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DEUTERONOMY | 15:9 evil — DEUT762 Said he [Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai] to th...

DEUT762 Said he [Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai] to them: Go out and see which is the good way to which a man should cling. Rabbi Eliezer said, A good, kindly eye; Pirkei Avot, Perek II, mishnah 13. In the next mishnah (14) they seek to describe "the evil, bad way" which a person should strongly avoid. Rabbi Eliezer answers, An evil eye. This implies envy, jealousy, constant discontent, and a niggardly spirit which abhors sharing with others or serving others. With "an evil eye" a person will say, "What I have is never enough, and what the other has is always too much." This is what the Torah warns against: "Beware lest… your eye be evil against your needy brother, and you give him nothing" [this verse]. The person with a "good eye "finds deep gratification in teaching others and in helping others. As we find in the Book of Proverbs, "He who has a good eye will be blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor" (Proverbs 22:9).

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Source KeySINAI1
Verse15:9
Keyword(s)evil
Source Page(s)178
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