There are two different kinds of בין אדם לחברו/interpersonal damage related to vision. One is called היזק ראיה/damaging sight, the other is, of course, עין הרע/The Evil Eye. I say "of course", because I think that the term עין הרע is more well known than היזק ראיה. I never understood the difference -- nor even that there was a difference -- between the two until I started learning Bava Basra. Bava Basra basically begins with a long discussion of היזק ראיה, which I kept mentally translating as עין הרע. I did that until I got to a commentary that said something like, "which is one of the way that היזק ראיה is different from עין הרע." Whoops. That realization led to enough cognitive dissonance that I was forced to re-examine what I had learned, and even go back to re-learn some of those gemaras. (Another in my long list of reasons why I don't learn Daf Yomi; I am not a linear learner.) For those who are as easily confused as I am, I present this high level overview.
Before delving into what those terms mean, it is worth appreciating there high level differences. A little out of sequence, I know; I already told you I am not a linear learner. Moreover, it will pique your interest and make the details more retainable. היזק ראיה is not actually about damage caused by seeing, but by the ability to see and be seen. היזק ראיה can be used as a factor to force money to be spent and to prevent neighbors from being able to do certain kinds of remodeling. עין הרע, on the other hand, is all about seeing. On the other hand considerations of עין הרע cannot be used to extract money nor even to change behavior of those around you. None the less, it is a very real force.
Now your appetite is really whet to know what these things are, no? Lets start with the less well know term היזק ראיה. Even though we live in a time when the not only does everything go, but there is no longer any embarrassment nor shame associated with nearly any behavior. (They say that, but methinks the lady doth protest too much.) The Torah, though, expects us to live our lives with a degree of צניעות/modesty/privacy. I am expected and encouraged to refrain from certain activities where people might see me. Therefore, for example, if I have have a neighbor who wants to open a new window, I have a right to stop him if it will provide more opportunity for me to be seen from that window when I am in my back yard. If two Jews move into adjoining properties, they can force each other to contribute to a privacy wall between them. It makes no difference even if they promise to never look, the fact that they could is enough restrict my activities going forward.
עין הרע, on the other hand is all about being seen. The issue at hand is that the Heavenly Tribunal is always in session and is considering what is best for us. If we live in a way that makes other people jealous, then the HT might decide it would be better for our eternal souls to not have that brand new Porshe or huge mansion. There are many ways for the HT to arrange for those items (or even more precious ones, המבין יבין) to leave our possession; none of them are pleasant. Concerns of עין הרע do not allow me to do anything but change my own behavior. Even though is caused by those who are jealous -- and they will have their own judgement to settle -- we are also held responsible for the unnecessary jealousy that we engender in others.
Before delving into what those terms mean, it is worth appreciating there high level differences. A little out of sequence, I know; I already told you I am not a linear learner. Moreover, it will pique your interest and make the details more retainable. היזק ראיה is not actually about damage caused by seeing, but by the ability to see and be seen. היזק ראיה can be used as a factor to force money to be spent and to prevent neighbors from being able to do certain kinds of remodeling. עין הרע, on the other hand, is all about seeing. On the other hand considerations of עין הרע cannot be used to extract money nor even to change behavior of those around you. None the less, it is a very real force.
Now your appetite is really whet to know what these things are, no? Lets start with the less well know term היזק ראיה. Even though we live in a time when the not only does everything go, but there is no longer any embarrassment nor shame associated with nearly any behavior. (They say that, but methinks the lady doth protest too much.) The Torah, though, expects us to live our lives with a degree of צניעות/modesty/privacy. I am expected and encouraged to refrain from certain activities where people might see me. Therefore, for example, if I have have a neighbor who wants to open a new window, I have a right to stop him if it will provide more opportunity for me to be seen from that window when I am in my back yard. If two Jews move into adjoining properties, they can force each other to contribute to a privacy wall between them. It makes no difference even if they promise to never look, the fact that they could is enough restrict my activities going forward.
עין הרע, on the other hand is all about being seen. The issue at hand is that the Heavenly Tribunal is always in session and is considering what is best for us. If we live in a way that makes other people jealous, then the HT might decide it would be better for our eternal souls to not have that brand new Porshe or huge mansion. There are many ways for the HT to arrange for those items (or even more precious ones, המבין יבין) to leave our possession; none of them are pleasant. Concerns of עין הרע do not allow me to do anything but change my own behavior. Even though is caused by those who are jealous -- and they will have their own judgement to settle -- we are also held responsible for the unnecessary jealousy that we engender in others.
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