The Evil Eye in the Bible and in Rabbinic Literature

Book excerpt: "Jewish belief in the power of the "evil eye" - aroused and energized by emotions such as jealousy and mean-spiritedness - has been a common concern in Jewish life from earliest times. The everpresent fear of its malevolent power is expressed by the common Yiddish expression "kein ahoro," which means, literally, "without an evil eye." "Kein ahoro" is intended to ward off any potential evil eye when one speaks of one's favorable prospects. Sephardic Jews have been concerned with it as well, and, like the Ashkenazim, their Jewish ritual life has incorporated ways of protecting against it." "Dr. Ulmer's book examines this idea in its many permutations in Rabbinic literature. In particular, she examines its origin in people's negative emotions and its effects on its victims in many phases of life in causing death and sickness, for example, or its role in sexual transgression, etc. The Angel of Death is depicted as having many eyes, and early Jewish mystical literature depicts angels in general as covered with eyes. On the other hand, the "good eye" has many positive meanings, and these are discussed as well." "Dr. Ulmer's study provides the reader with a complete "view" of the numerous symbolic meanings which this most important sense organ has been given in Jewish culture." --Book Jacket.