Ben Ish Hai's Prayer on Shemini Atzeret and Rosh Chodesh for Success in Everything

Ben Ish Hai's Prayer on Shemini Atzeret and Rosh Chodesh for Success in Everything

Shemini Atzeret is the day when we ask the Almighty and the Ushpizin to remain and stay with us for one more day. On this day, there is a special segula transmitted in the name of Ben Ish Hai. In the book “Lashon Hakhamim” (The Language of the Sages), Part 2, siman 9, Ben Ish Hai writes: “It is known that there are 28 pesukim in the Tanakh, each of which contains all the letters of the alphabet, from א (alef) to ת (tav). Among them are the following five pesukim, which are good to recite on Shemini Atzeret, and which are also good to recite every Rosh Chodesh. This is a segula for success in everything throughout the year.” 1. Exodus 16:16: זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה לִקְטוּ מִמֶּנּוּ אִישׁ לְפִי אָכְלוֹ עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת מִסְפַּר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם אִישׁ לַאֲשֶׁר בְּאָהֳלוֹ תִּקָּחוּ - “Zeh hadavar asher tzivah Ado-nai: liktu mimenu ish lefi ochlo omer lagulgolot mispar nafshoteichem, ish la’asher be’aholo tikachu” - (“This is what the L-rd has commanded: Gather it, each man according to his eating; an omer per head, according to the number of your souls, each man for whoever is in his tent, shall you take.”) 2. Deuteronomy 4:34: אוֹ הֲנִסָּה אֱלֹהִים לָבוֹא לָקַחַת לוֹ גוֹי מִקֶּרֶב גּוֹי בְּמַסֹּת בְּאֹתֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים וּבְמִלְחָמָה וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה וּבְמוֹרָאִים גְּדֹלִים כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לָכֶם יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֶיךָ - Velaqachta kesef vezahav ve’asita atarot vesamta berosh Yehoshua ben Yehozadak hakohen hagadol. “O hanisah Elohim lavo laqachat lo goy mikerev goy bemasot be’otot uvmoftim uvemilchamah uveyad chazakah uvizroa netuyah uvemora’im gedolim kechol asher asah lachem Ado-nai Eloheichem bemitzrayim le’einecha” - (“Or has a god ever attempted to go and take for himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by prodigious deeds, by signs and portents, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by awesome power, as the L-rd your G-d did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?”) 3. Jeremiah 22:3 כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה עֲשׂוּ מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה וְהַצִּילוּ גָזוּל מִיַּד עָשׁוֹק וְגֵר יָתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה אַל תֹּנוּ אַל תַּחְמֹסוּ וְדָם נָקִי אַל תִּשְׁפְּכוּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה - “Koh amar Ado-nai: Asu mishpat utzedakah vehatzilu gazul miyad ashuk, v ger yatom ve’almana al tonu al tachmosu vedam naki al tishpechu bamakom hazeh” - Thus said the L-rd: Do what is just and right; rescue from the hands of the oppressor the one who has been robbed; do not wrong the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; commit no lawless act, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.   4. Zechariah 6:11 וְלָקַחְתָּ כֶסֶף וְזָהָב וְעָשִׂיתָ עֲטָרוֹת וְשַׂמְתָּ בְּרֹאשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל - “Velakachta kesef vezahav ve’asita atarot vesamta berosh Yehoshua ben Yehozadak hakohen hagadol” - (“You shall take silver and gold and make crowns, and put them on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.”)   5. Ezra 7:28 וְעָלַי הִטָּה חֶסֶד לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְיוֹעֲצָיו וּלְכָל שָׂרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הַגִּבֹּרִים וַאֲנִי הִתְחַזַּקְתִּי כְּיַד יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי עָלַי וָאֶקְבְּצָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל רָאשִׁים לַעֲלוֹת עִמִּי - “Ve’alai hitah chesed lifnei hamelech veyo’atzav ulechol sarei hamelech hagiborim, va’ani hitchazakti keyad Ado-nai Elohai alai va’ekbetzah miYisrael rashim la’alot imi” - (“And because the gracious favor of my G-d was upon me, I took courage and gathered out of Israel chief men to go up with me.”) Prayer: יהר"מ ה' או"א שתעשה למען רחמיך וחסדיך ולמען פסוקים אלו שקריתי לפניך אשר בכל פסוק מהם יש בו כל שנים ועשרים אותיות התורה מן אות אל"ף ועד אות תי"ו ולמען סודותיהם תחוס ותחמול ותרחם עלי, ותצילני מכל צרה וצוקה, ותצילני מכל גזרות קשות ורעות, ותמלא ידי מברכותיך ומעושר מתנות ידיך, ותפרוש עלי סוכת שלומך, ותקנני בעצה טובה מלפניך, ותשפיע לי שפע שלום טובה וברכה וחיים וחן וחסד ורחמים וחירות וגאולה וישועה וריוח והצלה ופרנסה טובה וכלכלה ותעזרנו על דבר כבוד שמך, רפאני ה' וארפא הושיעני ואושעה כי תהלתי אתה יהיו לרצון אמרי פי והגיון לבי לפניך יהוה צורי וגאלי May it be Your will, the L-rd—our G-d and the G-d of our fathers—that You act for the sake of Your compassion and kindness, and for the sake of these pesukim that I have recited before You, each of which contains all twenty-two letters of the Torah, from the letter Alef to the letter Tav. For the sake of the secrets contained within them, spare me, pardon me, and have mercy upon me; save me from every trouble and distress, and save me from all harsh and evil decrees. Fill my hand with Your blessings and enrich me with the abundance of the gifts of Your hand. Spread over me the shelter of Your peace, and establish me in good counsel before You. Bestow upon me an abundance of peace, goodness, blessing, life, favor, kindness, mercy, freedom, redemption, deliverance, prosperity, salvation, a good livelihood, and sustenance. Help us for the sake of the glory of Your Name. Heal me, O L-rd, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, O L-rd, my Rock and my Redeemer.     (Based on a lesson by Rabbi Alexander Tzvi Sypkov)