"Do not eat the bread of one who has an evil eye"

Synopsis

Rabbi Chiya explains that if the children of Yisrael in Egypt had not tasted the bread of the evil Egyptians, they would not have suffered the oppression of the Egyptians and they would not have remained in exile. When Rabbi Yitzchak points out that the exile was a fulfillment of a divine decree, Rabbi Chiya reminds him that the decree does not mention Egypt specifically. Thus, Rabbi Yitzchak understands and embraces the concept that one should not partake of the bread of an evil man. formatting

Relevance

Our social and physical environment exerts profound influence upon us. If we consort with negative individuals, inevitably we will walk in their ways and emulate their self-destructive deeds.

This holds true for our own ego. When we indulge or yield to the cravings of our ego (eating the bread of an evil person), we eventually fall to the lowest depths (Egypt). We become prisoners to the dark side of our nature, oblivious and distant from the longings of our soul, our true self.

This passage banishes our reactive, egocentric impulses. Moreover, we attract kind, spiritual people into our life and infuse our environment with positive energy and Light.

Bread Egypt Egyptians Evil Exile Eyes

21. "And these are the names of the children of Israel..." (Shemot 1:1). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion saying: "Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye, nor desire his dainties" (Mishlei 23:6). "Do not eat the bread of him who has an evil eye," because the bread or benefit from that person who has an evil eye is not worth eating or benefiting from. When Yisrael descended into Egypt, had they not tasted the bread of Egypt, they would not have been forsaken in exile IN EGYPT, and the Egyptians would not have been able to harm them.

21. וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח, אַל תִּלְחַם אֶת לֶחֶם רַע עַיִן וְאַל תִּתְאָו לְמַטְעַמֹּתָיו. אַל תִּלְחַם אֶת לֶחֶם רַע עַיִן, בְּגִין דְּנַהֲמָא אוֹ הֲנָאָה דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּהַוְי רַע עַיִן, לָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְמֵיכַל וּלְאִתְהֲנֵי מִנֵּיהּ. דְּאִי כַּד נַחְתּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם, לָא יִטְעֲמוּן נַהֲמָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי, לָא אִשְׁתְּבָקוּ בְּגָלוּתָא, וְלָא יְעִיקוּן לוֹן מִצְרָאֵי.

Bread Egypt Exile

22. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וְהָא גְּזֵרָא אִתְגְּזַר. א"ל, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, דְּהָא לָא אִתְגְּזַר בְּמִצְרַיִם דַּוְוקָא, דְּהָא לָא כְּתִיב כִּי גֵּר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם, וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּאַרְעָא אָחֲרָא.

Bread Egypt Egyptians Nefesh (Soul) Soul (Nefesh)

23. Rabbi Yitzchak said, One with a Nefesh, who eats more than other people or one who follows his intestines, MEANING THAT HE IS ACCUSTOMED TO FILL HIS STOMACH WITH DAINTIES, should slaughter himself rather than eat his bread if he meets that evil-eyed one. For there is no worse bread in the world than the bread of an evil-eyed person. It is written, "Because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews because it was an abomination to Egypt" (Beresheet 43:32), MEANING THEY COULD NOT LOOK UPON THE HEBREWS AS THEY ATE. Such is the bread of the evil-eyed!

23. אָמַר ר' יִצְחָק, מַאן דְּאִיהוּ בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ, דְּמֵיכְלֵיהּ יַתִּיר מִשְּׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, אוֹ מַאן דְּהוּא אָזִיל בָּתַר מֵעוֹי, אִי אִעְרַע בְּהַהוּא רַע עַיִן, יְכוּס גַּרְמֵיהּ וְלָא יֵיכוּל מִנַּהֲמָא דִּילֵיהּ, דְּלֵית נַהֲמָא בִּישָׁא בְּעָלְמָא, בַּר מֵהַהוּא לֶחֶם רַע עַיִן, מַה כְּתִיב כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּן הַמִּצְרִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת הָעִבְרִים לֶחֶם כִּי תוֹעֵבָה הִיא לְמִצְרָיִם, הָא לָךְ לֶחֶם רַע עַיִן.