Segulot from Verses Beginning with the Letter Nun

An Ancient Prayer Beginning with the Letter Nun, Corresponding to the Two Inverted Nuns in the Torah

In the Torah (Bamidbar 10:35–36), we find two letters nun written facing in the opposite direction, setting apart two verses: “And it came to pass, whenever the Ark set out, Moses would say: ‘Arise, O L-rd, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.’ And when it came to rest, he would say: ‘Return, O L-rd, to the myriads of the families of Israel.’” These two letters nun are called “nunim menuzarot” (separated). Rashi writes that these nuns were given in order to separate one calamity from another for the Jewish people, and he refers to the “Ktav HaKodesh.” “Both verses,” he writes, “are marked off by unusual letters as a separate book, and thus we have not five but seven books of the Torah.” (Shabbat 116a) Rabbi Yohanan and Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher confirm that this is a secret book of the Torah, whose hidden meaning will be revealed only at the end of days. Rabbi Yaakov Culi says that through these two nuns, the future redemption of the Jewish people will come about. (“Me’am Lo’ez”) And then they (the letters) will return to their normal state. (Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel) “Nunim menuzarot” can also be found in Tehillim (in the script of “Aram Tzova”), Psalm 107, before verses 23–28 and 40. It is written in the “Zohar Chadash” that this is a very serious matter: because of these letters, the nations of the world hate and constantly persecute us, since they know that they have no share in these letters. It follows that these letters bring salvation to the Jewish people. Parashat “Shoftim” reveals to us that the angels appeared to Moshe Rabbeinu. Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu that Israel must cross the Jordan, conquer the land, and defeat the nation of Israel’s enemies: “ki Ado-nai Eloheihem hu hanilcham lachem” — (for Hashem your G-d is the One fighting for you). (Devarim 3:22) Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu that when the Jews enter Canaan, there will be many gentiles and idolatry there, as well as sorcery, and that they must be extremely careful not to sin. The Almighty would appoint a prophet, and they would have to listen to him: נָבִיא מִקִּרְבְּךָ מֵאַחֶיךָ כָּמֹנִי יָקִים לְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵלָיו תִּשְׁמָעוּן — “Navi mikirbecha me’achecha kamoni yakim lecha Ado-nai Elohecha elav tishma’un.” (Devarim 18:15) In this verse, we find two letters nun (the first and the last). When Moshe Rabbeinu ascended to Heaven to receive the Torah, the malachim revealed to him the secret of this verse: there are eleven verses throughout the Tanach — three verses in the Torah and eight verses in Nevi’im (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the Writings) — that begin and end with the letter nun. When fish are a segula for healing the eyes Rabbi Natan Neta Shapiro, in “Megaleh Amukot”, reveals to us that these eleven verses contain many secrets. The number eleven corresponds to the eleven ingredients of the Ketoret, which consisted of eleven types of plants (spices). Among them was chelbena, and in order to weaken its smell, all the plants (ten types corresponding to the ten Sefirot) were mixed together to neutralize its sharp odor. Rabbeinu the Chida says that these eleven verses correspond to ayin hara. The letter nun in Aramaic is “nuna,” which translates as “dag” (fish). As is known, the evil eye does not affect fish. The Gemara in tractate Nedarim explains why the letters nun, samech, ayin appear in that order in the alphabet: “Nun” is “nuna” (fish in Aramaic); “Samech” is “sama” (healing in Aramaic); “Ayin” is “ayna” (eye in Aramaic). It follows that fish are a remedy for the eyes. Whoever eats fish receives a segula for healing the eyes. The mekubalim teach that “Nuna” is the letter nun, while “Sama” is “sama” (damage to the eyes caused by the evil eye). These eleven verses have the power to annul ayin hara.   Segula Against Fear Rabbeinu Bachya says that these eleven verses have the power to neutralize fears. There is a malach in Heaven responsible for fears and anxieties. Rabbeinu Bachya reveals that the name of this malach is concealed in these eleven verses. When one recites these eleven verses, he destroys these fears and anxieties. The letters “samech” and “final peh” do not appear in these verses, because these eleven verses are pesukei shemirah ve-haganah (verses that protect against evil forces and various dangers).   Segula Against Quarrels and Discord The final peh is absent, indicating that “Ketzeph, Af, Shetzeph…” are destroyed; that is, through the power of these verses, discord and quarrels are destroyed. Rabbeinu the Chida reveals that the gematria of “nun” is 106. These eleven verses begin and end with the letter nun, giving a total of 212, which is the gematria of the word “riv” (quarrel); they therefore annul quarrels and disputes. All these secrets were revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu by the malachei hasharet in Heaven. The first verse, 1:11, corresponds to tzaraat: — 1. “Nega tzaraat ki tihyeh ve-adam ve-huva el ha-kohen.” The second verse is the request of the children of Gad and the children of Reuven, who asked permission to remain in the Jordan region and were prepared to be the first to go and conquer Eretz Yisrael: — 2. “Anachnu na’avor chalutzim lifnei Ado-nai eretz Kena’an, ve-itanu achuzat nachalatenu me-ever la-Yarden.” 3. The third verse concerns Elisha HaNavi, who helped Naaman and healed him of tzaraat. Elisha HaNavi says: — “Navi bekirbecha me’achecha kamoni yakim lecha Hashem Elohecha elav tishma’un.” The name Naaman is concealed in the words “Nachnu nAavor halutziMlifNei,” and it also begins and ends with a nun. That is why Elisha decided to help him, knowing that a Kiddush Hashem would emerge from his mouth. The Midrash says that four people brought about a great Kiddush Hashem in the world: Moshe Rabbeinu, Yitro, Rachav, and Naaman. “Megaleh Amukot” reveals that their names form the roshei teivot of the word “rimon” (pomegranate), and their strength lay in opposing idolatry. Tractate Pesachim states that in the near future, when the Korban Pesach is offered in the Temple, it will be offered on wood from a pomegranate tree.       A Prayer Beginning and Ending with the Letter Nun — A Segula for Salvation This prayer protects against all forms of magic, the evil eye, sorcery, and those who hate us. (Recite ten times and then say “Yehi ratzon”) “Nega tzaraat ki tihyeh ve-adam ve-huva el ha-kohen. Nachnu na’avor chalutzim lifnei Ado-nai eretz Kena’an, ve-itanu achuzat nachalatenu me-ever la-Yarden. Navi mi-kirbecha me-achicha kamoni yakim lecha Ado-nai Elohecha elav tishma’un. Nahar pelagav yesam’chu ir-Elohim kedosh mishkenei Elyon. Neged avotam asah pele be-eretz Mitzrayim sedeh Tzoan. Nahita hatzon amecha be-yad Mo-sheh ve-Aharon. Nafti mishkavi mor ahalim ve-kinamon. Ner Ado-nai nishmat adam, chofes kol chadrei vaten. Nofet titofena siftotayich kalah, dvash ve-chalav tachat leshonech, ve-re’ach simlotayich ke-re’ach Levanon. Nudu mitoch Bavel u-me’eretz Kasdim tze’u, ve-hayu katudim lifnei tzon. Noshkei keshet mayminim u-maslimim ba-ava’im u-vahitzim ba-keshet, me-achei Shaul mi-Binyamin. Prayer  Yehi ratzon milfanecha Ado-nai Eloheinu ve-Elohei avoteinu she-titmale rachamim aleinu ve-tatzilenu lanu u-lechol benei veitenu u-lechol Yisrael me-ayin hara, u-mi-kol minei kishuf, ve-ta’avir ha-yetzer hara ve-ha-Satan mimenu. U-keshem she-parasta kenafecha al avoteinu ba-midbar ve-hitzaltam me-ena bisha de-Bilam ha-rasha, ken tifros kenafecha aleinu be-rachamecha harabim, ve-nihiye mechusim be-michse ve-anugah bi-shmoteka ha-kedoshim, amen netzach sela va-ed. Translation “If a person has a plague of tzaraat, he shall be brought to the priest. We will cross armed before the L-rd into the land of Canaan, and our inheritance will be with us on the other side of the Jordan.” “A prophet from among you, from your brothers, like me, the L-rd your G-d will establish for you — listen to him.” “Streams of rivers gladden the city of G-d, the holiness of the dwelling place of the Most High.” “Like a flock, You led Your people by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” “Before their fathers’ eyes He performed a wonder in the land of Egypt, in the field of Tzoan.” “I sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloe, and cinnamon.” “The candle of the L-rd is the soul of man; He searches all the innermost chambers.” “Your lips drip with honey, O bride; honey and milk are under your tongue, and the fragrance of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon.” “Flee from Babylon, and leave the land of Kasdim; be the first before the flock.” “Archers, slingers to the right and left, shooting arrows from bows — they are from the brothers of Shaul, from the tribe of Benjamin.” May it be Your will, O L-rd our G-d and G-d of our fathers, to fill us with compassion, save us and all the members of our households, and all Israel, from the evil eye and from every kind of sorcery; remove from us the evil inclination and the Satan. Just as You spread Your shelter over our fathers in the wilderness and saved them from the evil eye of the wicked Bilam, 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!  (Tehillim—Segulot, published by “Shorashim”)