Yesterday, we had discussed that two brothers or a father and son should not receive an Aliyah to the Torah consecutively because of Ayin Hara (“Evil Eye”) concerns. The Mishnah Berura and other Poskim rule likewise.
The Essence of the Harm
Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes in his Sefer Anaf Etz Avot is not only caused by one’s enemies, but it can also be caused by friends, relatives, and even Torah scholars!
We see this clearly from the incident (Berachot 58b) where Rav Papa and Rav Huna son of Rav Yehoshua were walking on the street and met up with Rav Chanina son of Rav Ika and they told him, “We must recite two blessings upon seeing you: ‘Shehecheyanu’ (due to their joy upon seeing him) and ‘She’Chalak Me’Chochmato Li’re’av’ (due to his vast knowledge of Torah and being one of the luminaries of the generation.)”
Rav Chanina replied, “I shall recite these two blessings upon seeing you and I shall add one more as well, the blessing of ‘Chacham Ha’Razim’ (a blessing recited upon seeing six-hundred thousand Jews at one time), for you two are as significant to me as six-hundred thousand Jews.” They were so enamored by his wisdom and wit that they fixed their gaze on him, and he passed away.
Clearly, Rav Papa and Rav Huna son of Rav Yehoshua, two of the leading sages of the Talmud, had no malintent or jealousy towards Rav Chanina. Just the mere admiration they had for the wisdom and erudition possessed by Rav Chanina caused him to die, although they were certainly happy for him. Thus, we see that Ayin Hara is a result of excitement that people have when they see an uncommon talent or gift in someone else, which can end up becoming a harmful force.
Creating Something Which Causes Great Excitement
Indeed, our Sages taught (Baba Batra 14b) that preferably, a Sefer Torah’s length should not exceed its circumference (meaning that one should write a Sefer Torah based on the thickness of the parchment, such that at its conclusion, its length and circumference, when fully rolled up, will be equal). This is something extremely difficult to execute.
The Gemara relates that Rav Huna write seventy Sifrei Torah and none of them came out with equivalent lengths and circumferences. On the other hand, Rav Acha bar Yaakov wrote one Sefer Torah on a calf’s hide and it came out that the length and circumference were equal. The sages fixed their gaze on him, and he passed away.
This means that anything surprising or out of the norm can cause susceptibility to the harmful effects of Ayin Hara. We mentioned yesterday the words of the Gemara (Baba Metzia 107a) that one may not stand over and gaze at one’s field when its produce is in full bloom, for this can cause Ayin Hara. Indeed, Rav Yehuda told Ravin not to purchase a field next to the city, for the public will gaze at the field and it will be stricken by Ayin Hara! (Some explain that when people overly admire something in this world, this awakens Heavenly judgment against the individual, for if the individual received such great goodness, is he actually worthy of this Heavenly gift? That is how one may be harmed. Others rebuff this explanation.)
In the next Halacha, we shall, G-d-willing, discuss real ways to be protected from the harmful effects of Ayin Hara.
