I remember my father, a clever jewelry worker, with his University of life over his shoulders, always repeating his warnings: if you have to take any exam, enter the examination room with your right foot; or on anybody’s wedding day the bride has to wear a borrowed object; etc.
So let’s talk about the origin of superstitions, the roots of these strange human beliefs and behaviours. That famous superstition about the bad luck you will get by walking under a ladder comes from the early Christian belief which explained that a leaning ladder, together with wall and the ground, formed a triangle. This comes from an old Christian rule which says that you must never violate the holy trinity by walking through a triangle because you can be considered in league or in association with the devil. This sacred triangle includes the three forms of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; as a consequence of this you may not be seen as a good Christian by other people. There are a lot of superstitions in the Jewish religion; and there are also mixed Jewish – Christian superstitions.
When somebody has a happy moment in his life, like success in his work, a graduation, the birth of a child, moving to a new house, a new car etc, it is very usual, among Jewish people, to say in Yiddish language ¨Kein Ayin Hoar¨.
Which means ¨may the evil eye stay away¨? This is specially related to the envy or bad energy that might come from people, which can ruin our success and happiness.
There are a lot of these superstitious concepts written in the cabala.
The truth is that I don’t believe in superstitions, I believe in God, and that he takes care of me. I don’t believe in the devil or in witches, but please beware of them, because sometimes it seems that they exist.
So let’s talk about the origin of superstitions, the roots of these strange human beliefs and behaviours. That famous superstition about the bad luck you will get by walking under a ladder comes from the early Christian belief which explained that a leaning ladder, together with wall and the ground, formed a triangle. This comes from an old Christian rule which says that you must never violate the holy trinity by walking through a triangle because you can be considered in league or in association with the devil. This sacred triangle includes the three forms of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; as a consequence of this you may not be seen as a good Christian by other people. There are a lot of superstitions in the Jewish religion; and there are also mixed Jewish – Christian superstitions.
When somebody has a happy moment in his life, like success in his work, a graduation, the birth of a child, moving to a new house, a new car etc, it is very usual, among Jewish people, to say in Yiddish language ¨Kein Ayin Hoar¨.
Which means ¨may the evil eye stay away¨? This is specially related to the envy or bad energy that might come from people, which can ruin our success and happiness.
There are a lot of these superstitious concepts written in the cabala.
The truth is that I don’t believe in superstitions, I believe in God, and that he takes care of me. I don’t believe in the devil or in witches, but please beware of them, because sometimes it seems that they exist.
English 6º
Sara Schitter
