While it is not certain that this is from Jewish origins, it seems the superstition comes from a time when people believed that evil spirits lived in the hair. This could have been believed from the static electricity that would discharge in the air when taking a hat off in a warm, dry environment. It is also believed that you don’t lay your hat where you’re going to lay your head because evil spirits spill out from hats. Another view on this custom is one of sanitary origins. Keeping the hat off from the bed also meant keeping lice from infesting the hat or the bed.

Superstitions relating to keeping the “evil eye” away…

To change the name of a sick person in order to fool the angel of death
If a baby is named after a person who died young, also give a name after someone who lived long
Not to complement- say the opposite- so as not to attract the evil eye
Saying  kein an ahore
My mother did a warding gesture- thumb between index & middle finger
Red bendles- especially around a newborn- this was way before the new interest in Kaballah
When fisrt entering a new home, bring salt, sugar & bread

Thanks to Elaine Belkind for these superstitions.

When someone dies they used to take their shoes out into the woods and throw them in all directions. I remember my mother telling me the shoes of a dead person should not be worn again. Today, we would not want to liter the woods with shoes, but some still will destroy or throw them away rather than giving them to someone to wear.

Hamsa (Khamssa) is a hand-shaped amulet, with the palm facing out, the fingers spread open, in essence blocking the evil eye. It is commonly used by Jews and Muslims to ward off evil spirits.. Today, the hamsa is perceived as a “good luck” charm. Somehow, a trinket to bring on good luck is more positive in spirit than one protecting from evil spirits. The hamsa can be seen on necklaces, bracelets, hanging from a car rearview mirror etc. In the Babylonian tradition, any reference to hamsa, or the number five, is protection against the evil eye, and it comes into play in lifecycle events such as “The Eve of the 6th” and the “Henna Feast.”

Some people dip their Challah in salt on Shabbat. But on Rosh Hashana sugar is substituted for the salt.

from Lisa Pollack – thanks:

The explanation I have always heard is that the challah, as a type of bread, represents the necessities of life, and the salt, a spice, represents the luxuries.

In this same way, it is also traditional that one of the first things to bring into a new home is some bread and salt.  My parents helped me move into my first home, and I remember that as soon as my mom got through the door, she whipped out a Ziploc with an English muffin and a tiny bag of salt and put it in my cupboard.  When my husband moved in three years later and we were cleaning out the closets, he nearly threw it out and was somewhat puzzled when I pounced on him whilst he was trying to throw out what was a CLEARLY stale piece of bread…