Ask The Rabbi...
January 14, 1995 
Issue #51
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This edition contains:
1.  What is an "Ayin Hara"?
2.  A Bracha Riddle
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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.

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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.
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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.
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                       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. 
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