Q&A: Interpretation and Preconceived Notions
Interpretation and Preconceived Notions
Question
With God's help, in honor of the Rabbi: I wanted to hear the Rabbi's opinion regarding the subject of the evil eye. Personally, I find it very hard to connect to this idea, but I do not know how to reconcile that with all the statements of the Sages on these matters, such as: "Blessing rests only on that which is hidden from the eye." I can appreciate the Rabbi's opinion on this matter, but I would like to ask whether the Rabbi can explain his view or bring sources for it. Thank you, Yaakov
Answer
Hello,
I am very skeptical about this matter; that is, my view tends toward thinking there is nothing real to it. The Sages here expressed positions that were common in their time, and I do not think they have validity. I have not collected sources on this issue, but as is known, Maimonides omitted matters of the evil eye from his Jewish law code.
On related topics, see here:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%99-%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%97-%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%94-%D7%95%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94/
Discussion on Answer
I didn't understand why saying that those who cast an evil eye on others are the ones who died improves the situation. Can it kill after all?
It seems that what bothered them was not the mysticism of the matter (because in that respect there is no difference between the one with the evil eye and the other person), but rather death without justification (just because of the evil eye). But I am bothered by the first question, and דווקא less by the second. See Rabbenu Hananel on Chagigah 5a: "And there is a case of 'there is one swept away without justice'—for example, a person who killed his fellow." You see that one can die without justification if someone else chose to kill you.
See the approach of Rabbi Shalom Messas on the Talmudic passage (Bava Metzia 107a), that the "evil eye" mentioned there is not to be taken literally; rather, it refers to the person himself needing to correct his own good eye: "And the true and correct explanation of the words of our Sages of blessed memory, 'Ninety-nine die by the evil eye and one by the way of all mankind,' is not to be understood literally, that they die because others cast an evil eye on them. On the contrary: they died because they cast an evil eye on others." ("Shemesh U'Magen," part 2, p. 326)
And this was also explained even earlier by Rabbi Moshe David Valle, one of the sages of Italy (and Rabbi Shalom Messas did not see this explanation).
There is a lesson about this by Rabbi Moshe Elharar on YouTube; you can listen to it.