Segulot for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

Segulot for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

The Holy Zohar says that the month of Tammuz is the most difficult month for Klal Yisrael, for individuals, and for the entire country. The word Tammuz is the name of an idol, whose role is to make us weep (chas veshalom). The month of Tammuz is difficult every year. It is a time when we need additional protection and when we need yeshuot more than ever. It is important to remember that what the month of Tammuz will be like for us depends on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz—which lasts for two days, 48 hours. 48 is also the gematria of the word “moach”—mind. Although this month is generally not favorable for us, on Rosh Chodesh we can truly turn it toward the good, b’ezrat Hashem. There are several tzadikim whose yahrzeit falls on this day, and they can help us with our prayers and draw rachamim from Shamayim.   Segulot for Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 1. Ideally, one should recite the entire Book of Tehillim in the morning on this day. 2. It is a good segula to have a bread meal, reciting the berachah of HaMotzi over the bread and then Birkat HaMazon in honor of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz. Seudat Rosh Chodesh, as is known, brings yeshuot and refuah. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov teaches that a woman who makes a Seudat Rosh Chodesh is promised that she will see her children grow in mitzvot and in the ways of Torah; 3. One should recite the Tikun HaKlali on both days of Rosh Chodesh, as it is known to be a segula for tikkun (rectification) and shemirah (protection). The Tikun consists of Tehillim 16, 32, 41, 42, 77, 90, 105, 137, and 150; 4. It is important to recite Tehillim 90 (17): “Vihi Noam” twice, followed by Tehillim 91 seven times. One should recite “Pit um HaKetoret” twice; 5. The Holy Zohar teaches that in difficult times, the power of tzadikim who are no longer with us in this world can truly help Israel, and their merit can genuinely save us. The month of Tammuz requires the great merit of many tzadikim, and fortunately, during the first three days of Tammuz we have the yahrzeit of exceptionally great tzadikim who lived like holy angels. Each of these tzadikim brought about many miracles and annulled many harsh decrees against Israel.   Rosh Chodesh Tammuz with the Tzadikim    1. Every Rosh Chodesh, it is good to light a candle for Rachel Imeinu (on both the first and second day), because the name Rachel רחל is an acronym for ראש חודש לישראל—Rosh Chodesh Le-Yisrael; 2. During Tammuz, it is especially important for men to strictly observe “shemirat einayim” (guarding the eyes), and for women to observe the laws of modesty. 3. In Parashat Shelach (13:20) it says: וְהַיָּמִים-יְמֵי בִּכּוּרֵי עֲנָבִים—“the time when the grapes first ripen.” This refers to the time when the meraglim (spies) were sent on their mission. Rabbeinu Chida says in the name of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropol that if you look at the letters preceding each letter of עֲנָבם (grapes), you get the word סמאל “Samech-Mem” (the name of the prosecuting angel). Rabbeinu Chida explains that the word עֲנָבִים is often written without a “yud”. He explains that “Samech-Mem” is stronger during the months of Tammuz and Av, since these are the months of Esav, and he is Esav’s angel. (Pnei David) 4. It is important during the two days of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz not to do laundry (in general, women do not perform any work on Rosh Chodesh)—for this we receive “a good blessing”; 5. It is good to read the prayer “Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Gadol” throughout the month of Tammuz, as this prayer ends with the words: “May my life be sweeter than honey, and may you be with me—for my help, benefit, salvation, and support—like the sun in Tammuz and like the full moon,” and through the merit of the 72 Names mentioned in this prayer, we ask Hashem for chesed. The complete prayer is here: The Prayer of Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Gadol 6. It is very important on Rosh Chodesh to light candles for tzadikim whose yahrzeit falls during this month and to recite their prayers or perform their segulot, so that they may be “melitzei yosher”—our advocates. This is a month of judgment, and we have no merits of our own, so it is especially important to connect ourselves to the merit of the tzadikim. We have two days of Rosh Chodesh, so it is certainly possible to recite their prayers.   1 Tammuz—the yahrzeit of Yosef HaTzadik ben Yaakov Avinu Yosef ben Yaakov Avinu  — Segula: Tikkun Mechirat Yosef HaTzadik (rectifying the sale of Yosef) “Ribono Shel Olam, through this recitation I am rectifying Mechirat Yosef HaTzadik, and this is the Tikkun Mechirat Yosef HaTzadik.” We then recite the pasuk three times yashar (in the regular order) and three times afuch (in reverse order): ויהי יהוה את יוסף ויהי איש מצליח ויהי בבית אדניו המצרי — “Vayehi Ado-nai et Yosef, vayehi ish matzliach, vayehi beveit Adonav haMitzri”—three times — “haMitzri Adonav beveit vayehi matzliach ish vayehi Yosef et Hashem vayehi”—three times. Details here: Tikun for the Sale of Yosef in the Musaf of Shabbat, Parashat Vayeshev   — Segula “Ben Porat Yosef,” which protects against the evil eye and all negativity. Take the thumb of your right hand into the palm of your left hand, and the thumb of your left hand into the palm of your right hand, and say in Aramaic: “Ana (name and mother’s name) mi-zar’a de-Yosef ka’atina de-lo shalita bei eina bisha, she-ne’emar: ‘Ben Porat Yosef ben porat alei ayin, banot tza’adah alei shur.’” (I, so-and-so, son/daughter of so-and-so, am a descendant of Yosef, over whom the evil eye had no power. As it says: “Ben Porat Yosef, ben porat alei ayin, banot tza’adah alei shur.”) Details here: Ben Porat Yosef - A Prayer Against the Evil Eye From the Torah   1 Tammuz—the yahrzeit of Rabbi Yisrael Najara (a student of the Arizal)  Segula: recite his Shabbat hymn (a praise of Hashem), “Ya Ribbon Olam” 1 тамуза йорцайт илула рабби исраэль на   4 Tammuz—the yahrzeit of Rabbeinu Tam — Rabbeinu Tam’s protective prayer The Protective Prayer of Rabbeinu Tam    11 Tammuz—the yahrzeit of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch of Zidichov—“Sar Zohar” (Prince of the Zohar) — Segula: Seudat Rosh Chodesh and Serach bat Asher  Seudat Rosh Chodesh – Serach bat Asher and Salvation from 903 Forms of Death   12 Tammuz—Rabbi Eliyahu Yosef Rivlin, the Rebbe of Driblin  — Segula for healing When the Difference Between Sephardic and Ashkenazic Halachah Is a Segula for Healing   15 Tammuz—Rabbi Chaim ben Attar, the Ohr HaChaim  — The prayer of the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh for the Shechinah Prayer of the Or HaChaim HaKadosh for the Shechinah — Segula for prosperity Borei Nefashot – a segula for prosperity according to the Or HaChaim   23 Tammuz—Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, the Ramak — Two segulot of the Ramak Segulot for the Yahrzeit of the Great Ramak   May the merit of the tzadikim protect Am Yisrael and safeguard us throughout the entire month of Tammuz! (Based on lessons by Rabbi Raphael Avitan and Rabbi Yisrael Abergil)