Emunas, I am so sorry for your uncle’s petirah. May he be a meilitz yosher for you and all of klal Yisroel. The reason for this type of segula seems to be very fundamental. 40 women do the mitzvas nashim of hafrashas challah, with the thought in mind that the s’char mitzvah should accrue to the choleh,in the zechus of a refuah for him. It’s not a difficult concept. The number 40 has mystical overtones in Judaism – the Flood rained for 40 days and nights, B”Y wandered for 40 years in the Midbar, it was 40 days that Moshe R’ was on Har Sinai getting the Torah, 40 days before a baby is born (or is it after conception?) his/her zivug is called out by a Heavenly Voice, 40 days after conception a baby’s gender is determined and it is no longer considered as “mayim,” but as a fetus. So I guess that is why the number 40 has such a status in this case.
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