Feeding Birds — A Segula of the Mekubalim

Feeding Birds — A Segula of the Mekubalim

Rabbi Chaim Palaggi (may his merit protect us) taught more than 200 years ago that there is a very powerful segula, which is “Baduk u-menuse” (tested and proven), for a person suffering from illness, other tzarot (troubles), or undergoing yissurim (suffering). The mekubal Rav Shlomo Ofer continues this tradition and recommends the same segula, together with specific pesukim from Tehillim.   1. For Refuah Sheleimah and Relief from Tzarot (troubles) Take bread left over from a meal at which the blessing over bread — “HaMotzi lechem” — and the blessing after the meal — “Birkat HaMazon” — were recited. You may also purchase additional grain (millet and the like), and say the following: “I hereby forgive and pardon anyone who angered or offended me, and I ask the Almighty to forgive and not hold accountable all those who caused me pain.” Crumble the bread and feed it to the birds while saying the following words: טוֹב יי לַכֹּ֑ל וְ֝רַחֲמָ֗יו עַל־כָּל־מַעֲשָֽׂיו “Tov Adonai lakol, verachamav al kol maasav” — (The L-rd is good to all, and His compassion is upon all His creations.) (Tehillim 145:9) [Important! Since bread in our generation contains many substances that are harmful to birds, it is best to give them only a little bread (symbolically), and more grain]. After distributing the bread to the birds, recite Tehillim 41.   Tehillim 41 “Lamnatzeach mizmor le-David. Ashrei maskil el dal; be-yom ra’ah yemaltehu Adonai. Adonai yishmerehu veyechayehu; ve’ushar ba’aretz, ve’al titnehu benefesh oyvav. Adonai yis’adenu al eres devai; kol mishkavo hafachta vecholyo. Ani amarti: Adonai, chonneni; refa’ah nafshi, ki chatati lach. Oyvai yomru ra li: Matai yamut ve’avad shemo? Ve’im ba lirot, shav yedaber; libo yikbotz aven lo, yetze lachutz yedaber. Yachad alai yitlachashu kol son’ai; alai yachshevu ra’ah li. Dvar beliyaal yatzuk bo; va’asher shachav lo yosif lakum. Gam ish shelomi asher batachti vo, ochel lachmi, higdil alai akev. Ve’Atah, Adonai, chonneni vahakimeni; va’ashalma lahem. Bezot yadati ki chafatzta bi, ki lo yari’a oyvi alai. Va’ani betumi tamachta bi, vatatziveni lefanecha le’olam. Baruch Adonai Elohei Yisrael meha’olam ve’ad ha’olam, amen ve’amen.” Translation (To the conductor [of the musicians]. A psalm of David. Fortunate is one who acts wisely toward the poor; on the day of trouble, the L-rd will save him. The L-rd will preserve him and keep him alive; he will be praised in the land. You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The L-rd will strengthen him upon his sickbed; You will transform his entire bed in his illness. I said: “L-rd, have compassion on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die and his name perish?” And if someone comes to see me, he speaks falsely; his heart gathers iniquity within him, and when he goes outside, he spreads it. Together, all who hate me whisper against me; they plot evil against me: “A wicked thing has been poured out upon him; he lies ill and will never rise again.” Even the man who was at peace with me, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. But You, L-rd, have compassion on me and raise me up, and I will repay them. By this I will know that You favor me: that my enemy does not triumph over me. As for me, You have upheld me because of my integrity, and established me before You forever. Blessed is the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, from the beginning of the world to the end of the world! Amen and amen.)   2. For Purchasing a Home or Renting Good Housing It is good to recite the following pasuk from Tehillim 84:4 and “Perek Shirah” [24 times — corresponding to the adornment of the Shechinah]: גַּם־צִפּ֨וֹר ׀ מָ֪צְאָה בַ֡יִת וּדְר֤וֹר ׀ קֵ֥ן לָהּ֮ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֪תָה אֶפְרֹ֫חֶ֥יהָ אֶֽת־מִ֭זְבְּחוֹתֶיךָ יי צְבָא֑-וֹת מַ֝לְכִּ֗י וֵאלֹקי — “Gam tzipor matzah bayit, uderor ken lah, asher shatah efrocheha, et mizbechotecha Adonai Tzevaot, Malki ve-Elohai” — (and the bird finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she places her young. (As for me,) [I am drawn] to Your altars, L-rd of Hosts, my King and my G-d).   3. For Parnassah and Salvation In “Perek Shirah”, the dove says: כְּסוּס עָגוּר כֵּן אֲצַפְצֵף אֶהְגֶּה כַּיּוֹנָה דַּלּוּ עֵינַי לַמָּרוֹם אֲדֹנָ׳ עָשְׁקָה לִּי עָרְבֵנִי: אוֹמֶרֶת יוֹנָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלַם, יִהְיוּ מְזוֹנוֹתַי מְרוֹרִים כְּזַיִת בְּיָדְךָ, וְאַל יִהְיוּ מְתוּקִים כִּדְבַשׁ, עַל יְדֵי בַּשָּׁר וְדָם: — “Ke-sus agur ken atzaftzef, ehegeh kayonah; dalu einai lamarom, A-donai, ashkah li, areveni” — (I chirped like a swift, like a crane; I cooed like a dove; my eyes are raised heavenward. L-rd, I am oppressed; be my surety.) — “Omeret Yonah lifnei HaKadosh Baruch Hu: Ribono shel olam, yihyu mezonotai merurim kezayit beyadecha, ve’al yihyu metukim kidvash al yedei basar vadam” — (the dove says before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, let my sustenance be bitter like an olive, provided it comes from Your hand, and let it not be sweet like honey, obtained through flesh and blood.)   (Based on a lesson by the Gaon Rabbi Shlomo Ofer, may he live a long and good life)       [P.S. Photo by the artist Luda Miriam Shulman]