The Jewish culture has a different approach compared to other cultures when it comes to the “bad eye”. The Talmud interprets this term to mean jealousy. However, in the Holy Scriptures, other interpretations are also mentioned, such as “greed and arrogance” and “hatred and enmity,” which are clearly derived from misfortune, poverty, disease, war, famine, and even the wrath of nature. According to the perspective of Zohar, these difficulties are perceived as negative energies belonging to the earthly, also knowns as the lower, world and are created as a test for humanity to open their inner eyes and understand that by overcoming challenges and difficulties, one can attain higher states of being.
Jewish scholars have, for a long time, engaged in discussions and debates about jealousy and bad eyes, offering various theories and solutions after extensive research. Originally, they passed down their beliefs orally to next generations. However, after the destruction of the Second Temple and the 700-year exile of the Israelites, the scholars decided to document all their discussions, religious beliefs, and other historical and cultural heritage in writing to protect their beliefs from being lost. These were gathered especially in works such as Mishnah, Gemara, Talmud, and more. It is important not to overlook the contributions of other ancient civilizations such as the Babylonians and Egyptians. They justified these beliefs through experiences and various interpretations, ultimately spreading and documenting them.
In the book Pirkei Avot, bad eye, miserliness, and envy are considered a kind of human tendency to be hostile to their fellow beings. It emphasized that if humans do not distance themselves from these negative thoughts, they will be excluded from the world. Although the term bad eye is not explicitly mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, several Rabbis clearly state points that, with interpretations by Jewish scholars, especially Rashi, can be understood to reveal hidden meanings and secrets.
In Genesis, Parshat Vayechi, Chapter 49, it is stated that during the last days of the life of Jacob, when his sons gathered around him to hear his will and receive blessings, he addressed each of them individually. Turning to Joseph, he said, “בֵּן פּוֹרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פּוֹרָת עלי עין” (Ben Porat Yosef, Ben Porat Ali Ein), which can be translated as, “Joseph is like a fruitful branch, may the bad eye be [always] far from you”.
In the tenth Parshat Miketz, Rashi interprets a part of this chapter, stating that when Joseph’s ten brothers went to Egypt to buy provisions during a famine, Jacob instructed them to enter the city through different gates to avoid the bad eye. Jacob was concerned that if they entered together, they might attract negative attention, so he wanted them to enter separately for their safety.
Additionally, in the Book of Number, Parashat Balak, Rashi interprets that ”Balak”, who was certain that, similar to his neighbors, he would be defeated by the Israelites in battle, sought advice from the experienced and monotheistic diviner “Balaam”. Balak invited Balaam to curse the Israelites or, in other words, harm them with an evil eye. Despite being warned by God’s angel, Balaam accepted the invitation to curse the Israelites because he was annoyed by the message he received from God’s angel. Balaam built seven altars that overlooked the Israelites’ encampments and had seven cows and seven rams burnt as a sacrifice. However, his attempt to harm the Children of Jacob with the bad eye failed. Instead of cursing them, he unintentionally blessed them three times with Divine words, bringing blessings to the people.
Experience has shown that humans are drawn to whatever they are prohibited from. It causes a sense of need. It feels valuable, and soon, if the desire becomes strong, it will turn into jealousy. It is noteworthy that the issue of envy holds such importance in Jewish culture that even the tenth commandment given to the Israelites by Moses is dedicated to this matter.
In the Book of Exodus, Chapter 20:14 says, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s”. The Rabbis believe that jealousy will prevent a person from ever appreciating and feeling the blessings bestowed upon them. Envy and the desire to have what others possess can lead to bitterness. It can cause crime.
In the book of Genesis, Parshah 1 of Chapter 4, it is indicated how jealousy led Cain to murder his brother, Abel. According to Midrash, Abel was a shepherd, and Cain was a farmer. One day, when they both brought offerings from their work as a gesture of respect to the presence of God, only Abel’s sincere and pure-hearted gift — the best firstborn of his flock — was accepted by the Divine essence. Cain’s offering of respect received no attention. Filled with shame and anger, Cain harbored hatred for his brother, and eventually, murdered him in the desert.
The narrative emphasizes that what is projected from the eyes can have a powerful negative impact and may harm a person’s life. Therefore, to remain protected from this energy, especially if it is strong, precautions must be taken. Throughout history, Rabbis have advocated a crucial method for safeguarding against such threats and potential harm. This involves advising individuals to stay clear of harboring envy towards others and to refrain from actions that might provoke envy, such as showing off one’s possessions or engaging in excessive displays of wealth.
The Talmud also mentions that the harmful effects of the evil eye are not only a threat to human beings but can also endanger animals, property, and other human belongings. Many of these superstitions, however, have been abolished in Judaism as they violate the explicit laws of the Torah and the Talmud, and it has been emphasized that Jews should not behave contrary to these explicit laws. Breaking these laws not only jeopardizes their religious beliefs but also submerges their thoughts in superstitions. This fosters the development of negative emotions, turning them into an unsightly and repulsive habit that becomes ingrained in their nature over time.
Given the intangible and somewhat mysterious nature of both these feelings, they have been associated with the supernatural since ancient times. People have consistently grappled with the intellectual challenge of safeguarding themselves and their possessions from this enigmatic phenomenon. In their attempt to deter unforeseen harm, individuals turned to whatever brought them a sense of peace and security. Over time, this mindset, especially regarding the bad eye, became increasingly intertwined with superstitions, ingraining itself in customs and daily life.
While various cultures with distinct beliefs offered diverse interpretations, Jews, in particular, received warnings against adopting non-spiritual methods. The concern extended beyond jeopardizing religious beliefs; it encompassed the fear of succumbing to superstitions, thereby normalizing and detesting this negative feeling as a habit.
While other communities, with different cultures, provided varying interpretations of this phenomenon, subsequently devising different strategies to safeguard themselves from what seemed like an incurable disease that had seized their minds, the concept of “evil eye” or, in a way, the act of casting a harmful glance was not inseparable from individual character, thoughts, and human lifestyles. It is rooted in a form of intense envy, stemming from the inherent beliefs, habits, and behaviors of each individual. Today, after thousands of years, this mode of thinking has become prevalent as a misguided cultural norm among many people worldwide. Furthermore, it has significantly influenced human emotions to the extent that its effects not only impact speech, behavior, and thinking but also extend to the realm of dreams.
According to Talmudic teachings, any dream that can be interpreted is either auspicious or inauspicious, for which countless narratives have been transmitted. For instance, if a snake falls on the bed of a poor man, he will become wealthy. If it falls on the bed of a pregnant woman, she will have a son. Similarly, if someone dreams of a snake, their livelihood will be secured. Additionally, if one dreams of climbing to a high place like a roof, they will attain a higher status. When someone sneezes, the person who hears it should say “bless you”. On the other hand, a person who throws their nails in a public thoroughfare, under the feet and hands, jeopardizes their life. Some also believe that reading inscriptions on tombstones, eating insufficiently cooked bread, and passing between two camels will weaken memory, among many other superstitious beliefs. Currently, some scholars pay more attention to the scientific aspects of these points.
Over time, these negative thoughts became more intertwined with superstitions, creating irrational beliefs. They even influenced religious beliefs, leading to idol worshipping, sacrificing animals to idols, the prevalence of Satan worshippers, and later, the dissemination of superstitious beliefs by magicians or religious leaders about the temporal and eternal world, including heaven and hell, warding off demons, wandering spirits, summoning spirits, sorcery, magic, and many other irrational behaviors that often stemmed from human fear of ignorance about themselves and the supernatural world. Their questions not only lack satisfying and documented answers but also persist in a shroud of ambiguity.
According to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures in the Shofetim section, emphasis is once again placed on the prohibition and illegality of believing in any superstitions or engaging in any form of fortune-telling, magic, divination, enchantment, and the practice of sorcery, summoning spirits, and disobeying false prophets for the Children of Israel.
In any case, “evil eye” or, in other words, “greed and envy,” is an instinctive impulse that has involuntarily been endowed to human beings, and if a person cannot control this feeling, they must accept that they have nurtured the most destructive motivation within themselves and must be prepared for its severe consequences, as then they will be able to witness the act of the “evil eye”. Therefore, Jewish scholars have advised never to succumb to these thoughts. In other words, one should not focus their thoughts on these matters.
Source:
Mythical beliefs, Yosef Setareshenas
Also:
Evil Eye, Segula, Khamsa
