Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses the phenomenon of ayin hara (the evil eye) and how the tribe of Yosef had a special immunity from it.

The Gemara explains: "We are of the descendants of Joseph, upon whom the evil eye had no dominion, as it is written: 'Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain [alei ayin]' (Bereishis 49:22), and Rabbi Abbahu states a homiletic interpretation: Do not read it as alei ayin; rather, read it as olei ayin, above the eye, i.e., he transcended the influence of the evil eye."

This idea, that someone from the tribe of Yosef has protection from the evil eye, also appears in two other discussions in the Talmud.

In Gemara Berachos (55b), an incantation is suggested to ward off ayin hara:

“One who enters a city and fears the evil eye should hold the thumb of his right hand in his left hand and the thumb of his left hand in his right hand and recite the following: 'I, so-and-so son of so-and-so, come from the descendants of Yosef, over whom the evil eye has no dominion, as it is stated: "Yosef is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a fountain [alei ayin]; its branches run over the wall" (Bereishis 49:22). Do not read it as alei ayin, but rather as olei ayin, who rise above the eye, and the evil eye has no dominion over him.'”

There are two obvious problems with this incantation: (1) If someone is not actually from the tribe of Yosef, how can it work? (2) Why is it permitted to declare something that is patently false?

The Maharsha answers that this is part of the formula of the incantation. Similar to how incantations may include nonsensical consonants or word combinations that have a spiritual effect, the actual content does not have to be true or make sense for it to work. Later, we will explore other possible answers.

A second Gemara (Berachos 20a) also discusses either stating that one is from the tribe of Yosef to protect from ayin hara, or possibly the principal was indeed a descendant of Yosef:

“Rav Giddel was accustomed to go and sit at the gates of the women’s immersion sites. He said to them: ‘Immerse yourselves in this way, and immerse yourselves in that way.’ The Sages said to him: ‘Master, do you not fear the evil inclination?’ He said to them: ‘In my eyes, they are comparable to white geese.’”

Rav Giddel knew that he could avoid inappropriate distraction by acknowledging the women’s appearance abstractly, without any lustful thoughts.

Rabbi Yochanan had a similar practice, but a different question was posed to him, shedding light on Yosef’s immunity to ayin hara:

“Rabbi Yochanan, known for his extraordinary good looks, said: ‘When the daughters of Israel emerge from their immersion, they will look at me and have children as beautiful as I.’ The Sages asked him: ‘Master, do you not fear the evil eye?’ He said to them: ‘I descend from the seed of Yosef, over whom the evil eye has no dominion.’”

One way to interpret this is that, after accepting Rav Giddel’s explanation, they didn't ask Rabbi Yochanan the same question about his intentions. Instead, they asked about *ayin hara*, to which Rabbi Yochanan responded that he had inherited immunity from the tribe of Yosef.

However, another interpretation suggests that the Gemara hints at a double meaning. Ayin hara can also refer to lustful gazing, as in the verse, “Do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge” (Bamidbar 15:39). Rabbi Yochanan might be saying, “I am like Yosef, who resisted the advances of Potiphar's wife, and thus I am protected.” The Midrash Haittamari (Eliyahu ben Shlomo Avraham HaKohen, 1659-1729) adds that Yosef merited protection from ayin hara as a middah k’neged middah (measure for measure) for his self-control. Because Yosef refrained from taking what didn’t belong to him, others’ jealousies and negative intentions could not affect him or his descendants.

Returning to the incantation, it might not be a simple magical formula. The Gemara may be hinting to the wise that there are no true "magic formulas" or automatic protections from ayin hara. Rather, one earns protection by emulating Yosef and practicing shemiras ha'eynayim (guarding one’s eyes), as the verse says. As discussed in Blogposts Psychology of the Daf (Bava Basra 96, 104), the sages often cloak difficult concepts in language that appears simple, but hints at deeper truths. They avoided saying explicitly that a person can transcend temptation and see beauty without lust, even though it may be possible, because it could easily be misinterpreted. 

The simple segulah (apotropaic ritual or formula) could work due to the psychological principle that ayin hara is sensitive to subjective belief in its power (Pesachim 110b: Kol d’kapid kapdinan leih). If reciting the ritual eases one’s anxiety, it reduces vulnerability to ayin hara. However, the deeper truth is that avoiding the evil eye requires not having an “evil” or lustful eye oneself. The ultimate goal is to become an honorary member of the tribe of Yosef by earning that protection through righteous behavior.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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