Kabbalistic Segulot for Soldiers During Wartime

‎15 Segulot for Soldiers During Wartime

1. Morning—banish all forms of fear. Rabbi Ben-Zion Mutzafi cites his father, the Mekubal Rabbi Salman Mutzafi, who saw that Ben Ish Chai advised those suffering from fear to wash their face, including the forehead, seven times after netilat yadayim, immediately upon rising in the morning, because all of a person's fears, anxieties, and negative thoughts are concentrated in the forehead.   2. Morning—a segula for protection from mortal danger: recite Tehillim 90:17 twice in the morning, before eating. וִיהִ֤י  נֹ֤עַם אֲדֹנָ֥׳ אֱלֹקינוּ עָ֫לֵ֥ינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָ֭דֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָ֥ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דֵ֗ינוּ כּוֹנְנֵֽהוּ׃ — “Vihi noam Ado-nai Eloheinu aleinu, uma'aseh yadeinu konenah aleinu, uma'aseh yadeinu konenehu” } twice 2. Then recite Tehillim 91; 3. Recite the verse from Tehillim 91:16 twice אֹ֣רֶךְ יָ֭מִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵ֑הוּ וְ֝אַרְאֵ֗הוּ בִּֽישׁוּעָתִֽי׃ — “Orekh yamim asbi'ehu, ve'ar'ehu bishuati” } twice It is stated in the kabbalistic work Ezra BeTzarot that a soldier who repeats this order of prayer three times in the morning on an empty stomach will die neither by mitah meshunah (an unusual death) nor by any weapon.   3. Daytime—recite “Shir HaShirim” with great intensity before shkiah or by chatzot halailah. If this is difficult, recite only the following 20 words three times: הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה, שִׁשִּׁים גִּבֹּרִים סָבִיב לָהּ, מִגִּבּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. כֻּלָּם אֲחֻזֵי חֶרֶב, מְלֻמְּדֵי מִלְחָמָה, אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵכוֹ, מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת. — “Hineh mitato sheli-Shlomo, shishim giborim saviv lah, migiborei Yisrael. Kulam ahuzei kherev, melumedei milkhamah, ish kharbo al yereikho mipakhad balelot.” } three times (Behold, it is Solomon's bed! Sixty mighty men surround it, of the mighty men of Israel. They all hold swords and are trained in warfare; each man has his sword upon his thigh because of the fear of the night.) “Sixty mighty men surround it” corresponds to the 60 letters of Birkat Kohanim—a protection for soldiers.   4. Night—a segula for protection from danger during wartime Recite word for word with concentration: וַיְהִי֘ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַהוּא֒ וַיֵּצֵ֣א׀ מַלְאַ֣ךְ ה׳ וַיַּךְ֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה אַשּׁ֔וּר מֵאָ֛ה שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֥ה כֻלָּ֖ם פְּגָרִ֥ים מֵתִֽים: (מלכים ב פרק יט פסוק לה) Read slowly at night, before going to sleep, word by word, the verse from II Kings 19:35: — “Vayehi balaylah hahu vayeitze malakh Ado-nai vayakh bemakhaneh Ashur me'ah shemonim vachamishah elef (185,000), vayashkimu baboker vehineh kulam pegarim metim” — (And it came to pass that night: an angel of the L-rd went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of Assyria. They arose in the morning, and behold, they were all dead bodies.)   5. How David HaMelech won all his battles with his index finger The Sages teach that before battle, David HaMelech recited Tehillim 144:1, which begins with a blessing: לְדָוִ֨ד ׀ בָּ֘ר֤וּךְ ה׳ ׀ צוּרִ֗י הַֽמְלַמֵּ֣ד יָדַ֣י לַקְרָ֑ב אֶ֝צְבְּעוֹתַ֗י לַמִּלְחָמָֽה — “Barukh Ado-nai tzuri hamelamed yadai lakrav, etzbe'otai la-milchamah” — (Blessed is the L-rd, my rock, who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for war.) The Sages ask: Why does he mention both hands and fingers? Surely one wages war with one's hands. They explain that David HaMelech then recited Psalm 19. He arranged it so that in the three verses of Tehillim 19:8–10, inclusive, the four-letter Name of HaShem appears six times in the second position. If each of these verses is divided into five words—corresponding to the five fingers of the hand—and the fingers are extended with each word, the Name of HaShem יְהוָ֣ה will always fall on the second, index finger, the “etzba”: תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת ה׳ תְּ֭מִימָה מְשִׁ֣יבַת נָ֑פֶשׁ ,עֵד֥וּת ה׳ נֶ֝אֱמָנָ֗ה מַחְכִּ֥ימַת פֶּֽתִי׃ ט פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י ה׳ יְ֭שָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי־לֵ֑ב ,מִצְוַ֥ת ה׳ בָּ֝רָ֗ה מְאִירַ֥ת עֵינָֽיִם׃ י יִרְאַ֤ת ה׳ ׀ טְהוֹרָה֮ עוֹמֶ֪דֶת לָ֫עַ֥ד ,מִֽשְׁפְּטֵי־ה׳ אֱמֶ֑ת צָֽדְק֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו 8. “Torat Ado-nai temimah, meshivat nafesh, Edut Ado-nai ne'emanah, machkimat pethi. 9. Pikkudei Ado-nai yesharim, mesamchei lev, Mitzvat Ado-nai barah, me'irat einayim. 10. Yir'at Ado-nai tehorah, omedet laad, Mishpetei Ado-nai emet tzadku yakhdav.” Six times, the index finger—the “etzba”—is sanctified by the Name of HaShem. [This is also why, during kiddushin, the bride's ring is placed on the index finger.] Before his battles, David HaMelech recited this psalm in precisely this manner, extending his fingers, and then pointed at the enemies with his index finger and immediately defeated them.   6. For victory in war—recite the name “Tzelalfonit” 17 times. This was the name of the mother of Shimshon HaGibor, who always defeated the Philistines until he was treacherously betrayed by his Philistine wife. The Sages explain that the name Tzelalfonit means “she who saw a shadow”—the shadow of the angel who came to tell her that she would bear a son.   7. For success in battle—recite the name “Nitzevet bat Adael” 17 times. This was the name of the mother of David HaMelech, who defeated the Philistines in all his battles against them with the help of HaShem.   8. To prevail over an enemy—recite the name “Amtelai bat Orvetai” 17 times. This was the name of Haman's mother. The Talmud states: Rav Hanan bar Rava said in the name of Rav: “The mother of Abraham was Amtelai bat Karnevo, while the mother of Haman was Amtelai bat Orvetai. The indication by which to distinguish them is: the pure belongs with the pure, and the impure with the impure—the name of Haman's mother is Orvetai, from the word orev (raven).”   9. For deliverance from an enemy—recite the name “Amtelai bat Karnevo” 17 times. This was the name of the mother of Abraham our Forefather. First, it is good to say: להנצל משלטונות בזכות אמא ד’אברהם אַמְתְּלַאי בַת כַּרְנְבוֹ — “Lehinatzel mi-shiltonot be-zkhut ima de-Avraham, Amtelai bat Karnevo” — (To be saved from any persecution in the merit of Abraham's mother, Amtelai bat Karnevo.)   10. For salvation—recite “Ein od milvado” 17 times אין עוד מלבדו — “Ein od milvado” — (There is nothing besides Him, the Creator.) Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin taught that the initial letters of the words in this phrase, אין עוד מלבדו, form HaShem's salvific Name—אעמ.   11. Salt Carry a small packet of salt with you at all times. If a difficult situation arises (chas veshalom), take a pinch of salt, recite Tehillim 125 seven times over it, and then sprinkle it in front of where you are staying. Those searching for you will pass by without discovering you.   12. Hyssop/z'atar Carry a packet of pure hyssop—z'atar with you (not a spice mixture containing sesame or other ingredients). Rabbeinu the Chida, the Kaf HaChaim, Baba Meir, and other Mekubalim advised leaving the house with a packet of hyssop, so that no negative forces could cause harm. When Bnei Yisrael wished to pass through the Yam Suf and the sea split before them, Bnei Yisrael walked on dry land within the sea. It is precisely this moment that is described in Shirat HaYam: “ematah ve-fakhad bigdol zero'akha”—אימתה ופחד בגדל זרועך—(terror and dread will fall upon them through the greatness of Your arm). The initial letters of this verse form the word “ezov.”   13. The afikoman from Pesach and aravah leaves from Sukkot. It is good to always carry a small packet containing afikoman and aravah leaves—this serves as protection for a Jew.   14. To annul the harshest gezerot ve-dinim (decrees and judgments)—the segula of Rabbi Moshe Zacuto: recite these three verses three times: אַל תִּירָא מִפַּחַד פִּתְאֹם וּמִשֹּׁאַת רְשָׁעִים כִּי תָבֹא — “Al tira mi-pakhad pit'om u-mi-sho'at resha'im ki tavo”; עֻצוּ עֵצָה וְתֻפָר דַּבְּרוּ דָבָר וְלֹא יָקוּם כִּי עִמָּנוּ אֵ׳׳ל — “Utzu etzah ve-tufar, dabru davar ve-lo yakum, ki imanu El”; וְעַד־זִקְנָה אֲנִי הוּא וְעַד־שֵיבָה אֲנִי אֶסְבֹּל אֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי וַאֲנִי אֶשָּׂא וַאֲנִי אֶסְבֹּל וַאֲמַלֵּט — “Ve-ad ziknah ani hu, ve-ad seivah ani esbol, ani asiti ve-ani esa, ve-ani esbol ve-amailet”; When Mordechai HaYehudi learned of the decree against the Jews (chas veshalom) on Purim, he prayed to the Almighty. He then went out into the street and asked three boys what they had studied that day in cheder. The first boy answered: — “Al tira mi-pakhad pit'om u-mi-sho'at resha'im ki tavo”; (Do not fear sudden terror or calamity, or the evil that may come.) The second boy answered: — “Utzu etzah ve-tufar, dabru davar ve-lo yakum, ki imanu El.” (The enemies of Israel may devise plots, but they will be frustrated; they may conspire together, but nothing will come of it—for G-d is with us.) The third boy answered: — “Ve-ad ziknah ani hu, ve-ad seivah ani esbol, ani asiti ve-ani esa, ve-ani esbol ve-amailet” — (Until old age I will remain the same and will bear with the people of Israel; I made them, and I will care for them, bear with them, and save them.) Later, these verses from “she'elat be-hakitz” (questions asked while awake) became a Sephardic minhag transmitted through a chain from Rabbi Moshe Zacuto's “Shorshei HaShemot”. Reciting these lines three times (chazakah) is a segula for annulling the most severe and difficult decrees.   15. For victory in battle—recite the verse from Shirat HaYam 17 times: ה׳ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֑ה ה׳ שְׁמֽוֹ׃ — “Ado-nai Ish Milchamah, Ado-nai Shmo” — (The L-rd is a warrior; the L-rd is His Name.) In the prayer of “Shirat HaYam”, we find the Holy Name by which the Almighty created the world, יאיא, which the Mekubalim call the DNA of the world. The Magid of Mezritch taught that the world was created through the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, as it is written: “Bereishit bara Elohim et ha-shamayim ve-et ha-aretz”—where “et” is את, alef-tav, the DNA of the world. HaShem took the letters יאיא and created the world through them—for יא has a gematria of 11, and two יאs total 22, the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. This Name is also connected with war. It is therefore good for all soldiers, and for anyone engaged in a physical or spiritual struggle, to pray with kavanah using HaShem's salvific Name. In the text of the prayer, the Holy Name “Ado-nai” is written as follows:   16. A segula for protection and the success of warriors, using the name Gad. With prophetic inspiration, Yaakov Avinu gave his son Gad a blessing associated with success. Rabbeinu the Chida teaches that the founder of one of the Twelve Tribes was born covered by a membrane like a garment. Therefore, at his birth Leah said, “ba-gad,” which is read as two words (good fortune has come), but written as one word, like “beged” (garment). גָּד גְּדוּד יְגוּדֶנּוּ וְהוּא יָגֻד עָקֵב. כָּךְ אַצְלִיחַ בִּדְרָכַי כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּעָבְרוֹ הַיַּרְדֵּן עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּלְחָמָה עִם הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְשָׁב בְּשָׁלוֹם לְאַרְצוֹ. “Gad gedud yegudenu, vehu yagud akev. Kakh atzliach bidrakhai kemo she-asah Yehoshua be-avar ha-Yarden im Yisrael u-va-milchamah im ha-Kena'ani ve-shav be-shalom le-artzo.” (The tribe of Gad: a troop will maraud against him, but he will maraud at their heel. Help me prosper on my ways, as Yehoshua did when he crossed the Jordan with Israel in battle against the Canaanites and returned peacefully to his land.)   17. In the most difficult moments, recite three times, in both forward and reverse order, the verse from the Torah (Genesis 19:11): ואת האנשים אשר פתח הבית הכו בסנורים מקטן ועד גדול וילאו למצא הפתח “Ve-et ha-anashim asher petach ha-bayit hiku ba-sanverim mi-katan ve-ad gadol va-yil'u limtzo ha-petach” — (But the men at the entrance of the house He struck with blindness, young and old alike, so that they were unable to find the entrance.)   (Based on the teachings of Rabbi Ben-Zion Mutzafi, Rabbi Shmuel ben Atar, and Rabbi Yisrael Yakovov, and materials from Silatehilim.com)