Community Magazine February 2003

16 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE s ” xc The Torah states in Perashat Ekev, “VeHeseer Hashem Mimchah Kol Choli,” “And Hashem will remove from you all types of illness.” In the Gemarah, Rav explains what these “illnesses” specifically refer to: “Zu Ayin Hara” “This is the evil eye.” Upon visiting cemeteries, the great Gemarah sage Rav, used to be able to tell what had killed the person, just by looking at the grave. He said that 99% of people died from the Ayin Hara. When Hashem says he will take away our diseases, he is taking away the Ayin Hara’s ability to inflict us and bring us harm — harm which is often the cause of death. A Gemarah in Berachot tells a story about Rabi Yohanan whose extremely handsome appearance was legendary. Rabi Yohanan would sit in front of the Mikveh, so that as the Jewish women exited, “[They] will look at me and they’ll have beautiful children that look like me.” Our rabbis teach that the first thing that a woman gazes upon when she exits the Mikveh affects the nature of the child she will have. This is the reason that a lady must go back and dip again if she sees a dog when she first comes out. In our custom, a Jewish lady pulls the women out of the Mikveh, so the first thing they see is the lady that tends the mikveh, and the harmful images that the woman may come across later won’t affect the child to be born. Rabi Yohanan’s statement, though, is perplexing for several reasons. First, on the face it seems arrogant. In actuality, though, Rav Yochanan was quite humble. It was plainly evident that he was beautiful. To deny that he was handsome would have been insin- cere. If a man is obviously wealthy, deny- ing that wealth isn’t being humble, it’s sim- ply untruthful. Humility is not denying one’s blessings; it is recognizing that it is a B Y : R A B B I E L I M A N S O U R T here’s an unspoken fear that taints our enjoyment of the blessings we receive when we’re in the public view. We’re so frightened that the good could be zapped away as quickly as it came. This fear that lurks, ready to pounce on our happi- ness is the Ayin Hara- the evil eye. Is it real? Is it legitimate that we should be afraid? Or is it just a superstition of grandmothers? Whenever we mention something positive, we quickly add, “Beli Ayin Hara,” “without the evil eye.” There is a tradition that the hamseh, the number five, and the color turquoise supposedly “ward off” the Ayin Hara. Is there any credence to these beliefs? The Truth About The Evil Eye

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