History of the Hamsa and What it can Teach us Today

The Hamsa, though popularly associated with Judaism and Jewish iconography, is actually an Arabic word, meaning "five". The Hebrew isn't far off at Hamesh, though calling the Hamsa a Hamesh has long since gone out of style. The five refers to the fingers of the hand. According to Muslim and Jewish folklore, the hand functions as an evil eye repellent - a neutralizer of ill will from other people. Presumably, as the hand stands in front as a shield, much like a "stop" gesture, it counters the effects of someone envious of you.

As the Hamsa symbol is prevalent in both Jewish and Muslim culture, evidence suggests that it in fact predates both. Though that doesn't stop both from claiming it as their own, with the Jewish faction relating it to the hand of Miriam, sister of Moses, while Islam sees it as the hand of Fatima, daughter of Mohammad.

Folklore notwithstanding, there is a rationalistic side to a warding off of the "Evil Eye." If we are to understand the phenomenon psychologically as opposed to magically, then having people envious of us can indeed cause actual damage. Say someone sees your success, a feeling of ill will begins welling up inside him. He becomes depressed, negative, envious, in general willing to do damage to achieve the status you have attained. He goes home upset, his wife feels it. She's had enough of his negative attitude, and their family life becomes that more lackluster. His kids feel the stress at home, don't do as well in school, and they take it out on somebody else. Maybe your kids go to the same school and get caught in a fight they started. The circle returns to you.

Humans are instinctually programmed to pick up negative energy from one another and pass it around very quicky. We have a sense for the "evil eye." We've all been around unpleasant, jealous people. It doesn't make us feel good, and may seriously effect our day. On the other hand, one positive encounter with a stranger can leave a mark for days, because our sense of the "good eye" is just as strong and effective.

Perhaps it is this that the Hamsa is here to remind us. Do your best to be unaffected by negative emotion, and to refrain from passing it on by acting modestly. Put your hand out, all five fingers, and put a stop to it. And don't forget to keep the positive energy going all around you. You never know how and when it can boomerang back at you and give you a much-needed boost.