A week ago Friday, the Coronavirus officially arrived in Israel when one of the passengers from the Cruise Ship docked in Japan came back to Israel and was re-diagnosed with the virus. On Shabbos, 9 tourists from South Korea who had been visiting Israel previously, were also diagnosed as being infected with the virus. Shortly thereafter, Israelis returning from Italy were diagnosed as having contracted the virus.
Due to the confusion in Israel that is being caused by the virus, an ancient Segulah to prevent plagues has been uncovered.
In the early writings of Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropol there is found a Segulah against plagues. The Segulah consists of reciting the translation of Onkelos for the passages relating to the travels of the Bnei Yisrael at the end of Sefer Bamidbar. Rabbi Shimshon claims that this is a preventative measure against plagues.
Rabbi Shimshon, who is referred to by the Chida as a “Godly Kabbalist” died al-kiddush Hashem during the Khmelnytsky massacre in 1648. He wrote numerous Kabbalistic works and a Torah commentary known as Nitzotzay Shimshon. His most famous work is the Erev Pesach Letter called ‘Maamar Sod Eztba Elokim’ on the ten Makos, which is another Segulah that assures blessing to those that study it.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
In the 17th century, “plague” meant things such as smallpox and bubonic, with very high death rates. Covid 19 is at worst a serious flu that for most people, if they catch it, means a bad cold and nothing more. It should not be viewed as “the end of the world”.
I see what’s coming next.
Corona virus is caused by people talking during davening.
Strange, I was in Italy last week and no one talked during davening.
The mishna in Shviis (9,1) mentiones הפיגם a red cabbage is a segulah by reading it in reverse as pointed out
Yabia Omer (8,37).
Stop talking Loshon hara and talking about people ask for mechilla to teshuva that’s a good segula to
These Segulos are actually available in book form:
For Segula against Epidemics (and other Segulos) click
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/segulos-tefillos-for-protection-and-success/26163053
And for R’ SHIMSHON OF OSTROPOL’S, famed, Erev Pesach Letter, elucidated, (with biography) click
ENGLISH: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/maamar-sod-etzba-elokim-%28english%29/24554416
HEBREW: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/maamar-sod-etzba-elokim-%28hebrew%29/24554452
For more info see Yeshiva World articles
Segula for Protection against Coronavirus
And Rav Shimshon of Ostropoli’s Erev Pesach Segula that Saves lives
Can you re-print the letter and/or tell us which Pesukim to say?
Harav Gamliel Rabinovitz said just don’t talk during davening and daven three times a day with a minyan. That’s the best segula and it is guaranteed to protect from this flu
Maybe you’re RATIONAL for a non-Jew. Us Yidden believe there is a Ribono Shel Olam above, and it would do us merit to refrain from talking by davening. Actually in such a time all the more so.
Nothing for a true ‘rational’ Jew to mock.
First of all, the way the Segula is brought down is incorrect. The correct version is available at the above links.
To all the those that belittle this Segula….
Here is a list of Tzaddikim that discus and bring down and reprinted and wrote expositions to it (there is probably more)
Rav Yoel Baal Shem (1700)
The Chida (1700)
Rav Chaim Palagi (1700)
Rav Chaim Sharin (among the greatest students of Rav Chaim of Volozhin 1800)
The Malbim (1800)
Rav Yehuda Petaya (greatest student of the Ben Ish Chai, end of the 1800)
Rav Shimon of Zelichov (Mashgiach in Chachmay Lublin, Rav Meir Shapiro’s Yeshiva 1900)
From Wikipedia: “In the first half of the 17th century, a plague claimed some 1.7 million victims in Italy, or about 14% of the population.[26] In 1654, the Russian plague killed about 700,000 inhabitants[27][28]. In 1656, the plague killed about half of Naples’ 300,000 inhabitants.[29] More than 1.25 million deaths resulted from the extreme incidence of plague in 17th-century Spain.[30] The plague of 1649 probably reduced the population of Seville by half.”
Akuperma is correct.
After the initial panic that many people enjoy spreading, this virus will at worst be a tiny blip in history. I suggest all humans and Yiddishe adult tadpoles save their segulos for something of consequence. In the meantime, maybe Corona isn’t caused by talking during davening. Maybe the cause is a lack of tznius. Or Zionism. Or the shidduch crisis. Or couples marrying during a bar mitzvah.