Prayer for “Pidyon Shvuyim” (the Redemption of Captives)

Prayer for “Pidyon Shvuyim” (the Redemption of Captives)

A student of Rashi—Rabbi Simchah of Vitry (Mahzor Vitry) composed a prayer for “Pidyon Shvuyim” (the redemption of captives), which is generally recited before and after the Torah reading. Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen, a student of Rabbi Daniel Frisch, author of “Matok MiDevash” (the most popular commentary on the Zohar HaKadosh), shared a beautiful segula: before reciting the prayer for “Pidyon Shvuyim”, light candles in honor of those tzadikim who redeemed and rescued captive Jews: 1. Avraham Avinu2028 2. Eved Eliezer (Avraham’s servant)2028 3. David HaMelech2028 4. Rachel Imeinu 5. Rabbi Yosi 6. Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair2028 7. Rabbi Eliezer ben Harsom 2028 8. Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes2028 9. Rabbi Aha Sar HaBira2028 10. Rabbi Tanchum bar Chiya2028 11. Rabbi Leib of Sassov 12. Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl   Tales of the Tzadikim—“Pidyon Shvuyim” The Baal Shem Tov—Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov blessed Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl—he gave him a pull-out drawer and said: “Whenever someone comes to you for ‘Pidyon Shvuyim,’ immediately open the drawer, take out the money, and give it to that Jew—but do not look inside the drawer itself.” It was some kind of miraculous drawer. When Rabbi Nachum was buried, he was carried together with that drawer. אחינו כל בית ישראל אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנְּתוּנִים בַּצָּרָה וּבַשִּׁבְיָה הָעוֹמְדִים בֵּין בַּיָּם וּבֵין בַּיַּבָּשָׁה הַמָּקוֹם יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם וְיוֹצִיאֵם מִצָּרָה לִרְוָחָה וּמֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה וּמִשִּׁעְבּוּד לִגְאֻלָּה הָשָׁתָא בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן   Prayer “Achenu kol Beit Yisrael ha-netunim be-tzarah u-ve-shivyah, ha-omdim bein ba-yam u-vein ba-yabashah. HaMakom yerachem aleihem ve-yotzi'em mi-tzarah li-revachah, me-ofelah le-orah, mi-shibud li-geulah. Ha-shta be-agala u-vizman kariv, ve-imru amen”! Translation Our brothers, the entire House of Israel, who are in distress and captivity, wherever you may be—in the sea or on dry land—may HaMakom have mercy upon you and bring you out from distress to relief, from darkness to light, and from servitude to freedom. And let us say: Amen.   It is also good to recite Tehillim 106 afterward—it is helpful for “Pidyon Shvuyim”.   (Based on a class by Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen following the events of October 7, 2023)20A0