Widespread belief that certain individuals have the ability to cause harm by directing their gaze at others. According to this ancient, deep-rooted preconception, anyone gifted with the evil eye may inflict bad luck, sickness, or even death, and the potential victim must therefore devise ways to safeguard his person or property against a harmful glance. Superstitions of this kind originated in an idolatrous fear of provoking the gods or of tempting jealous mortals and “familiars” to cast an evil spell on the unwary.
Practical Magic was used by the ancient inhabitants of Canaan to neutralise the effects of human or demonic malevolence: at Gezer, for example, archaeologists have unearthed eye-shaped talismans presumably designed for that purpose. Biblical law, however, sternly forbade the Israelites to adopt such heathen practices and the “evil eye” in both Bible and Mishnah simply denoted ill will, jealousy, or an envious, niggardly character.
A more sinister note begins to appear in the Talmud and Midrash, possibly as a result of foreign (Babylonian?) influences. The aggadic reinterpretation of biblical narrative portrays the evil eye at work, casting spells on Jacob and Joseph, inspiring the Golden Calf idolatry that led to the shattering of the first Mosaic tablets, and being responsible for the death of 99 persons out of 100. Although some of the sages, notably R. Simeon Bar Yochai, could use the power of the eye to good effect, their chief concern was to deflect the evil eye and biblical verses were ingeniously interpreted to demonstrate that Jews could not be affected by it. However, despite this assurance, various countermeasures were prescribed. The evil eye might be averted by such precautions as concealing a woman's beauty, not flaunting one's wealth, and giving another name to an infant. Protective charms and talismans might be worn, while red or blue colours and mirrors were used to ward off a malevolent glance. Amulets are often mentioned in early Rabbinic sources.
Although roundly condemned by Maimonides and other authorities, popular faith in these superstitions never wavered. Among Jewish communities in both Christian and Islamic lands, various residual practices bear witness to a latent fear of the evil eye even today. It has been suggested as an explanation for the breaking of a glass at a wedding ceremony and for the rule whereby a father and son or two brothers are not called in succession to the Reading of the Law. Customs widely observed by Sephardi and Eastern Jews include the use of blue paint on a doorpost, displaying amulets inscribed with biblical or kabbalistic texts, and smearing a bride's hands with a reddish brown henna dye at the Chinna ceremony arranged prior to the wedding. Eastern talismans often represent a hand with the fingers spread to “catch” or deflect the rays emitted by the evil eye. Parallel customs among Ashkenazim are the tying of a red ribbon or flannel strip to a new-born child and never giving the Hebrew name of a (living) father to his son. Ashkenazim often use the Yiddish expression, Keyn ayn-hora (shortened to keynahora, “May no one cast an evil eye”), to express the hope that a positive situation may continue.
