The Seder of Pidyon Nefesh (Redemption of the Soul) according to Rabbeinu Chida

The Seder of Pidyon Nefesh (Redemption of the Soul) according to Rabbeinu Chida

The Pidyon Nefesh ceremony according to Rabbeinu Chida may be performed both for a sick person and for a healthy person—for livelihood, protection from legal troubles, and other misfortunes that have befallen a person. The foundation of the pidyon is tzedakah given to the poor. The mitzvah of tzedakah has the power to save a person from death, as well as to merit him the compassion of Heaven and assistance with other spiritual or material needs. 1. Pidyon Nefesh should be performed before the sick person's condition becomes severe. 2. The most appropriate time for Pidyon Nefesh is before dawn (amud ha-shachar) and until the end of the first three halachic hours of the morning. 3. It is not proper to perform Pidyon Nefesh from the beginning of sunset until midnight. 4. One should take 160 silver coins, even if their intrinsic value is small (the gematria of the word “kesef” is 160). Silver alludes to the attribute of Chesed—the Creator's compassion—and therefore it is preferable to use silver coins. However, if this is not possible, one may also use 160 copper coins. 5. From the 160 coins, one should count out 17 coins, setting them aside with one's hand while counting them silently, with the intention (but without saying aloud) that this number corresponds to the gematria of the Name of G-d: “aleph-hei-vav-hei” (אהוה), which is associated with Da'at (the intellect). 7. One should then set aside 21 coins, again counting them silently, with the intention of the Name of G-d—“aleph-hei-yud-hei” (אהיה), which is associated with Binah (understanding). 8. Next, one should set aside 26 coins, once again counting them silently, with the intention of the Name of G-d—“hei-vav-yud-hei” (הויה). The combined gematria of these three numbers (17+21+26) is 64, alluding to the concept of Din = 64—judgment and punishment. One should intend the weakening of the Attribute of Judgment, “hamtakat dinim”, literally—sweetening of judgment, since all three of these Names of the Creator themselves represent compassion. However, since this weakening of the Attribute of Judgment exists at this stage only potentially and not in actuality, the coins are counted silently while being set aside by hand, rather than aloud. For the same reason, the coins that have been set aside should not be gathered into a single pile, so that their combination does not produce the numerical value of the word Din, since the judgment has so far been weakened only potentially. 9. One should then count aloud an additional 65 coins, corresponding to the numerical value of the Name of G-d—Ad-nai (אדני). When one reaches 64, however, one should say aloud: “And one more coin,” while having in mind the letter aleph (א) and the word Din (64). In other words, through the letter aleph, which signifies compassion—Rachamim (רחמים)—one weakens (and perhaps even nullifies) the Attribute of Judgment (the gematria of Din = 64). The person should now mix together the first three piles (64 coins in total) and the last pile (64+1 coins), since the weakening of the Attribute of Judgment is now taking place in actuality. However, one must be careful: the judgment is weakened only when one joins 64 coins with 1 coin. At this point, all four piles of coins should be mixed together. The weakening of the Attribute of Judgment will then move from potentiality into actuality, and the compassion of Heaven will be revealed. 10. One should also count the remaining 31 coins out of the 160 coins, with the verse in mind: “The kindness of G-d (א׳׳ל - El) endures all day” (Tehillim 52:3), and mix everything together. Prayer “May it be Your will, G-d, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, to act for the sake of the sanctity of Your holy Names, which we have mentioned now during this Pidyon, and to take our good thoughts together with our actions into account, for You are a compassionate G-d! Strengthen the attribute of Your compassion over the attribute of judgment, and may all harsh decrees be weakened through the great compassion that emanates from the highest source of absolute mercy, in which there is not the slightest admixture of judgment. May the attribute of Your compassion remove anger from (the person's name), by virtue of his having performed a Pidyon for his soul and set aside money for tzedakah. May it be Your will, G-d, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, that this person's Pidyon Nefesh be pleasing to You, that his good deeds serve as good advocates on his behalf, and that the mouths of those who accuse him be closed, so that their accusations bear no fruit. May You accept our supplications and the supplication of (the person's name—so-and-so, son of so-and-so), and may the verse be fulfilled in him: “And tzedakah saves from death” (Mishlei 10:2). Save him from death, grant him life in times of famine, and protect him from every illness and every ailment. Do not deliver him into the power of his enemies, whether external or internal (perhaps this refers to his evil inclination), and save him from all troubles and illnesses. Save him and grant him complete health—both spiritual and physical. Save him from death, redeem him, and annul all harsh decrees issued against him [here one should silently say the words קרע שתן “Kra Satan”—a request to G-d to save him from Satan (the accuser) and issue a favorable decree for this person], and may the verse be fulfilled in him: “G-d supports him on his sickbed (eres devai)” (Tehillim 41:4). One should also silently say “10 yuds,” with the intention that this is connected to the concept that “wisdom grants life.” (Tehillim 41:4) “Eres devai” (a sickbed)—the letters of these two words, rearranged, can be read as “eser yud”—“10 yuds,” where 10 alludes to completeness, and “yud” alludes to Chochmah (wisdom). We beseech You: act for the sake of Your compassion, for the sake of our forefather Avraham, may he rest in peace, who embodied the attribute of compassion, Chesed—חסד. For the sake of our forefather Yitzchak, may he rest in peace, who embodied the attribute of strictness, Gevurah—גבורה. For the sake of our forefather Yaakov, may he rest in peace, who embodied the attribute of perfection, Tiferet—תפארת. For the sake of our teacher Moshe, who embodied the attribute of Netzach—נצח. For the sake of Aharon the High Priest, who embodied the attribute of Hod הוד. For the sake of the righteous Yosef, who embodied the attribute of Yesod יסוד. For the sake of King David, who embodied the attribute of Malchut—מלכות. Have compassion on (the person's name) and heal him, so that he becomes completely healthy, and may his life be long and peaceful, filled with sincere service of You. Amen; may this be Your will!” After this, it is good to recite Tehillim 41 and distribute the coins among many poor people.   (“Pidyon Nefesh” according to Rabbeinu Chida, from “Yosef Tehillot,” based on the book “Pele Yo'etz” by Rabbi Eliezer Papo)