A Good Eye

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

Moshe was nearing the completion of his career. Although he would have liked to continue and lead the Jewish people into the Land of Israel, Hashem told him that this was not to be. Instead Moshe was told, “Ascend the mountain, and look at the land which I have given to the people of Israel.” What was the purpose of this “looking” which Moshe was directed to do?

There is a beautiful story about Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach of Yerusholayim in which a man who was working in Rabbi Auerbach’s yeshiva informed the Rabbi that he would soon be moving to a new apartment. The Rabbi replied with a request that the man should tell him once things were finalized, but before they moved in. The man was surprised by the request, but as soon as the paperwork was completed he informed the Rabbi. Rabbi Auerbach requested that they could go together to see the apartment. And so they did.

When they got to the apartment Rabbi Auerbach asked the man to give him a tour of the apartment, slowly, one room at a time. As they entered each room, the Rabbi smiled broadly and enthusiastically. In each room he added a pleasant comment. “Ah… so this is where the children will play… This is where your wife will cook such nurturing meals… and this is where you will have your Shabbos meals.” The man enjoyed the attention and the enthusiasm, but he was a bit confused as to why the Rabbi had taken the time to experience a tour of the apartment.

Rabbi Auerbach realized the man’s confusion so he explained. I know that the last few years have been difficult for you. You’ve had some health problems, and some financial issues. The apartment you were in was too small for your family, and this too was causing much stress. I wanted to bestow an “Ayin Tova- a Good Eye”, an attitude of blessing on your new home.

Most of us are more familiar with the concerns associated with “Ayin Horah- An Evil Eye”. Jewish tradition maintains, for example, that it is forbidden to gaze at someone else’s harvest with jealousy as that gaze can cause serious damage. Likewise it is not recommended for a person to flaunt one’s blessings as this might evoke ill will from those who are not so blessed, and can have serious ramifications.

Interestingly, in its most extreme form, the source of jealousy is really quite fascinating. The commentaries explain that when a person sees blessing by someone else, if he does not have a healthy perspective, he may begin to wish that the blessing or asset would be his. Soon he rationalizes that it really could have been his… and actually should have been his. Finally he begins to think that what his friend has really does belong to him… just that his friend took it from him.

A person who has a healthy perspective realizes that Hashem gives each person what they should have. There is no reason to look at someone else’s assets and erroneously think that they were incorrectly assigned. In fact, in its most pristine form, a healthy perspective produces a person who can look at someone else’s blessing and wish them only good… even in cases where they themselves also hope to be blessed in a similar way and have not yet been so blessed.

Perhaps this is the great mission placed upon Moshe to “look at the land”. Moshe’s task was to gaze at the land lovingly and with a sense of blessing. Despite the fact they he desperately wanted to enter the land and was not allowed to, he still was able to bestow an “Ayin Tova- A good Eye” upon the Land and upon those who would be blessed to enter it.

© 2014 by TEACH613™

Consider this: Is there a person in your community who has a blessing that you wish you had? Are you able to be grateful that this person is so blessed, even as you yearn for that type of blessing in your life? What perspectives can save you from falling into a rut of jealousy?

Please share your comments below.