Seder of the Mekubalim for Osherut

When there are disruptions in the sustenance system, it needs to be reprogrammed—prayers for Osherut

On the one hand, Ben Zoma said: “Who is wealthy? One who is content with his portion, as it is stated: ‘When you eat the fruit of the labor of your hands, you are happy, and it is good for you.’” (Pirkei Avot) The main point of this Mishnah is the explanation: “When you eat the fruit of the labor of your hands”... But not everyone is pleased with the “fruit of the labor of their hands”—just as in the well-known song: “Whatever they do, things just don’t work out, Apparently, their mother gave birth to them on Monday...” (By the way, regarding Monday (Yom Sheni), the Torah does not say “tov” even once, unlike the other days.) On the other hand, in all the principal prayers, our Sages include—alongside other blessings—a request for “Osher ve-Kavod”. And we know that nothing in our siddurim is insignificant. Moreover, the Zohar HaKadosh, in the section of Beshalach, teaches that a person is obligated to pray for his sustenance every day, even if he has food to eat. We must always remember that our Parnasah—sustenance—is what connects us to the Creator, what we receive from Him every day, as Yonah (the dove) says in “Perek Shirah”: “Yonah omeret lifnei HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Ribono Shel Olam, yihyu mezonotai merurim kezayit be-yadecha, ve’al yihyu metukim kidvash al yedei basar va-dam”— (says the dove before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, let my food be bitter like an olive, but from Your hand, rather than sweet like honey, from the hand of flesh and blood).   Seder of the Mekubalim for Osherut: Before praying, one must remember: יאתה מִצָּפוֹן זָהָב – “Mitzafon zahav ya’ateh” – (gold comes from the north). (Job 37:22) The direction in which a person stands during Tefillah and Kavanot is very important. Rabbi Yitzchak says: הָרוֹצֶה שֶׁיַּחְכִּים יַדְרִים וְשֶׁיַּעֲשִׁיר יַצְפִּין וְסִימָנָיךְ שֻׁלְחָן בַּצָּפוֹן וּמְנוֹרָה בַּדָּרוֹם “One who wishes to become wise should face south, while one who wishes to become wealthy should face north”—based on the fact that in the Temple, the table, symbolizing blessing and abundance, stood in the north, while the Menorah, symbolizing the light of wisdom, stood in the south of the Sanctuary. (Bava Batra 25b) 1. If a person sees that things are not working out and earning a livelihood is difficult, he should go outside (or onto a balcony), raise his hands toward Heaven, and recite the pasuk from (Tehillim 33:18): הִנֵּ֤ה עֵ֣ין יְ֭הוָה אֶל־יְרֵאָ֑יו לַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ — “Hineh ein Ha-Shem el yere’av, lameyachalim le-chasdo” — (Behold, the eye of the L-rd is upon those who fear Him and those who await His kindness). 2. Tehillim 105:37 reveals the secret of praying with kavanah for Osherut. Interestingly, this secret is connected with Yonah’s words from “Perek Shirah”: וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם בְּכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב וְאֵ֖ין בִּשְׁבָטָ֣יו כּוֹשֵֽׁל “Vayotzi’em bechesef vezahav, ve’ein bishvatav koshel”—(and He brought them out with silver and gold, and none among their tribes stumbled). The rashei tevot of this verse form the Name בוכו—whose gematria is 34, equal to the gematria of the word “yadecha”—34. The Name בוכו is connected with one of the Holy Central Names, אהיה (the letters of the Name אהיה precede the letters of the Name בוכו). The Central Names are connected with other Names, for which they serve as a source of power. The Sages teach that since these Names are connected, it is beneficial to join them together—to perform a “shiluv Shemot”—and then the Name returns to its source, “kalul be-mekoro”. How is this done? The Names must be joined by alternating their letters: אהיה - בוכו א-ב-ה-ו-י-כ-ה-ו Thus, we have connected the Name בוכו with its root—the Name אהיה. These Names bring a blessing for Osherut (wealth) when one directs his intention toward them. The Arizal adds that the same kavanah may be performed during Shacharit, while reciting the blessing of “Vayvarech David”, together with tzedakah. When we give three coins, this greatly strengthens the segulah’s effect. But everything must be done correctly. When reciting the pasuk: “Bakol uveyadcha koach ugevurah”—(You rule over all, and in Your hand are strength and might)—whose rashei tevot form the Name בוכו, one should give three coins with kavanah for the Name בוכו. After that, set aside one more coin with kavanah for the Name בוכו and for the unified Name א-ב-ה-ו-י-כ-ה-ו (set it aside separately and then give it immediately to those in need; a larger sum may also be given). 3. The blessing of Yaakov Avinu to his son Asher—recite Yaakov Avinu’s blessing to his son Asher ten times each morning: מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי-מֶלֶךְ — “Me-Asher shmenah lachmo vehu yiten ma’adanei melech” — (From Asher comes rich bread, and he will provide royal delicacies). (Genesis 49:20)   4. Tehillim 145—with kavanah for the pasuk: פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָד֑ךָ וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ לְכָל־חַ֣י רָצֽוֹן — “Pote’ach et yadecha umasbia lechol chai ratzon” — (You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor); Kavanot: פאי—gematria 91, the gematria of the Name יאהדונה׳י חתך—when transformed through Atbash, it yields the Name סאל, also equal in gematria to יאהדונה׳י The word וּמַשְׂבִּ֖יעַ “umasbia”—(You satisfy)—has the gematria 428, equal to the Name חתך—Chatach; The sofei tevot of “lechol chai ratzon”—רחל—form the name Rachel. One should have kavanah, in the merit of Rachel Imenu, for abundance—shefa.   5. Read Psalm 29 once; Теилим перек 29   6. Recite the 13 Middot of Rachamim—“Shelosh Esrei Middot Shel Rachamim”—nine times, which Moshe Rabbeinu recited after the sin of the Golden Calf, asking forgiveness for the Jewish people, and Ha-Shem forgave them (Exodus 34:6–7): וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהוָה עַל-פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה יְהוָה אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב-חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת זנֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים נֹשֵׂא עָו‍ֹן וָפֶשַׁע וְחַטָּאָה וְנַקֵּה — “Vaya’avor Ha-Shem al-panav, vayikra Ha-Shem, Ha-Shem, El Rachum ve-Chanun, erech apayim ve-rav chesed ve-emet. Notzer chesed la’alafim, nosei avon va-fesha ve-chata’ah ve-nakeh” (And the L-rd passed before him and proclaimed: The L-rd, the L-rd, Almighty, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in kindness and truth; He preserves kindness for thousands, forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin). 7. Recite seven times the words of Yaakov Avinu to his sons (Miketz 43:11), when, having returned from Egypt empty-handed, they asked him to send Binyamin with them: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיהֶם אִם-כֵּן אֵפוֹא זֹאת עֲשׂוּ קְחוּ מִזִּמְרַת הָאָרֶץ בִּכְלֵיכֶם וְהוֹרִידוּ לָאִישׁ מִנְחָה מְעַט צֳרִי וּמְעַט דְּבַשׁ נְכֹאת וָלֹט בָּטְנִים וּשְׁקֵדִים — “Vayomer aleihem Yisrael avihem im-ken efo zot asu, kechu mizimrat ha’aretz bikhleichem vehoridu la’ish minchah, me’at tzori u-me’at devash, nechot va-lot, botnim u-shekedim” — (and their father Israel said to them: If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice products of the land in your vessels and bring a gift to the man—a little balm, a little honey, spices and ladanum, pistachios and almonds). 8. Recite once the pasuk from Sefer Shmuel (I Samuel 16:22): וישלח שאול אל ישי לאמר  יעמד נא דוד לפני כי מצא חן בעיני — “Vayishlach Shaul el Yishai lemor, ya’amod na David lefanai ki-matza chen be’einai” (And Shaul sent word to Yishai, saying: Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my eyes). 9. Recite once the pasuk from “Shir HaShirim” (4:14): נֵ֣רְדְּ׀ וְכַרְכֹּ֗ם קָנֶה֙ וְקִנָּמ֔וֹן עִ֖ם כָּל־עֲצֵ֣י לְבוֹנָ֑ה מֹ֚ר וַאֲהָל֔וֹת עִ֖ם כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֥י בְשָׂמִֽים׃ — “Nerd ve-charkom, kaneh ve-kinnamon im kol-atzei levonah, mor va-ahalot im kol-rashei vesamim” (Nard and saffron, fragrant cane and cinnamon, with every tree of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the finest spices). 10. Recite the pesukim seven times (Genesis 26:12): וַיִּזְרַע יִצְחָק בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא וַיִּמְצָא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ יְהוָה — “Vayizra Yitzchak ba’aretz hahi, vayimtza bashanah hahi מאה שערים me’ah she’arim, vayvarechehu Ha-Shem” — (And Yitzchak sowed in that land, and that year he reaped a hundredfold (me’ah she’arim), and the L-rd blessed him.”) (Genesis 26:12) The Holy Name מאה is also encoded in Tehillim (90:1): “Tefillah le-Moshe Ish Ha-Elohim.” 11. Recite the pasuk about Yitzchak’s rise (Genesis 26:13) וַיִּגְדַּל הָאִישׁ וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְגָדֵל עַד כִּי-גָדַל מְאֹד — “Vayigdal ha-ish vayailech haloch vegadel ad ki-gadal me’od” — (And the man became great, and he continued to grow greater until he became exceedingly great). 12. Recite seven times, in the direct and reverse order, the verses about Yosef’s success (Genesis 39:2): וַיְהִי יְהוָה אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיְהִי אִישׁ מִצְלִיחַ וַיְהִי בְּבֵית אֲדֹנָיו המצרי: — “Vayehi Ha-Shem et Yosef, vayehi ish matzliach, vayehi be-veit adonav ha-Mitzri.” — “Ha-Mitzri adonav be-veit, vayehi matzliach ish, vayehi Yosef et Ha-Shem, vayehi.” (And the L-rd was with Yosef, and he became a successful man, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master). 13. Recite seven times for Yosef’s success (Genesis 39:3) וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו כִּי יְהֹוָה אִתּוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר הוּא עֹשֶׂה יְהֹוָה מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ: — “Vayar adonav ki Ha-Shem ito, vechol asher-hu oseh Ha-Shem matzliach beyado” — (And his master saw that the L-rd was with him, and that whatever he did, the L-rd caused to prosper).   Other Segulot for Parnasah 1. The prayer “Birkat HaMazon”—this is also a segulah for Parnasah, but it should be recited unhurriedly and aloud (so that one hears one’s own words). 2. Read “Parashat HaMan” (Exodus, Beshalach 16:4–36)—it is beneficial to read it in a language that one understands, as this strengthens faith.   3. Respect for Synagogues In the time of the Temple, all blessings for the world descended through the Temple. Today, when there is no Temple, all blessings descend into the world through synagogues—small Temples—and therefore, in order to receive blessings, one must show the utmost respect for the synagogue: dress appropriately for a holy place and refrain from forbidden and idle speech. It is beneficial to be the first to light a light in the synagogue.   May Ha-Shem fill our hands with blessings for mitzvot and gemilut chasadim!