I know that it's considered an ayin hara for a woman to wear the color red - as well as not so tznius: where does this come from (the ayin hara part; I understand the tznius issue)? Secondly, does this also apply to little girls? and why would it not apply to boys?

Many thanks!

B"H

Rivkaleah,

Good question. The Talmud reports a story, saying that when a Jewish man saw a certain woman dressed in red, he came up to her, and ripped her dress from her in the market-place, until she stood stark naked! When it was learnt that the woman was not even Jewish, and not bound by our laws of modesty, Rabbi Akiba fined him 200 dinars on account of his having caused shame to the woman! Her name was "Matoun," from whence the fined man would joke, saying "Matoun-Matoun," meaning that on her account he was fined two-hundred dinars. (In the Hebrew language, "Matoun" has the phonetic sound of "two-hundred.")

Jewish women are to be modest, but the colour red attracts undue attention to them. In Yemenite Jewish culture, looking attentively upon a new-born child, or staring at a nice-looking child, was met with apprenhension by the child's parents, as they feared "Ayin Hara" (the Evil Eye). "Ayin Hara" takes its root in seeing, and especially, when someone might be jealous of the parents of that child, owing to his good looks. The Yemenite Jews took precautionary measures against "Ayin Hara." A child was smeared with a black smudge of aloe vera, and bridegrooms carried a bunch of rue in their hands - all to ward-off the Evil Eye.

Men and boys, on the other hand, were not deemed as vulnerable to the effects of "Ayin Hara" simply by their wearing red. Or else, it was never a common practice for them to wear red. Women were those who were mostly attracted to this colour.

Sincerely,
David Ben-Abraham

There is a similar discussion related to this one on this thread: prohibition of wearing certain colors on the holidays