10 Facts About the 'Evil Eye'

Our sages of blessed memory teach that a person should avoid actions that attract attention. An example is our patriarch Jacob, who, when sending his sons to Egypt during the famine, asked them to enter through separate gates, because the presence of ten strong men could draw the Evil Eye. What exactly is the Evil Eye? How can one guard against it?

1. The Evil Eye exists in Judaism. It is understood that Hashem governs the world with two main attributes. One is the attribute of justice, and the other is the attribute of mercy. The attribute of justice demands an account for every act, rewarding good deeds and punishing bad ones. The attribute of mercy operates to prevent immediate punishment for wrongdoing, allowing time for repentance.

Our sages tell us certain actions can "trigger" the attribute of justice. One of the triggers is the presence of the "Evil Eye". This strengthens the attribute of justice and overrides mercy, activating pending punishments for sins the individual has not yet repented. Still, the Evil Eye is not the cause of punishment but rather the sin itself.

2. Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler explains in his book "Michtav Me'Eliyahu" that a person who envies another diminishes the other's blessings and causes harm and disasters, as envy leads to these emotions.

3. The Talmud commands us to avoid feeling envy towards others to not impose the Evil Eye on them. Additionally, we are instructed not to arouse others' envy towards us.

4. To avoid feeling envy and thereby invoking the Evil Eye, the Talmud says, "A person should not stand in his neighbor's field when it is full to avoid inciting envy." (Baba Batra 2b)

"Visual damage" is another concept related to the Evil Eye, where damage is caused by looking into someone's private domain.

Watch Rabbi Yitzchak Fanger's lecture on the Evil Eye:

5. To avoid attracting the Evil Eye, it is important not to provoke others' envy. This involves leading a modest life, not flaunting, behaving with humility, and being cautious about boasting of successes—whether financial success, children's education, or other good fortune. As it is said, "Blessings prefer to rest in what is hidden from the eye" (Taanit 8b).

6. Another defense against the Evil Eye is looking favorably upon others: on their property, their children, and so on. When a person views others with a good eye, they are more protected from others' Evil Eyes. As the Book of Proverbs says: "A good eye will be blessed."

7. It is important to remember our sages' advice to not overemphasize the issue, as excessive worry makes one more susceptible to the Evil Eye.

8. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein advises a balanced approach to this subject. When asked if a young pregnant woman should worry about the Evil Eye, he replied, "I don't see that since it is natural for young women to conceive, the Evil Eye does not apply to this." He added that the Evil Eye is only a concern in matters not commonly found in the natural world.

9. As a way to protect against the Evil Eye, the Talmud suggests placing the right thumb over the left and declaring, "I am a descendant of Joseph, over whom the Evil Eye does not prevail."

10. In cases where someone feels affected by the Evil Eye, they can consult genuine, qualified rabbis who specialize in removing the Evil Eye. The Kabbalah offers various methods such as lead pouring, but this should be done only in severe cases and by recognized rabbis—not by various mystics.

We conclude with a prayer: "May it be Your will, Hashem, our God, that no other person's envy may overcome us, nor may our envy affect others... and save us from the Evil Eye."

Rabbi Zamir Cohen explains briefly how the Evil Eye affects us, who it mainly harms, and how to be saved from it:

Share your comments about times when you experienced or witnessed the influence of the Evil Eye.