I wrote in this other post that Segulot occupy a special place in people’s hearts.

Though they might be difficult to explain, they nevertheless are part and parcel of our tradition and all our Minhagim are holy.

The real ones, at least.

While some segulot are bogus, and have no basis and no place in Judaism, others have been tried and proven true. As I explained there, I genuinely believe in the power of segulot. What unfortunately happens is that many times people don’t have the merit to get their wishes answered because of the massive blockages they have.

The Zohar teaches us that every act below generates a response from Hashem, whether for good or otherwise. Prayers, combined with objects, the person’s spiritual level, his middot (emotional attributes), his intentions, the time and place, can form a very powerful conduit for the blessings we need.

As the Arizal and many other Kabbalists teach, a combination of certain holy texts, recited at the right time or using certain objects can unlock certain storehouses of salvation, be it sustenance, children, health, protection, peace, or pretty much anything we can imagine.

In Tanna D’vei Eliyahu it’s written that “Eliyahu haNavi taught his disciples – I call heaven and earth to witness that anyone – man or woman, gentile or Jew, freeman or slave – can have Divine inspiration come upon him. It all depends upon his deeds.

I’m not suggesting anything in particular with this list, but if someone wants to try, then these are some of the most popular ones…

1. Recitation of Shirat HaYam (the Song of The Sea):

The Arizal explains that the Song of the Sea, sung at the Red Sea, contains awesome secrets because, at that time, the souls from Heaven that were impregnated 6 months before on Simchat Torah, were given birth on the 7th day of Pesach (from Sha’ar HaKavanot, Gate of Intentions). The splitting of the Sea then represented the breaking of the waters in a spiritual sense, when the baby is about to leave.

In other words, sometimes the abundance we request gets “stuck” above and requires additional rectifications for us to receive. This is why the Shirat HaYam is so important, because it helps the blessings to come down. The custom is to saying it once with great concentration as written in Sefer HaMidot from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

2. The Holy Lettter of R’ Shimon from Ostropolia:

The holy Kabbalist R’ Shimon was murdered in a group of 300 holy men in a synagogue in Ostropolia while in deep prayer. He wrote wondrous chiddushim (novella) on the Torah and one particular letter of his contains wondrous secrets from Yetziat Mitzraim (The leaving of Egypt). In it, R’ Shimon from Ostropolia writes that whoever studies his letter, especially just before Pesach, will incredible extra protection throughout the year. This Segula is practiced by Sephardim, Ashkenazim and Chassidim, is tried and true according to many reports from people who lived through the Holocaust and ascribed their salvation through this letter.

3. Reciting 7 times the Parshat HaAkeidah (Binding of Yitzchak):

The Parshat HaAkeidah describes our potential for Mesirut Nefesh (self-sacrifice) to Hashem’s service. We often fail to understand how much our efforts are precious in Hashem’s eyes and, indeed, this is what the later sages (Amoraim) attribute the miracles done to the generations of Tannaim. In one instance they cite in Massechet Ta’anit (24b) when a drought came to the world, and Rabbi Yehuda took out one of his shoes to fast. Before he took out the second one, Eliyahu HaNavi came and told him Hashem would destroy the world if he did so. To what merit did they receive such wondrous miracles? The answer is that they truly sacrificed themselves for Hashem on a daily basis. The Akeidat (binding of) Yitzchak is testimony of our commitment to Hashem and Rav Chaim Palagi writes in Kaf HaChaim that, without it, not a single person would have any of his wishes fulfilled by Hashem.

The great Kabbalist HaRav Avraham Chamui (born in Chalab, Syria) who lived about 180 years ago writes that it is a great practice to recite the Parshat HaAkeidah once, with concentration. He also recommends this segulah of saying it 7 times. According to him, “even if a sword is pointed towards a person’s neck, if he says the Parshat HaAkeidah 7 times, he will be saved.” This is a wondrous segulah for sustenance, finding your spouse, health and many other things.

4. Studying the Laws of Shemirat HaLashon (Guarding of the Tongue) every day

While this might not seem like a segulah, this practice shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Many people have testified to receiving incredible salvations by adopting the simple habit of studying one or two chapters of Halachot from the Chofetz Chaim’s famous book Shemirat HaLashon.

The reason for this is so simple it’s a wonder it hasn’t been adopted earlier; there’s a Pasuk (verse) in Proverbs that state that מָוֶת וְחַיִּים, בְּיַד-לָשׁוֹן (death and life are in the hands of the tongue). The tongue (speech) has tremendous power and to use it properly can literally bring wondrous blessings.

But there’s more. We know that the punishment for Lashon HaRah (evil tongue) is Tzara’at, the spiritual contamination from which all other diseases come from (this is explained from a Midrash). Today we can’t see Tzara’at and, indeed, there would’ve been little use to having this ability since it doesn’t affect us as much and we have no way of treating it. The Chofetz Chaim explains that, while we don’t have Tzara’at today, the punishments for Lashon HaRah take the form of health, money or family issues. This is in light with what the Vilna Gaon teaches that the light we receive from a single instance of refraining from Lashon HaRah cannot be grasped by any angel, and this also explains the supreme importance of rectifying this terrible practice.

B’hatzlacha!