The Prayer of Perek Shirah for 40 Days—How Does It Work?

Prayer for 40 Days

We already know that praying for 40 days can change a person's mazal [link at the end of the post]. However, many people who pray for 40 days for a specific matter and do not receive an answer immediately despair and give up once the 40 days are over. The Mekubalim teach that even when a person does not see an answer to his prayers, all prayers are gathered in designated “chadarim” (rooms) in Heaven and await their appointed time, when they may suddenly be fulfilled for one of that person's loved ones—to save them, protect them, or rescue them from a terrible calamity... Certainly, Ha-Shem knows how to make use of every prayer, and there is not a single prayer that goes unheard—it is simply waiting for its appointed time.   The Prayer of Perek Shirah for 40 Days—A True Story Rabbi Yosef Ben Porat (shlita) relates that when we recite Perek Shirah, we create a “guf” (body), which connects with the “shoresh neshamah” (root of the soul) of that “briyah” (creation), and this combined chorus, Shirat ha-Briyah, creates cosmic rectifications in the world. This is the true story of a Jewish man that recently took place in Israel. A young man was unable to get married, so he went to a respected rav whom he had been strongly recommended and who was said to be able to help with anything. Yet the rav merely advised him to recite Perek Shirah for 40 days and told him that after 40 days, a shadchanit would call him herself. With nothing to lose, he decided to try. He prayed with “be-temimut” (with all his heart) for 40 days, and on the 40th day he sat at home waiting for a phone call from the shadchanit—but no one called. The young man despaired and went to the rav to say that it had not helped and had not worked. The rav asked whether he had recited everything correctly—word for word, with the proper kavanot. The young man replied that not exactly: at times he recited it with the kavanot, and at times he simply read it. The rav told him: “Go and recite it for another 40 days.” Humbly, the young man returned home and began a new 40-day recitation of Perek Shirah. After the second 40 days of prayer, the young man again sat at home hopefully waiting for a call, but nothing happened. He went to the rav and said that it was not helping, that this segulah was not working, and pleaded: “Please help me—give me something else.” Once again, the rav questioned him about how he had recited it: Had he omitted even a single letter? Had he read everything properly? The man replied: “Yes, sometimes I skipped parts.” The rav again sent him to recite it for 40 days: “Go and read it again.” The poor man did not have the strength to express everything he was thinking, and he silently went home. Near the end of the third 40-day recitation of Perek Shirah, the shadchanit called with good news: “There is a suitable shidduch for you.” At the “erusin”—the engagement ceremony—the bride's father stood up and delivered a speech of thanks: “I want to thank Ha-Shem. Everyone knows that I have three daughters: one is 43 years old, the second is 42, and the third is 38, and for all these years I was unable to marry them off. Then, suddenly, all three became engaged within one month.” Our young man married the third daughter, who was 38 years old. The young man came to the rav to tell him about his shidduch and thank him for everything. The rav said to him: “This is called Cheshbonei Shamayim (the calculations of Heaven). For you to receive your destined half, it was necessary for the others—the older daughters—to be matched first. Therefore, when you recited Perek Shirah the first time, it opened the way for the eldest daughter; the second time, for the middle daughter; and only the third and final time, for the one who was destined specifically for you. Often, Perek Shirah opens a path that is ‘chasumah’ (blocked or obstructed). One must continue reciting it until receiving an answer—no prayer is ever in vain.” (Based on a video lesson by Rabbi Yosef Ben Porat)   How to Change Your Mazal in 40 Days or 960 Hours Text of Perek Shirah here: Perek Shira - Shirat HaBriah (Song of Creation)