Rabbi Pinto reveals: A practical Segula for protection against the Evil Eye

In his weekly segment, Rabbi Yeshayahu Pinto shares a powerful segula for protection against the evil eye, rooted in a sacred name mentioned in this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Vayeira. After Sarah, our matriarch, reacts with laughter upon hearing the prophecy of Isaac’s birth, Torah commentators question her reaction, suggesting that her laughter did not stem from disbelief, but rather from a fear of the evil eye that Ishmael might cast upon her.

According to Rabbi Pinto, tradition teaches that Hashem offered a unique means of protection against the evil eye through a holy name known as “Alef-Aleph” or “הא”א.” This name derives from the Hebrew phrase in the verse “הַאַף אֻמְנָם אֵלֵד” (“Shall I indeed bear a child?”), and it is renowned in holy writings for its potent ability to shield against the evil eye and other harmful forces. Rabbi Pinto explains that when Sarah heard the angel’s prophecy, she feared Ishmael’s potential envy and disguised her reaction to prevent him from casting an evil eye. However, Hashem reassured Abraham that if Sarah had focused on the name “הא”א,” there would have been no need for concern.

This same name, “הא”א,” reappears in the binding of Isaac (Akeidat Yitzchak), in Hashem’s command: “Take your son… to the land of Moriah.” Here, the name is hinted again through the phrase “אֶל אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה” (“to the land of Moriah”). Hashem uses this name to protect Abraham and Isaac from any potential evil eye of the angels, who feared the lasting implications of the Akeidah.

Rabbi Pinto further illustrates how “הא”א” is woven into other verses, such as “In the abundance of Your kindness, I will enter Your house… I will bow down towards Your holy temple,” which counters the potential envy of angels who may covet the unique relationship between man and Hashem. Additionally, in the verse “The Lord your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude,” the name “הא”א” appears again, serving as a shield for the people of Israel against the evil eye.

Rabbi Pinto emphasizes that “הא”א” represents a profound spiritual force, offering protection from the evil eye and other negative influences, and that a person can guard themselves from its harmful effects by attributing their blessings and successes to Hashem.

“It is essential,” says Rabbi Pinto, “for a person to recognize that every success is a gift from above, rather than a personal achievement. In this way, we avoid drawing the harmful attention of the evil eye.”

This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel