[Avodah] Flaunting is Dangerous

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Dec 25, 2022 at 09:13:50PM +0000, Prof. L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> The following is from pages 167 - 168 of the sefer Rav Schwab on Chumash.
> 
> The Rav, in one of his speeches at an Agudas Yisrael Convention,
> explained this pasuk as follows:
> .. Yaakov said to his sons, "Why would you have
> everyone gazing at you?" (Bereishis 42:1)

I noticed that "ayin ra" in Pirqei Avos is usually translated as an
idiom for "jealousy".

Which led me to think that maybe "ayin hara" is sekhar va'onesh -- a
logical punishment for someone who engages in conspicuous consumption,
not caring about the feelings of those who wished they could do the same
but can't. What would better punish someone for carlessly making others
dissatisfied with their lot by flaunting their gifts than their drying up?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 It's never too late
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   to become the person
Author: Widen Your Tent      you might have been.
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                    - George Eliot