- Brings about all forms of salvation;
- A person who reads Perek Shirah is considered as though he built an altar;
- One who reads Perek Shirah becomes a vessel for abundance (Shefa) and vitality;
Perek Shirah - a segula for 40 days
Perek Shirah - a segula for 40 days
«Rabbi Isaiah, a disciple of Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa, fasted 85 times (85 is the gematria of the word “peh”—mouth), hoping that through purification he would learn why dogs (brazen and insatiable creatures) have their own song (in «Perek Shirah).
And in the merit of having been a disciple of such a great man, he received an answer from Heaven.
The messenger explained that this secret, previously revealed only to the prophet Habakkuk, is that dogs did not bark at the Children of Israel in Egypt; in addition, their excrement was used to process leather for mezuzot, tefillin, and Torah scrolls. He also reminded him that one who guards his mouth from evil also protects his soul from troubles.” (From the booklet «Perek Shirah)
There is a beautiful segula—to read «Perek Shirah for 40 days—for finding a shidduch, healing, parnassah, legal proceedings, and more.
What is the power of this segula?
The holy Mabit says and writes: «Reciting Perek Shirah brings about a greater elevation and ascent than Tehillim, for each verse of Tehillim contains a segula for salvation from evil and a segula for one’s own good deeds, whereas reciting Perek Shirah (with kavanah) brings about various forms of salvation.”
“Perek Shirah” is another name for “Shirat HaBriyah”—a collection of songs in which all of creation praises and glorifies the Creator.
Man is the only one among all created beings who can speak, and he alone has been granted the ability, through words, to express gratitude and blessings to the Creator on behalf of all living things. When we recite “Perek Shirah,” we give all creatures the ability to sing their song to G-d through our mouths.
«Perek Shirah” is more than 1,800 years old.
Many attribute its composition to King David, peace be upon him, who was called “Israel’s Sweet Singer,” saying that he was privileged to compose «Perek Shirah” as a reward for writing the book of Tehillim. Others believe that “Perek Shirah” was composed by David’s son, King Solomon, who was called “the wisest of men” because of his wisdom, through which he understood the speech of animals, plants, seeds, and more.
Everything in Creation—from the stars, heavens, and depths of the oceans, from the highest mountains to trees and grasses, birds, animals, the tiniest insects, and us human beings—is interconnected and has its unique place and purpose.
Every moment that this world exists and breathes, it presents a hymn to the Great Creator.
Rabbi Mordechai Gross writes in his approbation to the book “Perek Shirah with a Complete Explanation”:
“Whoever recites the pasuk at the proper time is considered as though he had built a new altar and offered a korban, and he also brings goodness into this world.”
Man gathers them (the notes) all together into a wondrous composition—a Song that neither the Malachim nor the Seraphim (angels) of these creatures can utter until man recites the Shirah here, in our world.
And indeed, as our holy sages said, the ministering angels cannot utter Shirah Above until Israel begins to utter Shirah below.
Accordingly, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov says: “Know that every shepherd has his own special melody, corresponding to the various types of plants and to the place where he grazes his flock. Likewise, every blade of grass has its own Song (Shirah), as it is said, ‘From the Song of the Grasses we shall create a melody for the Shepherd.’ (Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Likutei Moharan)
Rabbi Hanoch Zundel Luria also writes that he saw the commentary of the Arizal (may the memory of the righteous be a blessing) on the above: “Since all abundance comes from the root of Abundance descending from Above, descending from world to world until it reaches the one who asks—surely it is worthwhile to open vessels for it. Therefore, it is necessary to recite this Song with all one’s heart, with passionate desire and yearning for the Creator.”
Rabbi Hanoch Zundel Luria offers a beautiful analogy in his book “Kanaf Ra’ananim”, explaining the essence of this song: “The Song of Creation is like a huge orchestra with various musical instruments. Each instrument produces only its own sound, yet together they transform everything into a magnificent melody of praise and thanksgiving to the Creator, blessed be He. At the head of the orchestra stands the chief conductor—man, the crown of Creation—and he recites Perek Shirah, thereby giving all creatures the strength to sing their Song. And when the angels of each creature recite Shirah, they receive the abundance and vitality that they bring down to us.”
A similar description of the essence of the Song of Creation is found in the writings of the holy Mabit (Rabbi Moshe ben Yosef). He says that the verses from Tehillim, most of which comprise Perek Shirah, and their order—as in Perek Shirah—are like notes sung by each creature within the melody, while man is the one who conducts the orchestra in which each creature performs its unique song.
Perek Shirah contains the deepest secrets, as is written in the Tikkunei Zohar: “There is a Palace of Melody, which cannot be opened by anything except song.” And indeed, it has been transmitted to us through our holy sages that there is a wondrous and hidden place in the heavenly heights, a concealed treasure locked and bolted—the Supreme Palace, exalted and hidden: the “Palace of Melody” (Heichal Niggun), in which the Malachim and Seraphim (angels) serve. Through prophetic inspiration, our holy sages revealed to us how one may enter this Palace: it is opened through the melody, song, and rejoicing of Perek Shirah. Indeed, Perek Shirah is the song that every creature sings to its Creator every day, and each creature sings the song appropriate to it.
It is possible that both King David and King Solomon took part in composing the Shirah. In this Song, every creation and every natural phenomenon—from the heavens to the desert, from rivers to lightning, from the snail to Leviathan—each praises and sings to the Creator with verses from the Sacred Sources, and in this singing lies the essence and root of its existence. In addition, the Shirah enables us to understand the essence of each creation.
Rabbi (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi) taught that everyone who studies Perek Shirah in this world will merit to study and teach, to guard and observe, and to fulfill—to actualize what he learns; he will overcome his evil inclination, be saved from accidents, from suffering after death, from the judgment of Gehinnom, and from the birth pangs preceding Mashiach; he will merit longevity, witness the coming of Mashiach, and merit life in the World to Come.
Tanna Rabbi Eliezer, who was called great, held that everyone who recites the Song in this world will merit reciting it in the World to Come.
He said that anyone who engages in Perek Shirah in this world every day has a share in the World to Come, will overcome his evil inclination, and will be saved from accidents, harsh judgment, Satan, and other forces of spiritual impurity.
And it is said: “With all your heart and all your soul, perfect your knowledge of My ways, guard the entrances to My domains and My Torah, observe My commandments and laws, safeguard My Torah in your heart, and let the fear of Me be before your eyes.
Guard your mouth and tongue from every sin and transgression, and I will be with you wherever you go, and I will teach you wisdom and understanding of everything. And know that everything that HaKadosh Baruch Hu created was created solely for His honor, as it is said: ‘Everything that is called by My Name and by My glory, I created, formed, and made.’
Our sages, of blessed memory, related that when David, king of Israel, completed the Book of Psalms, he was proud of himself, thinking that there was no other creation in the universe that praised and glorified the Creator more than he did. It happened that he saw a frog and learned that even such an inconspicuous and unimpressive creature praises the Creator with numerous parables, no less than he did.
The profound meaning of Perek Shirah is extremely complex and hidden. On a surface level, however, Perek Shirah is a key to understanding the natural world as a textbook of life. In several pages, it lists the principal components of the universe, including celestial bodies, the earth, planets, and animals. Each is associated with a particular sentence from the Torah (pasuk). These are the songs of nature—the lesson embodied in every element of the universe. The result is Perek Shirah—a comprehensive guide to studying the Torah through the natural world.
Segulot of Perek Shirah
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Tags: Sages on Perek Shirah, Perek Shirah, Segulot from Perek Shirah, Perek Shirah as a Segula for 40 Days, A 40-Day Segula, Perek Shirah — A Segula for 40 Days
