Many celebrities now tout the Kabbalah Red String tied around their left wrist, but what is this all about?
The Red String is said to protect against the Evil Eye. The evil eye is a very powerful negative force. Many cultures believe in this negative force, which is said to eminate from the unkind glances and glares of other people. These glances are said to generate ill-will in our direction. This ill-will can reportedly affect us by limiting our ability to live up to our full potention in every area of our lives, and eventually becoming a terrible destructive force in life.
The Red String has been used as a tool of protection for centuries. Originally, sages wrapped a red wool string around the tomb of Rachel, the Biblical matriarch. The string was then cut into pieces and tied onto the left wrist of believers. Kabbalists consider the left to be the receiving side for the body and soul, and by wearing the Red String on that side, one can receive protection from any negative forces sent out simply by intercepting them before the body and soul receives them. The Red String also allows people to take Rachel's powerful protective energy with them, so that they are able to draw from it any time they need extra power or blessings.
Kabbalists believe that the influence of holy persons can assist people in daily life. According to Kabbalah, Rachel's greatest desire was to protect and defend all of her children from all evil. When one ties the Red String to the left wrist, her powerful protective energy is sealed within them as it intercepts any negativity.
In order to wear the red string, have someone you love to tie the Red String to your left wrist with one knot. Have them knot the string six more times making a total of seven knots. Then, make a promise to stop all negative thoughts and gossip against other people, as these behaviors will interfere with both the protection received and one's personal fulfillment. Finally, the person tying the string finishes by saying the Ben Porat Prayer (read from right to left) which prevents the evil eye from damaging the wearer of the red string with any negativity.
The Ben Porat Prayer is as follows:
ayin alei porat ben Yosef porat ben
yivarech ra mikol oti hagoel hamalach
shmi bahem vyikare han'arim et
vYitzchak Avraham avotai vshem
ha'aretz b'kerev larov v'yidgu