6 Glasses of Water for Healing

6 Glasses of Water for Healing

The Talmud calls the Torah “Rachmana”—merciful; and in tractate Bava Kamma, folio 17a, the Torah is compared to water. Thus, according to the Talmud and Kabbalah, water corresponds to the energy of mercy—Chesed. But if water, which is itself Chesed, is further infused with the holy words of the Torah, it becomes doubly blessed. Ben Ish Chai (may his merit protect us) recommended using water for healing. He taught that nothing can compare in power to words of Torah recited over water, imparting to it healing energy capable of curing a person. We have collected several well-known segulot involving water. 1st glass: Eliyahu HaNavi The name Eliyahu HaNavi (the prophet Eliyahu) possesses tremendous power. The Baal Shem Tov (may his merit protect us) once said: “Eliyahu HaNavi and I had the same teacher—the prophet Achiyah HaShiloni. But what is the difference between us? Eliyahu is ‘zakhor letov’ (remembered for good); every mention of his name brings blessing.” Simply saying his name aloud conveys good and positive energy to the vessel containing the water. One should say over a glass of water seven times in succession: “Eliyahu HaNavi”, and then recite the blessing: “Baruch Atah Ad-nai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, Shehakol nihyeh bidvaro”—(Blessed are You, G-d, our G-d, King of the universe, by Whose word everything exists)—and immediately drink the water. 2nd glass: Uriel HaMalach In Judaism, there are quite a number of segulot involving the recitation of the name of the angel Uriel. For example, for a successful day, it is customary to get out of bed with the right foot and, before touching the floor, recite the angel Uriel’s name seven times in one breath. In the same manner, the name Uriel HaMalach is recited in one breath at the conclusion of powerful prayers such as “Tikkun HaNefesh” and others. One should recite “Uriel HaMalach” seven times and, after the blessing of “Shehakol,” drink the entire glass. 3rd glass: Raphael HaMalach One should recite “Raphael HaMalach” seven times in one breath and, after the blessing of “Shehakol,” drink the entire glass of water. There is a beautiful segulah practiced by many Sephardic Mekubalim at a Brit Milah. It is known that an honored guest—Eliyahu HaNavi—attends every brit, and that every brit has his chair, the Kisei Eliyahu HaNavi. It is also known that he does not come alone, but with the angel Raphael (circumcision is a mitzvah requiring the protection of the chief angel of healing). Therefore, if one places a vessel of water beneath the Kisei Eliyahu HaNavi and, after the brit, drinks it with the blessing of “Shehakol,” one can receive healing power from both Eliyahu HaNavi and Raphael HaMalach. 4th glass—with the prayer of Moshe Rabbeinu The Zohar HaKadosh calls Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayer for his sister Miriam, when she became ill with leprosy—“El na refa na la”—(Please, G-d, please heal her)—the Eleven-Letter Name of Healing. This verse from the Torah is a Holy Name. The Mekubalim teach that one should take two glasses—one filled with water and the other empty—and pour the water from one into the other, reciting this prayer letter by letter: “El Na Refa Na La”, pouring once for each letter: אֵ֕ל—2 pourings, corresponding to the number of letters נָ֖א—2 pourings, corresponding to the number of letters רְפָ֥א—3 pourings, corresponding to the number of letters נָ֖א —2 pourings, corresponding to the number of letters לָֽהּ—2 pourings, corresponding to the number of letters In total, there are 11 pourings, corresponding to the number of letters in the prayer—keneged the 11 letters of the Holy Name. Then recite the blessing of “Shehakol” and drink the entire glass of water. 5th glass, according to the Ben Ish Chai Ben Ish Chai teaches that if one takes a glass of water and recites holy words of Torah, Tehillim, over it, one can receive complete healing. Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky (may her merit protect us) recommended reciting three Psalms for healing. The acrostics of their numbers form the phrase “Machlah Tzei”—(Leave, illness, go away). In my view, it would be appropriate to recite these particular chapters of Tehillim: 48—מח (mach) 35—לה (lah) 91—צא (tzei) It is beneficial to recite these three Psalms over a glass of water. One can also pour the water according to the syllables: מח (mach)—לה (lah)—צא (tzei), recite the blessing of “Shehakol,” and drink all the water. 6th glass: Motzaei Shabbat The Mekubalim teach that on Motzaei Shabbat, water from all the world’s sources is water from Miriam’s Well, which accompanied the Jews in the desert for many years and possessed healing properties. Immediately after Havdalah, one should draw water from the tap and say that this water is from Miriam’s Well—“mayim mi-be’er shel Miriam”; then recite the blessing of “Shehakol” and drink the entire glass of water. P.S. After drinking beverages—in this case, water—one must recite the blessing “Borei Nefashot.” Berachah and Emunah The life of the Mekubal Rabbi Aharon Harari-Rafoul and his wife Rachel was not easy. As a young man, immediately after his wedding, he was forced to flee to Bukhara for six long years to avoid being drafted into the Turkish army. When he returned home, he discovered that both of his children had died of hunger. After moving to the Holy City, Rabbi Aharon once again took up a rabbinic position. Among his many responsibilities was serving the great Jerusalem Kabbalist, Saba Kadisha, Rabbi Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari. Years passed. Six daughters were born into the Harari-Rafoul family. Rachel dreamed of having a son who would help her husband fulfill the mitzvah of “pru u’rvu” and bring Torah scholars into the world. Rachel was a pious woman with great emunah. How did this manifest itself? Whenever a problem arose for Rachel, she would immediately sit down and drink a glass of water. One of her daughters asked her why she did this. Rachel explained that before drinking the water, she recited the blessing: “Shehakol nihyeh bidvaro”—(by Whose word everything was created). When reciting the blessing, she remembered that if everything was created by Him—including her problems—then He could also bring about a solution to those problems; she merely needed to turn to Him. This always strengthened her emunah (faith). She often asked her husband to obtain a blessing from the great Saba Kadisha, but her husband could not bring himself to disturb such an important person. One morning, when Rabbi Aharon went as usual to the Chacham’s home, Rachel followed him discreetly. Saba Kadisha did not usually receive women, and when he saw a woman enter the room, he turned to Rabbi Aharon and asked sharply: —Who is she? Rabbi Aharon looked at Rachel in astonishment and quietly told the Chacham that she was his wife. —And what does she want?—asked Saba Kadisha. Hesitantly, Rabbi Aharon explained that his wife had come to ask for a blessing to have a son. Saba Kadisha directed his penetrating gaze at Rabbi Aharon. —Why have you never asked yourself? He then gave the blessing Rachel had so fervently desired. A year later, Rachel and Rabbi Aharon Harari-Rafoul’s newborn son was named Avraham Shlomo: Avraham, after Rachel’s father, the great Rabbi Avraham Ades; and Shlomo, after Rabbi Shlomo Eliezer Alfandari, the Saba Kadisha. Another son was born a year later. Thus Rachel’s faith—as the wife and daughter of great Chachamim, whose blessings brought happiness to many Jewish families—enabled her to attain the happiness of motherhood through her emunah.   Sipurei Tzadikim—The Rebbe Maharash  When the Rebbe Maharash was a young boy, he would often pray and study in the women’s section of the synagogue, on the second floor. One day, he remained there completely alone and saw a woman approach the Aron Kodesh in tears, pleading with Heaven for help: she had no husband, no work, and nothing with which to feed her children. Little Shmuel took pity on her and called out: “Why are you crying so? I’ll give you a segulah: drink a glass of water with a blessing. Then wish a sick person a speedy recovery. The sick person will recover, and you will receive money.” Thus the future Rebbe gave her the remarkable power to heal the sick. Approximately 30 years passed. The Rebbe Maharash developed an incurable abscess on his eye. The now-famous woman was summoned to the Rebbe. He asked her to tell him where she had received such power to heal the sick. The widow honestly recounted the entire story, but she was convinced that it was Eliyahu HaNavi who had helped her. The Rebbe remembered everything and began laughing harder and harder. The abscess burst from his laughter, and his eye healed. Sipurei Tzadikim about water Borei Nefashot – a segula for prosperity according to the Or HaChaim Amen to “Borei Nefashot” — a segula for having children