What do a Kine hora pu-pu-pu and a baby stroller evil eye pin have to do with one another?

Evil Eye Pin With a Hamsa Hand

We all have heard of the evil eye, but if you haven’t there is a whole blog post about it on Alef Bet Jewelry’s blog over that you'll enjoy reading, titled What is the Meaning of Evil Eyes.

The evil eye, it’s a real thing. 

No matter how you decided to pronounce it: 

Kine-ahora, keineinehora, kanehore, keyn ayin hara, kaynahara, kein ayin hara it’s out there.  Or the equivalent Hebrew phrase is בלי עין הרע bli ayin hara.

Kenahora, as it is pronounced most often, is actually a slur of three words in Yiddish as described on Chabad's website:

•  kein the Yiddish word for no or negating 
• ayin Hebrew for eye
• hara Hebrew for Evil

You know that look:

That evil look, that inclination that something bad is going to happen to you or cause you harm, that is what the evil eye is all about. 

That stare, that deep-piercing stare.

I mean, if someone slightly looks at you in just the exact wrong way-- it could potentially cause harm to come in your direction.  

And No One Wants That! Kinahora pu-pu-pu

Alternatively, if someone praises you or wishes you well, you also do not want that luck to leave so you might throw out kanehore. 

We like to credit Jewish grandmothers with this. 

Especially the ones from Europe, ok maybe it was just my Nana, but she threw out this word like it was going out of style. "You're such a shayna punim, kenahora," she would say when she saw us.  Or after I had my kids she would tell me all the time, "You look tired, kenahora, get some sleep."

Another example of how the Yiddish word can be easily strung into a sentence is when talking about one's success (and fear of losing it).  “My son got a fabulous job and is making great money… kaynahara.” You don’t want someone to be jealous, envious, and take that luck away from him so you end the sentence with a message to throw out the evil eye.  

It basically translates into, “without the evil eye” or “there should be no evil eye.”    And feel free to throw in a “pu-pu-pu” and spit to the air if you really, really need to get your point across.

To prevent matters from taking a bad turn, in other words. 

To crush it before it gains momentum.

Like “knock on wood,” but in Yiddish or Hebrew.   Jewish folklore instead of Christian, since knocking on wood is essentially knocking on the cross of Jesus Christ.

And when you have a new baby- - kine-ahora should anything happen to that baby!

May The Evil Eye Stay Away-- Far Far Away!

Blue Evil Eye Baby Pin

This is why you’ll see evil eye baby stroller pins pinned to a child’s stroller.  Even a bassinette, crib, car seat, such as shown above, to add symbolic protection for a newborn baby.  Some parents will also pin the safety-pin to a newborn’s clothing.  

If you’re thinking of a baby shower gift, a new mommy gift or a new baby present, evil eye stroller pins are always a good idea and you can buy them on Amazon.

Jewish Star with Protection Eyes for Baby

There are many examples of the evil eye in the ancient commentary of the Hebrew Bible, known as the Midrash.  Push superstitions aside, it is actually written in the Midrash (Tanchuma, Miketz 8) that says, “There is nothing more harmful than the evil eye.”

Boy, is that right!

Commentary after commentary tells of avoiding the ayin hara (the evil eye in Hebrew).  In the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 91), we learn that Jacob sent 10 of his sons to buy food in Egpyt and warned them of the evil eye, as it was a time of famine in the land of Israel and he didn’t want the boys to attract negative attention.

If you really want the truth, the Midrash about Jacob also proves to me that parents never stop worrying about their children, even when they are grown, adults.  

Boy, isn't that right!?!

Maybe we should take these pins and actually give them to our teenagers, college students, and adult children. We can pin them into their backpacks, put them inside of their purses and into whatever else they carry with them at all times.  

What do you think of that idea?

Pink Lucky Eye Baby Girl Stroller Pin

A little protection, a little pu-pu-pu never hurt anyone!

I think I am going to put one in my children's purse now, how about you?

Did you grow up hearing the kineahora pu-pu-pu too?

I'd love to know!