Some people are right handed while others are left. Apparently, there are right footed people and left footed people. Neurologists have discovered that there are right brained men and women and others that are left brained.

The mekubalim have taught us yet another right/left distinction. There are right eyed people and left eyed. The right eyed are those that always see the good in others and the left eyed always manage to sight some negative.

We tend to understand the eye as an instrument that transfers information to the brain. Similar to the ears its function is intake. According to our teachings, however, the eyes have yet another function. They transfer energy, produced by the Neshama, outward into the world. When you look at an item or a person you are actually transferring some energy of your soul onto that item or person. If you transfer good soul energy it is called ‘Ayin HaTov’. If you transfer negative soul energy it is called ‘Ayin HaRa’. When we feel genuinely happy for another person’s successes and acquisitions we are giving them, through our eyes, a blessing. When we are full of jealousy,covetousness and hate we disadvantage them with an ‘Ayin HaRa’. (Ninety nine out of one hundred deaths are because of ayin hara. [ Bava Metziah107])

Before Moshe Rabbeinu passed away he asked G-d to let him climb on a mountain and just look at the Land of Israel. He thought about the history of Israel as it would unfold; the building and destructions of Jerusalem, the times of war, the times of peace and the final redemption of Israel. His heart was full of blessing for the Jewish people and the land of Israel. He wanted to transfer the blessings of his very big Neshama onto the people. “Let me just look at the Land” he said “and I will infuse it with blessing through my Ayin HaTov!”

“Anyone who possesses a good eye is considered a student of Abraham. Anyone who possesses an evil eye is of the students of Bilaam.” (Pirkei Avos 5;19).

There is nothing that the Jewish people need more of today than a little ‘Ayin Tov’.