From: Debra

Dear Rabbi,

Is it true that according to Kabbala or possibly the Zohar that a person who wears a red string will be protected from the evil eye or evil forces?  When did all of this begin? What is the meaning of wearing a red string? What kind of a red string are they talking about? Why would the red string protect us from the evil eye? Is there any truth in this? Thank you.

Dear Debra,

There is no written mention in the Torah, halacha or kabbala about tying a red string around the wrist as protection from the evil eye. In Genesis 38:28 we do find the following: “And it came about when [Tamar] gave birth, that [one of the twins] stretched out his hand. So the midwife took and bound a crimson thread on his hand, saying, ‘This one came out first’”.  However the commentaries don’t view this as protection, rather as a sign as to which twin breached first.

Several Talmudic sources mention “tying”, “thread”, and “red”, but none mention specifically tying a red thread around the wrist for protection against the evil eye. The Gemora (Shabbat 67a) allows painting a red band around the trunk of a fruit tree as a sign for people to pray that the fruit not fall. The Tosefta (Shabbat 8:4) may prohibit “tying a thread on red” which, according to the commentaries, either means tying a thread on something red, or on account of a red skin condition; in any case the thread itself is not red. The closest we get to tying a red thread is the Tosefta (Shabbat 7:1) that prohibits tying a red string around the finger because of “Darchei Emori,” a superstitious practice resembling idol-worship. However, since this is enumerated among other witchcraft-like practices, it is different than the custom of tying around the wrist, which would not be included in the prohibition.

On the contrary, a great rabbi, the Debreczyner Rav, wrote that he recalls seeing the custom in his father’s home, but he was unable to find a written source for the practice. A revered Torah scholar in Jerusalem also told me that he remembers as a child seeing very reliable people practicing the custom. Therefore, even though the practice is not mentioned in our sources, it seems to be a custom that has been around for some time, and may be based on Torah or kabbalistic ideas.

If there is any validity to the custom, it would be as a “segula” or protective type of act. There are sources for such special properties of segulot. The Torah states, “The Lord your G‑d has chosen you to be His Am Segula – treasured people – out of all the peoples upon the face of the earth” (Deut. 7:6). Why are the Jewish People called G‑d’s segula? Rav Chaim of Voloshzin says it’s on account of the Torah and mitzvot that have a miraculous effect on them, enabling their prayers to be answered in a special way. In fact, the mitzvot themselves are protective: charity protects from natural death, sanctifying the new moon protects from unnatural death, the Succah protects from exile, and so on. Therefore a custom that is based on Torah ideas or mitzvot, may also have special segula properties on a smaller scale.

Regarding the red string, the custom is to tie a long red thread around the burial site of Rachel, the wife of Jacob. Rachel selflessly agreed that her sister marry Jacob first, in order to spare Leah shame and embarrassment. Later, Rachel willingly returned her soul to G‑d on the lonely way to Beit Lechem, in order to pray there for the Jews that would later pass by on their way to exile and captivity. Often, one acquires the red string when giving charity.

Perhaps for these reasons the red thread is considered a protective segula: it recalls the great merit of our matriarch Rachel, reminding us to emulate her modest ways of consideration, compassion, and selflessness for the benefit of others, while simultaneously giving charity to the poor and needy. It follows that it would be this internal reflection which inspires good deeds, more than the string itself that would protect one from evil and harm.

One man I know jokingly said he keeps the red thread on as a segula against having to give money to the people selling red threads. However, a woman I know said she went to Rachel’s tomb and took upon herself to wear the red thread until she would find her soul-mate. On the day she met her husband, the thread miraculously fell off her wrist. Another woman said she took upon herself to wear the string until she would get married. It fell off a few years later before going to the mikva in preparation for her chuppa.

Sources:

• For more sources on “tying”, “red” and “thread” see Yerushalmi, Shevi’it 4:4 and Ma’aser Sheni 5:1
• Beit Yosef, Yoreh Deah, Ch. 178
• Nefesh HaChaim
• Sefer HaBrit 4:2