40 Hand Washings: A Segula That Serves as a Substitute for the Mikveh

The Segula of Washing the Hands 40 Times: When Netilat Yadayim Serves as a Substitute for the Mikveh

A practice is transmitted in the name of the Arizal for purifying a baal keri who is unable to go to the mikveh, as well as for someone who is ill or weak, and also for sweetening the judgments: washing the hands forty times, preceded by the following prayer: לשם יחוד קודשא בריך הוא ושכינתיה בדחילו ורחימו ורחימו ודחילו ליחדא שם י"ה בו"ה ביחודא שלים בשם כל ישראל ארחץ בנקיון כפי ואסובבה את מזבחך ה'. Transliteration: Le-shem yichud Kudsha Berich Hu u-Shechintei, be-dechilu u-rechimu, u-rechimu u-dechilu, le-yached Shem Yud-Hei be-Vav-Hei be-yichuda shalem, be-shem kol Yisrael: Erchatz be-nikayon kapai, ve-asovevah et mizbachecha Ado-nai. Translation: For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed is He, and His Shechinah, with awe and love, love and awe, to unite the Name Yud-Hei with Vav-Hei in perfect unity, in the name of all Israel: I will wash my hands in purity and circle Your altar, O L-rd. ויהי רצון מלפניך יהוה אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו שתהא רחיצת ידי אלה נחשבת לי כאילו טבלתי במקוה טהרה של ארבעים סאה ואהיה זוכה להיות מושך מים מן הלובן העליון החתום ביו"ד רבתי ד"ועתה יגדל נא כח אדני" חוץ מן עזא ועזאל בני אגרת ולילית. Transliteration: Ve-yehi ratzon milfanecha, Ado-nai Elo-heinu ve-Elohei avoteinu, she-tehei rechitzat yadai eileh nechshevet li ke-ilu tavalti ba-mikveh taharah shel arba'im se'ah, ve-ehyeh zocheh lihyot moshech mayim min ha-loven ha-elyon ha-chatum be-Yud rabbati de-“Ve-atah yigdal na koach Ado-nai,” chutz min Uza ve-Azael, bnei Agrat ve-Lilit. Translation: May it be Your will, O L-rd, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, that this washing of my hands be counted for me as though I had immersed in a pure mikveh containing forty se'ah of water, and may I merit drawing water from the Supernal Whiteness, sealed with the large letter Yud of the verse, “Now let the power of the L-rd be great,” thereby driving away Uza and Azael, the sons of Agrat and Lilith. ויהי רצון מלפניך יהוה אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו שבכח סגולת זאת הרחיצה אהיה מהפך עלי מדת הדין והגבורה העולה רי"ו כמספר נקיו"ן למדת הרחמים העולה רצ"ט עם הכולל כמספר ארח"ץ, ארחץ בנקיון כפי ואסובבה את מזבחך ה'" Transliteration: Ve-yehi ratzon milfanecha, Ado-nai Elo-heinu ve-Elohei avoteinu, she-be-koach segulat zot ha-rechitzah ehyeh mehapech alai midat ha-Din ve-ha-Gevurah, ha-olah me'ata'im ve-shesh esreh ke-mispar “nikayon,” le-mIdat ha-Rachamim, ha-olah me'ata'im ve-tish'im ve-tesha im ha-kolel ke-mispar “erchatz”: Erchatz be-nikayon kapai, ve-asovevah et mizbachecha Ado-nai. Translation: May it be Your will, O L-rd, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, that through the power of this segula of washing, the attribute of Judgment and Gevurah, whose gematria is 216, corresponding to the gematria of the word “purity,” be transformed for me into the attribute of Mercy, whose gematria is 299 including the kolel, corresponding to the gematria of the word “I will wash”: I will wash my hands in purity and circle Your altar, O L-rd. ויהי רצון מלפניך יהוה אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו שבכח סגולת רחיצה זו יהיו נמתקים הד' בתי דינים הרמוזים בפסוק "ויקרא אלהים ליבשה ארץ" אשר היו למאורות אלהי"ם דיודי"ן עם י"ג אותיותיו וה' אותיות שורשו כמספר ויקרא עם הכולל. ושם אלהים ב' פשוט. ושם אלהים ג' דיודי"ן עם י"ג אותיותיו וה' אותיות שורשו כמספר יבש"ה עם הכולל. ושם אלהי"ם ד' דאלפי"ן כמספר ארץ. ויאיר שם אהי"ה עלי במילוי ההי"ן שהוא כמנין מקו"ה ויעל לפניך כאילו טבלתי במקוה טהרה של מ' סאה: Transliteration: Ve-yehi ratzon milfanecha, Ado-nai Elo-heinu ve-Elohei avoteinu, she-be-koach segulat rechitzah zo yihyu nimtakim arba'at batei dinim, ha-rozim ba-pasuk: “Va-yikra Elo-him la-yabashah eretz,” asher hayu le-me'orot Elo-him de-Yudin im shelosh-esreh otiyotav ve-chamesh otiyot shorsho ke-mispar “va-yikra” im ha-kolel. Ve-Shem Elo-him sheni pashut. Ve-Shem Elo-him shelishi de-Yudin im shelosh-esreh otiyotav ve-chamesh otiyot shorsho, ke-mispar “yavashah” im ha-kolel. Ve-Shem Elo-him revi'i de-Alfin ke-mispar “eretz.” Ve-ya'ir Shem Eh-yeh alai be-milui Hei-Hein, she-hu ke-minyan “Mikveh,” ve-ya'al lefanecha ke-ilu tavalti ba-mikveh taharah shel arba'im se'ah. Translation: May it be Your will, O L-rd, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, that through the power of this segula of washing, the four houses of judgment alluded to in the verse, “And G-d called the dry land earth,” be sweetened. These correspond to the Name Elo-him spelled with Yuds, together with its thirteen letters and the five letters of its root, whose gematria corresponds to the word “and He called” with the kolel. And the second Name Elo-him is simple. And the third Name Elo-him is spelled with Yuds, together with its thirteen letters and the five letters of its root, whose gematria corresponds to the word “dry land” with the kolel. And the fourth Name Elo-him is spelled with Alefs, whose gematria corresponds to the word “earth.” May the Name Eh-yeh shine upon me, spelled out with Heis, whose numerical value is equivalent to that of the word “mikveh,” and may this be counted before You as though I had immersed in a pure mikveh containing forty se'ah: ובכן יהי רצון מלפניך יהוה אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו שכשם שאני מטהר את עצמי מלמטה כן תטהר נשמתי למעלה בנהר דנור בשם ה' צור עולמים ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו: Transliteration: U-vechen yehi ratzon milfanecha, Ado-nai Elo-heinu ve-Elohei avoteinu, she-keshem she-ani metaheir et atzmi mi-lematah, ken titaheir nishmati le-ma'alah be-Nahar Dinur, be-Shem Ado-nai Tzur Olamim. Vi-hi no'am Ado-nai Elo-heinu aleinu, u-ma'aseh yadeinu konenah aleinu, u-ma'aseh yadeinu konenehu. Translation: And so may it be Your will, O L-rd, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers: Just as I purify myself below, may my soul likewise be purified above in the River Dinur, in the Name of Ado-nai, Rock of the Worlds. May the pleasantness of the L-rd our G-d be upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands. Procedure: The first 20 times, pour alternately over the right and left hand, directing the kavanah toward the letters: יוד הי ויו הי  The first time, pour water over the right hand, with kavanah for the letter י “yud” The second time, pour water over the left hand, with kavanah for the letter י “yud” The third time, pour water over the right hand, with kavanah for the letter ו “vav” The fourth time, pour water over the left hand, with kavanah for the letter ו “vav” (Continue pouring water according to the pattern.) On the twentieth time, pour water over the left hand, with kavanah for the letter י.   The remaining 20 times, pour 10 times over each hand: Pour 10 times over the right hand consecutively, corresponding to the 10 letters of יוד הי ויו הי Pour 10 times over the left hand consecutively, corresponding to the 10 letters of יוד הי ויו הי   Detailed video demonstration of the 40 hand washings at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayZ7GecRYFE     (Based on a lesson by Rabbi Alexander Tzvi Sypkov on the book “Emet le-Yaakov”)