Ask The Rabbi... January 14, 1995 Issue #51 =========================================================================== This edition contains: 1. What is an "Ayin Hara"? 2. A Bracha Riddle =========================================================================== Sue Perstishous from Salem, Massachusetts asked: >Dear Rabbi, > >After saying "Bli Ayin Hara" recently, I was wondering, >"What is an Ayin Hara"? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dear Sue, The belief in Ayin Hara is not a superstition but is well founded on references from the earliest Jewish texts. Sarah "gives" Hagar an Ayin Hara, causing her to miscarry her first pregnancy. Yaakov warns his sons not to be seen together so as not to incur Ayin Hara. Another example is King Saul's jealousy of the future King David who is credited with greater military prowess and "gives" him an Ayin Hara. The Talmud quotes Rabbi Yochanan as saying "I am a descendant of Yosef over whom Ayin Hara had no control." The Talmud also says that fish represent a form of life that is free of the influence of Ayin Hara. According to one opinion of the Talmud, a first-born daughter prevents Ayin Hara from affecting the family. Ayin Hara also has Halachic ramifactions. The Talmud states that it is forbidden to stand in a neighbor's field when the crops are fully grown. Rashi explains that this is forbidden because of Ayin Hara. Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler in a letter to his father asked "Where is the justice in a system that causes people to suffer for the jealousies of others?" Rabbi Dessler answered that what happens is the following: One person who has what another person lacks is "careless" and lets the other person see what he has. This causes pain to the other person, and his cry goes up to the Heavenly court. The lesson in all of this is that we must learn to be sensitive to others, and not flaunt what we have. Many people yearn to have what others have, and suffer real pain when they see others casually flaunt those things. True, they shouldn't be jealous, but we cannot expect everyone to be a Tzaddik. Divine justice demands retribution for causing this pain to another person. You mention that you say "Bli Ayin Hara" (literally "Without the Evil Eye"). In Yiddish it is rendered as "Ken Ayin Hara." We say this as a prayer to Hashem, so that if there are any silent cries going up to the Heavenly court, He will not listen to them, and He will protect us from any harm. There are other Ayin Hara "antidotes" such as tying red strings around one's wrist, and the "Hamsa." ("Five-Fingers") Be careful not to use any remedy or prevention unless it is commonly used by Jews, since some practices are forms of witchcraft. The best protection is to behave modestly and with a genuine concern for the feelings of others. Sources: o Bereshit 16:5, Rashi. o Bereshit 42:5, Rashi. o Shmuel 1,18:9. o Tractate Berachot - 20a. o Bava Batra, 141a. o Bava Batra 2b. o Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler - Michtav M'Eliyahu, vol. 3, pp.313-314; vol. 4, pp5-6. =========================================================================== This Week's Riddle Raphael Adams poses the following riddle: Which four berachot are said exactly once every year? Hint: "Al mikrah megilah" is incorrect because it is said at night and in the morning. "Al achilat matzah" is said two nights in a row outside of Israel. Look for answer next week. =========================================================================== Got a riddle for the Rabbi? If you have a Jewish riddle that you think would be appropriate for "Ask The Rabbi," we'd like to see it! We hope to share a few of them with our readers in future columns. =========================================================================== MATAN TORAH got you mixed up? Rabbi Gavriel Reuven and Ohr Somayach present Rashi's explanation of the Chronology of the Giving of the Torah The chain of events surrounding the giving of the Torah is very difficult to follow, because, according to Rashi's understanding, the verses are not arranged chronologically. This file lists the events in correct chronological order so that you can easily understand how the Torah was given to the Jewish People. This file is available from the following sources: o The Jerusalem1 Gopher under the heading "Religious Institutions" and the sub-heading "Ohr Somayach" o CompuServe Religion Forum, Judaism Library (3), filename TORAH.TXT o Sent via E-Mail for those without access to one of the above. Send your request to ohr@jer1.co.il. To speed processing, set your subject to "SEND ME TORAH" and do not include any other topics in your message. =========================================================================== Dedication opportunities are available for Ask the Rabbi. Please contact us for details. =========================================================================== Jewish L EEEEEEEE Prepared by Ohr Somayach Institutions J L E 22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103 J L Exchange Jerusalem 91180, Israel J J L E Tel: 02-810315 Fax: 02-812890 JJJJ Learning EEEEEEEE Internet: ohr@jer1.co.il =========================================================================== Written and Compiled by Rabbi Yehoshua Karsh, Rabbi Benzion Bamberger, and various other Rabbis at Ohr Somayach Institutions, Tanenbaum College, Jerusalem, Israel. Production Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman Production Design: Lev Seltzer =========================================================================== (C) 1995 Ohr Somayach International - All rights reserved. This publication may be distributed to another person intact without prior permission. We also encourage you to include this material in other publications, such as synagogue newsletters. 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