11 verses of protection beginning with the letter Nun — against the 13 negative days

11 verses of protection beginning with the letter Nun — against the 13 negative days

Rabbeinu Chida writes in Shomer Yisrael (10) that reciting verses that begin and end with the letter Nun helps protect against the evil eye and witchcraft (which still exists today, although to a lesser degree than in the past). In an ancient manuscript, Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid writes that whoever recites them drives away the "Samech Mem." Kav HaYashar (32) writes that they should be recited with particular care on the following negative days, when the evil eye gains special power. He says that he learned this from a great tzadik, the most righteous among the righteous. These are the 13 negative days: 17 Mar-Cheshvan, 5 Shevat, 20 Adar, 25 Nisan, 29 Iyar, 16 Sivan, 27 Sivan, 24 Tammuz, 26 Tammuz, 20 Av, 26 Av, 27 Av, 12 Elul. He also writes that on these days, children should not be allowed to go outside without supervision. Kav HaYashar also teaches that a pregnant woman should recite them daily, and she can be confident that her child will be protected from the evil eye. This prayer is also particularly powerful during the month of Nisan, since the word Nisan also begins and ends with the letter נ Nun. The mekubalim interpret the word Nisan as Nisei Nissim — "miracles of miracles." Therefore, throughout the month of Nisan, it is beneficial to recite Torah pesukim containing two letters Nun and, at the end of each pasuk, to have the kavanah that the first and last letters, Nun, form the acronym Nisei Nissim (miracles of miracles).   In Eastern communities, after the prayer of Pitum HaKetoret, it is customary to recite three special pesukim 11 times, followed by 11 pesukim that begin with the letter Nun and end with the letter Nun — corresponding to the 11 ingredients of the Ketoret, which nullify and eliminate all negative forces. 3 pesukim — 11 times each וַיִּסָּ֑עוּ וַיְהִ֣י׀ חִתַּ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֗ים עַל־הֶֽעָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ סְבִיב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְלֹ֣א רָֽדְפ֔וּ אַחֲרֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב: (Genesis, chapter 35, verse 5) 11 times וְֽאֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֣תַח הַבַּ֗יִת הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל וַיִּלְא֖וּ לִמְצֹ֥א הַפָּֽתַח: (Genesis, chapter 19, verse 11) 11 times כִּ֤י בִ֣י חָ֭שַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ אֲ֝שַׂגְּבֵ֗הוּ כִּֽי־יָדַ֥ע שְׁמִֽי: (Psalms, chapter 91, verse 14) 11 times   1. "Vayisa'u vayhi chitat Elokim al he'arim asher sevivoteyhem velo radfu acharei bnei Yaakov" } 11 times (and they journeyed, and the fear of G-d was upon the cities around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob). (Genesis 35:5) 2. "Ve'et-ha'anashim asher-petach habayit hiku basanverim mikaton ve'ad-gadol vayil'u limtzo hapatach" } 11 times (But the men who were at the entrance of the house were struck with blindness, from the youngest to the oldest, so that they became exhausted searching for the entrance.) (Genesis 19:11) 3. "Ki vi chashak va'afaltehu, asagvehu ki yada Shmi" } 11 times (Because he has cleaved to Me, I will rescue him; I will strengthen him, for he has known My Name.) (Psalms 91:14)  

11 pesukim that begin and end with the letter Nun

1. "Nega tzara'at ki tihyeh be'adam veheva el ha-Kohen." (Nisei Nissim) 2. "Nachnu na'avor chalutzim lifnei Ado-nai eretz Kena'an, ve'itanu achuzat nachalatenu me-ever la-Yarden." (Nisei Nissim) 3. "Navi mikirbecha me'achecha kamoni yakim lecha Ado-nai Elohecha elav tishma'un." (Nisei Nissim) 4. "Nahar pelagav yesamchehu ir Elokim kedosh mishkenei Elyon." (Nisei Nissim) 5. "Nachita hatzon amecha beyad Moshe ve-Aaron." (Nisei Nissim) 6. "Neged avotam asah fele be'eretz Mitzrayim sedeh Tzoan." (Nisei Nissim) 7. "Nafti mishkavi mor ahalim vekinnamon." (Nisei Nissim) 8. "Ner Ado-nai nishmat adam, chofes kol chadrei vaten." (Nisei Nissim) 9. "Nofet titofena siftotayich kalah devash ve-chalav tachat leshonech, vere'ach salmotayich kere'ach Levanon." (Nisei Nissim) 10. "Nudu mitoch Bavel ume'eretz Kasdim tze'u, vihi'u ke'atudim lifnei tzon." (Nisei Nissim) 11. "Noshkei keshet mayminim umasmeilim ba'avanim uvachitzim bakashet, me'achei Shaul mi-Binyamin." (Nisei Nissim) Translation: 1. "If a person has a leprous affliction, he shall be brought to the priest"; 2. "We will cross over armed before the L-rd into the land of Canaan, and our hereditary portion will be with us on the other side of the Jordan"; 3. "A prophet from among you, from your brothers, like me, the L-rd your G-d will raise up for you; you shall listen to him"; 4. "The streams of the river gladden the city of G-d, the holiness of the dwelling place of the Most High"; 5. "You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron"; 6. "Before their fathers He performed a miracle in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan"; 7. "I sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon"; 8. "The candle of the L-rd is the soul of man; He searches all the innermost chambers"; 9. "Honey drips from your lips, O bride; honey and milk are under your tongue, and the fragrance of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon"; 10. "Flee from Babylon, and leave the land of the Chaldeans; be like the first ones before the flock"; 11. "Archers, wielding weapons on the right and left, casting stones and shooting arrows — they are from the brothers of Saul, Benjaminites." Concluding prayer: "Yehi ratzon milfanecha Ado-nai Eloheinu v-Elohei avoteinu, shetitmale rachamim aleinu vetatzilenu lanu ulchol bnei vetenu ulchol Yisrael me-ayin hara umikol minei kishuf, vetavria yetzer hara vehasatan mimenu. Uchshem sheparasta kenafecha al avoteinu bamidbar ve-hitzaltam me'ona bisha de-Bilam harasha, ken tifros kenafecha aleinu berachamecha harabim, veniheye mechusim bemichse ve'anugah bishmoteycha hakdoshim, amen netzach sela va'ed". Translation: May it be Your will, L-rd, our G-d and G-d of our fathers, to be filled with mercy for us and save us, all our households, and all Israel from the evil eye and from every kind of witchcraft; remove from us the evil inclination and Satan. Just as You spread Your shelter over our fathers in the wilderness and saved them from the evil eye of the wicked Bilaam, so may You spread Your shelter over us in Your abundant mercy. May we be securely sheltered and guided by Your holy Names. Amen, forever and ever! (Compiled from the book Segulot ve-Tefilot, published by Maamar Sodei)