Комментарий о цитате к Берешит 32:7

Bahya writes that Jacob was afraid of Esau and he was afraid of Esau’s guardian angel.¹²Bahya, Genesis, 32:7.

May I receive [my reward] because I never walked four cubits with my head uncovered. It appears to me that the reason for this prohibition, besides the well-known reason, is that, behold, evil spirits are floating in the world's atmosphere. And there are some of them which draw from the evil portion of the eyes of the primordial snake, and they have poison from [that] evil eye that injures a person when they gaze at him. Indeed, since they come from the side of the primordial snake about which it is written, And the snake was cunning [arum, which is also the word for naked], when they accordingly see a naked body without a covering or clothing, they are drawn to it and attach themselves to it more. And then it follows that they implant the poison of the evil eye upon him and injure him. As that is the nature of every creation, to be drawn to that which is similar to it. But since they float in the atmosphere above, the only thing visible to their eyes is the head, and if it is naked, without a covering, they are then drawn by it to attach themselves to it, and that man is subsequently injured by their evil eye. And that is why it is forbidden for a man to walk four cubits with his head uncovered. Because four cubits is an important and defined measure. And if you will ask how is it that unmarried women are permitted to walk bareheaded [even] in the ideal case, behold, females are different. As these spirits that have the poison of the evil eye are from the male side of the primordial snake, which [itself] was male. So they cling to males and not to females. And that is why it is written, Behold [...] Esau [...] is coming and there are four hundred men with him (Genesis 32:7). As four hundred men are the forces of the evil eye [ra ayin], having the numerical equivalent of four hundred; and it called them men, which is male.