The Arizal’s Segulot for Our Times

 The Arizal’s Segulot for Our Times

  1. A segula for examining one’s relationship with Ha-Shem. If a person sees a dog bowing to him in the morning, this is a good sign—Ha-Shem is pleased with him. If the dog turns away from him, Ha-Shem is turning away from that person;   2. A segula is to recite Birkat Hamazon immediately after “Mayim Aharonim.” This prayer should be recited immediately after “Mayim Aharonim,” so that one’s shoulder—“shoulder” is כתף (katef)—will not hurt; the same letters as in the word “immediately,” תיכף (teikef);   3. A segula concerning trust in Ha-Shem. It is written in Tehillim (31:2): “In You, O L-rd, I trust”—“in You” = 22; that is, I trust in Your Torah, which was written with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. (The Arizal, “Eretz Chaim”);   4. A segula is to be especially strict regarding the prohibition of chametz on Pesach. Such a person will be protected throughout the year from sins committed accidentally (for example, accidentally turning on a light on Shabbat is directly related to this prohibition);   5. A segula is to listen to the shofar with kavanah on Rosh Hashanah. While the shofar is sounding, one should envision the “schach” (the roof of the sukkah), since the gematria of “schach” is 100, and the letters of the word appear in this order: “samech” = 60, and the two letters “chaf” = 20 and 20. This corresponds to the 100 shofar blasts, consisting of 60 “tekiah” blasts, 20 “shevarim”, and 20 “teruot.” The sukkah is the physical embodiment of the “clouds of glory” that protected and guarded the Jewish people.   6. A segula for Rosh Hashanah While the shofar is sounding on Rosh Hashanah, shed a tear upon recalling one’s sins, and then wipe them from the forehead with the right hand, from right to left;   7. A segula is to pay attention to difficulties. A person should know that wherever he encounters difficulties, that is also where his tikkun lies;   8. A segula for having children. One should add to Shabbat both at its beginning and at its end—in other words, not wait until the last moment to light the Shabbat candles, and after Shabbat, not begin working immediately, but extend the time of Shabbat;   9. A segula is to accept humiliation—bizyonot. Once, the Arizal, of blessed memory, asked his disciples: “How would you like to atone for your sins? - Would you like to endure poverty? - The disciples answered: No. - Illnesses?”—the disciples answered: No. - Quarrels with your neighbors?”—the disciples answered: No. - “Exile?”—the disciples answered: No. Then he said to them: - “If so, accept humiliation and insults with love—and this will atone for your sins!”   10. A segula is to make Kiddush before nightfall. The beginning of Shabbat night is the time governed by Mars—the celestial minister of war and destruction, whose responsible angel is Samael. At the end of Friday, it is the time of Jupiter and its angel Zadkiel; they are “the two angels: the evil one and the good one.” For this reason, one should make Kiddush during the time of Jupiter, or wait until the time of Mars has passed.” (the Arizal’s siddur, “Tikkunei Shabbat”)   11. A segula is to light seven candles on Shabbat. The seven candles correspond to the seven days of the week;   12. A segula is to connect with all one’s strength to important Jewish dates and holidays. The Ari HaKadosh teaches that they contain a flow of Divine light, and that the supernatural event is poured into the world again on the anniversary of that event, as it is written: “...Which performed miracles for them in those days, at this time”—“in those days”—the miracle took place historically; “at this time”—it is repeated in our own days. (Regarding Megillat Esther (9:28)   13. A segula for becoming a vessel for shefa (abundance). The prayer “Ben Porat Yosef” helps a person become a vessel for receiving berachot. It implies that, by guarding his brit, Yosef merited the quality of prayer. The word “Porat” = 686, and “Tarpo” = 686—the number of types of light that emanate from seven different derivatives of the holy Names of G-d (the four-letter Name and the Name Ehyeh). G-d constantly bestows “shefa” (material and spiritual abundance) upon this world. But in order to receive and retain it, a Jew must become a vessel.   14. A segula for imbuing all one’s children with spiritual energy. The Arizal explains that prayer is likened to the firstborn child. The first intimacy between a wife and husband makes her a vessel for receiving his abundance, and the birth of all their children—especially their firstborn—is determined by their first union. The firstborn receives the spiritual energy of that union and bestows it upon the other children. (Sha’arei HaKavanot, Tzitzit 1)   15. A segula in the mikveh—Tikkun Evarim (rectification of the organs). The Ari HaKadosh explains that King David referred in the verse from Tehillim (51:12) to “Lev Tahor Bara Li Elohim”—(Create in me a pure heart, O G-d). The first letters of the first three words of the verse are: לב טהור ברא לי—(Lev Tahor Bara)—that is, (“Lamed,” “Tet,” “Bet”). Immersion in the mikveh is called “tevillah”, whose root is “taval” (“Tet,” “Bet,” “Lamed”)—to immerse in a mikveh. Rearranging these letters gives us (“Bet,” “Tet,” “Lamed”)—the word “batel,” meaning “nullification.” In addition, if we take the final letters of the first three words of the verse: לב טהור ברא לי—we obtain the word “bara” —(create). The secret of the mikveh is hidden in a single verse of Tehillim: through immersion in it, one can undergo processes of purification and nullification, and then be created anew in purity. Tikkun Evarim (Organs) in Tehillim 51 and the Ari's Mikveh   16. A segula is to give three coins at Shacharit. The Ari HaKadosh teaches that during Shacharit, in the prayer “Vayevarech David,” when the words “Bakol Uveyadcha Koach Ugevurah” are mentioned, their initial letters form an abbreviation of one of Ha-Shem’s Names—בוכו —we should give tzedakah: three coins, giving two first and then one more. These three coins counter Esau’s two and a half tears—they nullify the power of his tears. When Esau learned that Jacob had received the birthright by disguising himself as Esau, he wept and shed two tears. The Ari HaKadosh says that a third tear appeared but did not fall. These two and a half tears rose to Heaven, and Ha-Shem promised Esau power and success that Jacob would not possess. The Power of Tears — Esau’s 2½ Tears and the Mystery of the Three Coins in Shacharit   17. A segula is to repeat the following phrase at the Shabbat table: “Whoever eats dag on dag will be saved from dag”. By this idiom, the Arizal meant the following: “Dag” (דג) means “fish” in Hebrew. The gematria of “dag” is 7 (the seventh day of the week). The initials of the letters in the word “dag” stand for “Dino shel Gehinnom”—the judgment of Gehinnom, by which the soul of a sinner is sent to Gehinnom. Thus, the meaning of the phrase “Whoever eats dag on dag will be saved from dag” was explained by the Arizal as follows: “One who eats ‘dag’ (fish) on ‘dag’ (on the seventh day—on Shabbat) will be saved from ‘dag’ (the suffering of Gehinnom).” Fish for Shabbat—Deliverance from Judgment   18. The Arizal’s fasts. The Arizal teaches that certain sins require a specific number of fasts: - for displaying anger—151 fasts; - for the wasted emission of seed—84 fasts; - for violating the prohibition of “stam yeinam” (wine belonging to non-Jews)—73 fasts; - for failing to fulfill a positive rabbinic injunction (such as prayer)—61 fasts; - for disrespecting one’s parents—more than 200 fasts. Read more   19. A segula for parnassah—to recite Psalm 23.         Psalm 23 contains 57 words, corresponding to the gematria of the word זן “zan” (sustenance) = 57, while the word עשר “osher” (wealth) has a gematria of 570. In other words, wealth is sustenance increased tenfold. The Arizal concludes that whoever recites this psalm and conducts himself in accordance with its content will be blessed with abundance. He also advised reciting Psalm 23 three times during Seudat Shlishit. Zohar on Tehillim - when Tehillim is a segula for parnasa   20. A segula is to remain awake on the night of Shavuot. The following words are transmitted in the Shulchan Aruch from the Arizal: “Know that whoever does not go to sleep at all on this night and occupies himself with Torah will be able to sleep peacefully on the other nights, and nothing will happen to him [throughout the year].” Tikkun Leil Shavuot according to the Maggid Meisharim   21. A segula is to taste the Shabbat dishes. The Ari HaKadosh advised tasting the Shabbat dishes before Shabbat, as it is written: “Those who taste them will merit life.” The future Redemption—Geulah—is also called Shabbat: “a day that is entirely Shabbat and rest for eternal life.” Since one day of the Creator is like a thousand years, as King David said: “For a thousand years in Your eyes are like a single day” (Tehillim 90:4), the seventh millennium—the era of the Final Redemption—is, as it were, the “Shabbat” of the Almighty. Accordingly, today, as we are in the sixth millennium, it is Friday—the eve of Shabbat. Beginning in the year 5501, the eve of Shabbat begins (Friday morning), and beginning in 5751, it is already Friday afternoon. Therefore, the time has come to “taste” the Shabbat dishes—the dishes of Redemption. On a deeper level, the Shabbat dishes are the insights into the secrets of Torah revealed in the last generations—the study of Kabbalah. Tehillim 90 – the AriZal and Shabbat Dishes   22. A segula for making an inscription on the forehead that lasts all week. The Arizal taught that every mitzvah a person performs is recorded by one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, which represents that mitzvah. This letter shines on the forehead of the person who performed the mitzvah for a time and then disappears. But for one who gives tzedakah to the poor, the letter “tzadi” shines on the forehead throughout that entire week, as hinted by the verse: “And his righteousness (tzidkato) endures forever.” In this case, the letter does not disappear immediately. Furthermore, if the letters of the word “tzedakah” are exchanged according to the atbash system—in which the first letter of the alphabet is replaced by the last, the second by the penultimate, and so on—the word “akadts” is formed, which is also “tzedakah” when read in reverse. This hints that the letter does not disappear but remains throughout the week. The Zohar on Tehillim 111, or When Tzedakah Appears on the Forehead   23. A segula is to pray Mincha according to King David. The Arizal was very particular about reciting Mincha just before sunset, in accordance with the verse in Tehillim 72:5: “Yira’ucha im shemesh”—(May they revere You as long as the sun shines). It is known that he had a special minyan for this purpose, whose members waited for the proper time and were occupied with nothing else. Tehillim 72 and the Ari's Mincha   24. A segula—special challahs for Shavuot. The Ari HaKadosh (may his merit protect us) teaches that on Shavuot one should try to bake two special challahs in honor of the two loaves brought to the Temple on this holiday. The Arizal teaches that with these loaves, 44 drops of Mercy descended into the world, corresponding to the two Torahs (written with 22 letters each) = 44. The gematria of the word challah is 43; if one is added, as a kolel, it equals 44 (by adding the kolel, we symbolically connect ourselves with the Almighty through our mitzvah). Challahs for Shavuot and the 44 Drops of Mercy   25. A segula for relief from troubles is to recite three times: “Va-ani ashir u’azamer la-boker chasdecha ki hayita misgav li u-manos be-yom tzar li. Li tzar be-yom u-manos li misgav hayita ki chasdecha ba-boker va-aranen uzecha ashir va-ani.” (And I will sing of Your might and proclaim Your kindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and refuge on the day of my distress.)   26. The Arizal repeatedly spoke to his disciples about the importance of “ahavat Yisrael,” saying that if at least ten of them loved one another completely and there were no disputes or “lashon hara” among them, they could bring Mashiach. Once, sensing that the time was right, he suggested that his disciples go to Jerusalem. The disciples asked for time to discuss it with their wives, but a misunderstanding arose among some of them, disrupting all their plans. Moreover, as the Arizal himself acknowledged, it was precisely the “sinat chinam” among the disciples that caused him to leave this world that year. A segula is to repeat the following brief prayer of the Ari HaKadosh before “Akeidat Yitzchak” (where it appears in the siddur): “Hineni mekabel alai mitzvat aseh shel ve’ahavta lere’acha kamocha. Ve-hareni ohev et kol echad ve-echad mibnei Yisrael kenafshi”— (Here I accept upon myself the positive commandment, “Love your fellow as yourself”—and I love every member of the Jewish people as my own soul and all that I possess.) This mitzvah will help rectify the cause of the destruction of the Temple—“sinat chinam” (baseless hatred). (Rabbanit Rachel Bazak, granddaughter of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu)   27. Rectifying the sin of karet. The Ari HaKadosh teaches that in order to rectify one instance of “karet,” one must study Torah throughout the entire night without sleeping. To avoid falling asleep, it is beneficial to recite “Shir HaMa’alot.”   (Compiled by the website’s editorial staff from holy Jewish books and lessons)