“Oseh Chayil” — or How to Create Your Own Victory and Attract Good Fortune
We know from the Torah that four kings waged war against Abraham and took his nephew Lot captive. Abraham defeated them by throwing nothing more than handfuls of earth at them—sand - חול - “chol” in Hebrew. Each time Abraham picked up sand to hurl at the enemy, it would turn into bows and arrows. The Sages say that at that time Abraham invoked Ha-Shem’s Holy Name—ומב—one of the 72 Names. The word חָֽיִל “chayil” (victory) has a gematria of 48, the same as the gematria of the Name ומב, which “la’asot chayil”—creates good fortune and victory. Remarkably, we find the phrase “oseh chayil” (creating good fortune and victory) several times in Tanakh. Parashat Balak (24:18) וְהָיָ֨ה אֱד֜וֹם יְרֵשָׁ֗ה וְהָיָ֧ה יְרֵשָׁ֛ה שֵׂעִ֖יר אֹֽיְבָ֑יו וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עֹ֥שֶׂה חָֽיִל “Vehayah Edom yereshah, vehayah yereshah Se’ir oyvav, ve-Yisrael oseh chayil”—(Edom shall be dispossessed, and Se’ir shall be dispossessed by his enemies, while Israel shall prevail). The phrase “oseh chayil” speaks of Israel’s victory over its enemies. Tehillim 118:16 יְמִ֣ין יְ֭הוָה רוֹמֵמָ֑ה יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל — “Yemin Ado-nai romemah, yemin Ado-nai osah chayil”—(The right hand of the L-rd is exalted; the right hand of the L-rd brings victory).Tehillim 18:40
וַתְּאַזְּרֵ֣נִי חַ֭יִל לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה תַּכְרִ֖יעַ קָמַ֣י תַּחְתָּֽי׃
— “Va-te’azreni chayil la-milchamah, tachria kamai tachtai”—
(You girded me with strength for battle; You subdued those who rose up against me); Sefer Ruth 4:11 וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ כָּל־הָעָ֧ם אֲשֶׁר־בַּשַּׁ֛עַר וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים עֵדִ֑ים יִתֵּן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֶֽת־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבָּאָ֣ה אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֗ךָ כְּרָחֵ֤ל ׀ וּכְלֵאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנ֤וּ שְׁתֵּיהֶם֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽעֲשֵ̽ה־חַ֣יִל בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה וּקְרָא־שֵׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית לָֽחֶם “Va-yomru kol-ha’am asher ba-sha’ar ve-ha-zekenim edim: yiten Ado-nai et ha-ishah ha-ba’ah el beitecha ke-Rachel u-ke-Leah, asher banu shteihen et Beit Yisrael, va-aseh chayil be-Efratah u-kera shem be-Veit Lechem”— (You are witnesses today! And all the people who were at the gate, together with the elders, said: We are witnesses! May the L-rd make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built the House of Israel; may you gain strength in Efratah, and may your name be renowned in Beit Lechem).Segulot involving “chayil”
1. “Tikun 48” The mekubalim say that one who recites “Tikun 48” with the kavanah that the gematria of the word “chayil” (good fortune, victory) is 48 draws victory and good fortune to himself. Tikkun 48 – Tikkunei Zohar 2. A segula for soldiers—“Chayalim” In Hebrew, the word for soldier—חייל “chayal”—consists of the same letters as the word חָֽיִל “chayil” (victory) and comes from the same root as the word חול “chol”—sand. By reading the pesukim containing the word “chayil” with all the appropriate kavanot, we add good fortune for our soldiers and their victory. 3. Reciting the Tanakh verses “Oseh chayil” draws victory and good fortune to a person:- “Vehayah Edom yereshah, vehayah yereshah Se’ir oyvav ve-Yisrael oseh chayil” (Bamidbar, Balak 24:18);
- “Yemin Ado-nai romemah, yemin Ado-nai osah chayil” (Tehillim 118:16);
- “Va-te’azreni chayil la-milchamah, tachria kamai tachtai” (Tehillim 18:40);
- “Va-yomru kol-ha’am asher ba-sha’ar ve-ha-zekენim edim: yiten Ado-nai et ha-ishah ha-ba’ah el beitecha ke-Rachel u-ke-Leah, asher banu shteihen et Beit Yisrael, va-aseh chayil be-Efratah u-kera shem be-Veit Lechem” (Ruth 4:11).