dominion over them, so too the seed of Joseph, the evil eye has no dominion over them.
(כב) בֵּ֤ן פֹּרָת֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף בֵּ֥ן פֹּרָ֖ת עֲלֵי־עָ֑יִן בָּנ֕וֹת צָעֲדָ֖ה עֲלֵי־שֽׁוּר׃
(22) Joseph is a wild donkey, A wild donkey by a spring —Wild colts on a hillside.
אמר להו אנא מזרעא דיוסף קא אתינא דלא שלטא ביה עינא בישא דכתיב בן פורת יוסף בן פורת עלי עין ואמר רבי אבהו אל תקרי עלי עין אלא עולי עין
He said to them: I descend from the seed of Joseph over whom the evil eye has no dominion, as it is written: “Joseph is a bountiful vine, a bountiful vine on a spring [alei ayin]” (Genesis 49:22). “Ayin” can mean both “spring” and “eye.” And Rabbi Abbahu said a homiletic interpretation: Do not read it alei ayin, rather olei ayin, above the eye; they transcend the influence of the evil eye.
And if you wish, say instead: Joseph’s eye, which did not seek to feast on that which was not his, Potiphar’s wife, the evil eye has no dominion over him.
Who is considered among the descendants of Joseph? Some say only those who are actually from that tribe but others say any Israelite is considered symbolically "of Joseph" based on the following statement:
(ב) רֹ֘עֵ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל ׀ הַאֲזִ֗ינָה נֹהֵ֣ג כַּצֹּ֣אן יוֹסֵ֑ף יֹשֵׁ֖ב הַכְּרוּבִ֣ים הוֹפִֽיעָה׃
(2) Give ear, O shepherd of Israel who leads Joseph like a flock! Appear, You who are enthroned on the cherubim,
Leads. You (God) are the leader of Joseph like the shepherd who leads the flock. And because Joseph supported and fed the tribes in Egypt (during the famine), therefore they are called by his name.
The Tosefta[1] teaches us that wearing a red string is a prohibited pagan practice. In fact, the wearing of a red string was in existence and far predates any documented Jewish practice of such. Its true origins are likely from Hinduism where it is referred to as the Kalava and is alleged to ward off evil from those who wear it. Both ancient and modern Buddhism advocates the use of a red string for protection and blessings. Indeed, such strings are frequently distributed by the Dalai Lama himself. The many cultures of East Asia have also used the red string (known as the “unmei no akai ito” in Japanese) attributing to it a number of superstitious phenomena. According to all accounts, it is to be worn on the left hand. There are even Christian associations with the red string in which it serves as a memento of the red garment that was placed upon their prophet prior to his crucifixion.[2] The wearing of a red string is also recommended according to Feng Shui practices.
The late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, is said to have been opposed to the use and certainly belief in the red strings,[3] and Rabbi Hershel Schachter is reported to have ruled that wearing them is a Torah violation.[4] The Radak[5] argues similarly. The Rambam[6] goes much further than simply condemning the use of these red strings and similar superstitious practices -- he claims that relying upon them is not simply useless but rather will lead to misfortunes!
Nevertheless, the practice is not completely without some support. There are authentic kabbalistic sources to indicate that the color red has the power to ward off the evil eye.[7] Rabbi Moshe Stern confirms the existence of a custom to make use of red strings for protection against the evil eye. Interestingly, he specifically discusses tying it upon a baby carriage or crib with no mention of any additional usage or wearing of such by others.[8] Furthermore, the source[9] that Rabbi Stern offers for his legitimization of the red string practice is of questionable accuracy.
Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel quotes Chassidic masters who validate the custom of wrapping a string around Rachel’s Tomb and wearing it as a segula for pregnant women to carry safely to term. This account further mentions a practice seen among residents of Jerusalem to wrap such a string around the hand to effect all sorts of salvations.[10] Even according to the justifications mentioned above, this writer has found no association whatsoever between the red string and Rachel’s Tomb anywhere.
Perhaps the use of these strings can be tolerated according to the view that only pagan practices specifically mentioned in the Gemara, to the exclusion of all other sources, are those that should be prohibited.[11] Similarly, it is noted that the Tosefta specifically mentions tying the red string upon one’s “finger” as being a prohibited pagan practice, perhaps legitimizing that practice of wearing it upon one’s wrist.[12] There also exists a view within the halachic authorities that once a Gentile custom falls into disuse it is no longer prohibited and it may be renewed by Jews.[13]
[1] Shabbat 7
[2] Mathew 27:28
[3] As related by Rabbi Leibel Shapiro
[4] As related by Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman
[5] Yeshayahu 40:21
[6] Moreh Nevuchim III:37
[7] Minhag Yisrael Torah Y.D. 179
[8] Be’er Moshe 8:36
[9] Teshuvot Harashba 2:268
[10] Yesod Likra Ohel Rachel Imenu p. 220
[11] Minhag Yisrael Torah Y.D. 179
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
Excerpted from "The Hamsa in Jewish Thought and Practice" by Daniel Sayani - (link here)
The earliest origins of the hamsa lie with Near Eastern pagan societies, particularly in Mesopotamia and Carthage (Phoenicia). Marten Stol links a prevalent belief in the evil eye among the Mespotamians with the use of the hand as a symbol for sorcery and its antidotes; the “Hand of Man,” sorcery, is the root of evil befalling an individual, but the “Hand of Ishtar” is seen as an auspicious symbol. “Bewitched” individuals suffering from ailments were seen as particularly vulnerable to the jealousies and suspicions of others, and it was believed that amulets provided the necessary Divine protection to ward off this negativity. (Marten Stol, “Psychosomatic Suffering in Ancient Mesopotamia,” in Mesopotamian Magic: Textual, Historical, and Interpretative Perspectives, ed. Tzvi Abusch, et al. (Groningen: Styx Publications, 1999), 64.
Diane Apostolos-Cappadona ( “Discerning the Hand of Fatima: An Iconological Investigation of the Role of Gender in Religious Art,” in Beyond the Exotic: Women’s Histories in Islamic Societies, ed. Amira El Azhary Sonbol (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2005), 356) explains, like Stol, that psychosomatic disease in Mesopotamia was especially seen as necessitating the protections of the Hand of Ishtar, which controlled disease and wellness. The use of “Hand of Ishtar” to refer to psychological illness extends in modern archaeological jargon to baked clay images of hands that were inserted into the walls of major buildings, including king’s residences among the Mesopotamians. Archaeologists discovered inscriptions on these clay hands, often wrote on the back, and containing the names of the king and the building they had been set in. These were used to avert evil, and since some were found in beams of the ceiling and upper stories, they may have been used to “support” the structure in a sense.
[...]
The hamsa also enjoys popularity among Levantine Christians, who dub it kef miraym, the Hand of Mary, and Muslims, who dub it the Hand of Fatima, a reference to Muhammad’s daughter, whose hand became a symbol of faith after legend says she stirred a hot pot with her hand and suffered no harm, due to her faith. (For Christians, Muslims, and Jews alike, the hand serves as a symbol of Divine blessing, whereas the number five carries differing meanings for each faith; Christians attribute five to the number of wounds inflicted on their prophet, and Muslims affirm five pillars of Islam, among other explanations).
Due to the background of the hamsa, Ashkenazic and Sephardic understanding of its efficacy differ. In general, Ashkenazi communities might not believe in its ability to ward off the evil eye. Sephardic communities, on the other hand...
R. Yosef Hayyim writes elsewhere, in two works, on protective measures against the ayin hara. In Ben Ish Chai, Parshat Pinchas, Shana Bet, siman 13, he says that ayin hara enters when one suggests that something terrible may happen, and then proceeds to explain various means of protecting against the evil eye.
Our sages suggest (B.T. Berachot 55b) that one may avoid a sudden evil eye by reciting “I, son of…” (as above). Other authorities recommend adding the verses Genesis 25:27, Psalm 5:8, and Numbers 24:2. The gaon Chida writes that the general custom is to say five in order to avoid an evil eye. This is the reason for hanging a picture of a hand with five fingers, and the Hebrew letter hei on it, which has a numerical value of five. The Keter Malchut writes that it would appear from the Talmud that people living in Babylonia must be more careful to avoid the evil eye than in other places” (emphasis mine)
Elsewhere, in Od Yosef Hai, Derashot Parshat Vayishlach, he discusses a segula, a protective magical practice, against the ayin hara discussed in Sefer Yerushalayim. A picture of a hand would be drawn over the entrance to one’s home, in red, and a silver hand placed over the heads of their children. The operative belief was that the number five would vex the malevolent individual who wanted to cast the evil eye upon the inhabitants of the home. Here, he again references the Chida, who discussed the protective powers of the number five and corresponding letter hei, and he links the letter hei and the five fingers of the hand, commenting that placing the five fingers has the effect of nullifying the evil eye. (Rabbi Yaaqob Menashe attributes the popularity of the hamsa among Jews, especially the Jews of Iraq, Syria, and other Mizrahim, to these writings of Rabbi Yosef Hayyim.)
(This and many other sources that follow come from Rabbi Yehoshua Werde's packet on Ayin Hara, available at this link.)
אית לון עינא בישא לאסתכלא וכד מסתכלין זמין לעינייהו גוון תכלא ולא יכלא עינייהו לשלטאה
Zohar- Volume 3 163b
[Certain beings] have the capacity to cast an Ayin Hara. When they look your way, prepare before your eyes the color blue and their eyes will have no influence over you.
Why the color blue?
It is because sky-blue dye is similar in its color to the sea, and the sea is similar to the sky, and the sky is similar to the Throne of Glory, as it is stated: “And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness” (Exodus 24:10). This verse shows that the heavens are similar to sapphire, and it is written: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone” (Ezekiel 1:26). Therefore, the throne is similar to the heavens. The color of sky blue dye acts as an indication of the bond between the Jewish people and the Divine Presence.
How else might we protect against the evil eye? One approach is to focus on being modest about what we have and our successes.
ואמר רבי יצחק אין הברכה מצויה אלא בדבר הסמוי מן העין שנאמר (דברים כח, ח) יצו ה' אתך את הברכה באסמיך תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל אין הברכה מצויה אלא בדבר שאין העין שולטת בו שנאמר יצו ה' אתך את הברכה באסמיך
And apropos blessings, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A blessing is found only in an object that is hidden [samui] from the eye, not in an item visible to all, as public miracles are exceedingly rare. As it is stated: “The Lord will command His blessing upon you in your barns [ba’asamekha]” (Deuteronomy 28:8). Rabbi Yitzḥak’s exposition is based on the linguistic similarity between samui and asamekha. Likewise, the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: A blessing is found only in an object that is not exposed to the eye, as it is stated: “The Lord will command His blessing upon you in your barns.”
Another approach suggests that while it is important to take the measures we can, we should not worry about it overmuch.
בענין עין הרע ודאי יש לחוש אבל אין להקפיד הרבה כי בדברים כאלו הכלל מאן דלא קפיד לא קפדינן בהדיה
Igrot Moshe Even Ha’ezer 3, 26 by Rav Moshe Feinstein
With regards to an Ayin Hara, one should certainly take it into account, but one shouldn’t be overly concerned, because about these kinds of things the rule is: “One who is not troubled by it, will not be troubled by it” (Pesachim 110b).
Additionally, one can build up a strong sense of self-worth and self-esteem that does not depend on the perspective of others.
על ידי מה שהנפשות פועלות זו על זו יש מקום לעין הרעה שתפעול לרעה, אמנם לא תפעל כי אם על ידי חלישות הנפש המתפעלת, ותוכן החלישות בא על ידי מה שלא תמצא את ערך עצמה כראוי, ולא יהיו מרכז פעולותיה כי אם מבט חיצוני של העין
Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook ((1865-1935, Chief Rabbi of Israel under British Mandate), Ein Ayah Berachos 55
Because souls have the ability to impact one another, it is possible for an Ayin Hara to cause evil. However, this will not work unless the affected soul is weak, and this weakness stems from not having a healthy self-worth, and [as a result] the central focus of its activities are based on the external facade that meets the eye.
And of course, one can strive to be the kind of person who cultivates a "good eye", recognizing the divinity in all that we have, attributing our prosperity and what is good in our lives and those of others to God and drawing down blessing upon others. Such a person, who can genuinely channel appreciation for both their own lot and happiness and for what their friends may have, will hopefully not be the target of someone else's envy or jealousy.
(ט) אָמַר לָהֶם, צְאוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיזוֹהִי דֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה שֶׁיִּדְבַּק בָּהּ הָאָדָם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, עַיִן טוֹבָה. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר, חָבֵר טוֹב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, שָׁכֵן טוֹב. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, הָרוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, לֵב טוֹב. אָמַר לָהֶם, רוֹאֶה אֲנִי אֶת דִּבְרֵי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ מִדִּבְרֵיכֶם, שֶׁבִּכְלָל דְּבָרָיו דִּבְרֵיכֶם.
(9) He said to them: Go out and see what is a straight path that a person should cling to. Rabbi Eliezer says: A good eye. Rabbi Yehoshua says: A good friend. Rabbi Yosi says: A good neighbor. Rabbi Shimon says: Seeing the consequences of one's actions. Rabbi Elazar says: A good heart. He said to them: I see the words of Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh [as better than] all of yours, because your words are included in his.
Key Takeaways
- There are several different ways to understand what the evil eye is
- It is clear the evil eye is taken seriously in Judaism
- There are different methods of preventing oneself from being harmed by the evil eye
- It is to one's benefit to be modest about one's wealth and success and to do their best to cultivate a "good eye" towards others