We continue our series on family life through the lenses of Mishlei and the wisdom of Shlomo HaMelech alav hashalom (peace be upon him). Today, we will be discussing a Pasuk (verse) in Perek (chapter) Chaf Bet (twenty-two), Pasuk Tet (nine). Shlomo HaMelech says, “Tov Ayin Hu Yevorach Ki Natan Milachmo ladal.” This means: Tov Ayin Hu Yevorach: One that has a good eye, he will be blessed. Ki Natan Milachmo ladal: For he has given from his bread to the poor.
Shlomo HaMelech in this Pasuk is simply talking about a person who has a good eye toward others. He is a person who gives from what is important to him, but he shares it and gives it to others. To the extent that, in Ki Natan Milachmo ladal, he takes the bread that is so important to him, that he needs for himself, takes from his bread, and gives it to the poor, to those who are in need. Shlomo HaMelech says, “That is a person who has a good eye, and therefore he will be blessed.” A person who sacrifices, who gives the things that he needs for himself but is willing to sacrifice and give them to another person in need, deserves, says Shlomo HaMelech, a tremendous reward from Hashem. The Borei Olam (Creator of the world) will truly bless him. That is the simple explanation of this Pasuk.
However, we are going to learn this Pasuk now in a different way. Tov Ayin Hu Yevorach. Tov Ayin Hu Yevorach. A person who has a good eye is a person who is blessed. What is a Tov Ayin? What is a Tov Ayin? Tov Ayin, we could translate it to mean a person who has an eye that sees only good. Even though he is going through a difficult time in life, there are ups and downs, and he sees things that are challenging and difficult, he has trained his eye to see the goodness that Hashem has blessed him with. Tov Ayin, a person who has a good eye, an eye that detects the good, an eye that analyzes the blessings that Hashem gave him, says Shlomo HaMelech, “Hu Yevorach.” That is a person who is deserving of blessing.
When Hashem says, “He sees that my child looks at the good that I give him, and he is thankful, and he recognizes it, and he acknowledges it, and he says, ‘Borei Olam, thank you for the good.’” Even if he is going through a difficult time, and there is a lot that is not good in his life, there are a lot of not-so-good things going on, he looks at the good and spots the good things that Borei Olam blesses him with. He picks up on all the goodness that Hashem blessed him with, and he thanks Hashem for it, and he blesses Borei Olam for it. Shlomo HaMelech says that is a Tov Ayin; it’s an eye that detects the good. It’s an eye that’s able to catch all the good things that Borei Olam is doing for that person.
When a person trains his eye to see the good, acknowledge it, and thank Hashem for it, Shlomo HaMelech says, that is the person that Borei Olam will give blessing to. Hashem sees that this person appreciates the goodness that I give him. He appreciates the blessings that I shower him with. And therefore, Borei Olam says, I will give him more blessing. I will shower him with more goodness, because he is a person who acknowledges it, appreciates it, and is thankful for it. And therefore, Shlomo HaMelech says, Tov Ayin, a person who trains his eye to see the good, even though there is a lot of difficulty, picks up on all the goodness that Borei Olam sent him. He detects it, picks up on it, recognizes it, and thanks Hashem for it. Tov Ayin, that eye that is a good eye, Hu Yevorach, that is the eye that Borei Olam will bless. Because Borei Olam will say, if this is a person who acknowledges the blessings that I give him, Borei Olam says, “Grant this person more blessings, because he knows how to be thankful for them.” And when a person thanks Hashem for blessings, that is the person that Borei Olam will shower with more blessings. Have a wonderful day.