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Our daily expressions contain many idiomatic vestiges related to the “evil eye” tradition. Examples are the commonly-used “God forbid” and the present-day German expressions of “unbeschriehen” and “unberufen” (both terms meaning not to summon or conjure up unwelcome spirits, with the further implication that only magic can be stronger than guilt). The Yiddish “keine hara” (abbreviated from “kein ayin hara,” meaning “no evil eye”) is a very frequent member of Yiddish verbiage in the United States and is used especially by Jews from eastern Europe.
As a youngster the author often witnessed the European practice of incantations, mutterings, and ritualistic spitting by persons allegedly protecting themselves against the “evil eye.” The “cure” of the influence of the “evil eye” was practised widely by various groups in Europe, particularly Jewish, and by a small group of similar cultural background in the United States. This paper, then, will concern itself with measures of coping with the “evil eye” as a populal primitive form of psychotherapy, and of the role of the rabbi as counselor and therapist.
No group can be said to have a monopoly on superstitious belief and practice. (4), (7) This thesis can be borne out by legends surrounding the beliefs and practices associated with