A segula ( he, סגולה, pl. סגולות, ''segulot'', "remedy" or "protection") is protective or benevolent charm or

ritual A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized ...

in Kabbalistic and

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...

ic tradition.

Etymology

The word ''segula'' appears in the Hebrew Bible i
Exodus 19:5
an

where God refers to the Jewish nation as his ''segula'' (treasure). The root of this word, ''

segol Segol (modern he, סֶגּוֹל, ; formerly , ''səḡôl'') is a Hebrew niqqud vowel sign that is represented by three dots forming an upside down equilateral triangle "ֶ ". As such, it resembles an upside down therefore sign (a becau ...

'', is the name of a Hebrew vowel-point represented by three dots. According to the Ohr Hachaim, a ''segula'' is "a charm that supersedes logic".

List of ''segulot''

Following is a list of popular or well-known ''segulot''.

Fertility and childbirth

*Distributing '' chai rotel'' (about 54 liters) of drink at the grave of Rabbi

Shimon bar Yochai Shimon bar Yochai ( Zoharic Aramaic: שמעון בר יוחאי, ''Shim'on bar Yoḥai'') or Shimon ben Yochai (Mishnaic Hebrew: שמעון בן יוחאי, ''Shim'on ben Yoḥai''), also known by the acronym Rashbi, was a 2nd-century ''tannaiti ...

Meron, Israel Meron ( he, מֵירוֹן, ''Meron'') is a moshav in northern Israel. Located on the slopes of Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee near Safed, it falls under the jurisdiction of Merom HaGalil Regional Council. Meron is most famous for the tomb ...

Lag BaOmer Lag BaOmer ( he, , ''LaG Bāʿōmer''), also Lag B'Omer or Lag LaOmer, is a Jewish religious holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. According to some Rishonim ...

is considered a propitious remedy for infertility, as well as for helping a person find his mate or recover from serious illness *Acting as '' kvatterin'' for a baby boy at his ''

brit milah The ''brit milah'' ( he, בְּרִית מִילָה ''bərīṯ mīlā'', ; Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazi pronunciation: , "Covenant (religion), covenant of circumcision"; Yiddish pronunciation: ''bris'' ) is Religion and circumcision, the cerem ...

'' is a ''segula'' for childless couples to have children of their own * studying of works of Kabbalist '' Zera Shimshon'' (his only child predeceased him) *Eating an

etrog Etrog ( he, אֶתְרוֹג, plural: '; Ashkenazi Hebrew: ', plural: ') is the yellow citron or ''Citrus medica'' used by Jews during the week-long holiday of Sukkot as one of the four species. Together with the ''lulav'', ''hadass'', and '' a ...

or etrog jam facilitates an easy childbirth *Drinking from the waters of Ein Sataf in Israel prevents a

breech birth A breech birth is when a baby is born bottom first instead of head first, as is normal. Around 3–5% of pregnant women at term (37–40 weeks pregnant) have a breech baby. Due to their higher than average rate of possible complications for the ...

*Wearing a ruby helps prevent miscarriage and eases birth. Ingesting ground up rubies enhances the chance of pregnancy.

Protection from harm

*Wearing a red string cut from a longer length that has been wound around

Rachel's Tomb Rachel's Tomb ( ''Qǝbūrat Rāḥēl''; Modern he, קבר רחל ''Qever Raḥel;'' ar, قبر راحيل ''Qabr Rāḥīl'') is a site revered as the burial place of the Bible, Biblical matriarch Rachel. The site is also referred to as the ...

is an ancient tradition that protects the wearer from danger The only classic source which does mention the red thread expressly forbids its use, saying that tying a red thread on one’s fingers is an idolatrous practice ("darkei emori"). *Giving ''

tzedaka ''Tzedakah'' or ''Ṣedaqah'' ( he, צדקה ) is a Hebrew word meaning "righteousness", but commonly used to signify ''charity''. This concept of "charity" differs from the modern Western understanding of "charity". The latter is typically un ...

'' (charity) money to a traveler to donate when he arrives at his destination helps protect the traveler from harm *Concentrating on the phrase ''Ein Od Milvado'' ( he, אין עוד מלבדו, "There is none but Him od) shields a person from danger

Marriage

*Praying at the grave of Rabbi

Jonathan ben Uzziel Jonathan ben Uzziel ( he, יונתן בן עוזיאל) was one of the 80 ''tannaim'' who studied under Hillel the Elder during the time of Roman-ruled Judea. A book of kabbalah known as ''Sefer Migdanim'' has been attributed to him. Jonathan ben ...

Amuka, Israel Amuka ( he, עֲמֻקָּה) is a community settlement near Safed in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel. It belongs to the Merom HaGalil Regional Council. It is named for the Biblical city of the same name, which is presumed to be located near ...

is considered propitious for finding one’s mate within the coming year *Praying at the

Western Wall The Western Wall ( he, הַכּוֹתֶל הַמַּעֲרָבִי, HaKotel HaMa'aravi, the western wall, often shortened to the Kotel or Kosel), known in the West as the Wailing Wall, and in Islam as the Buraq Wall (Arabic: حَائِط � ...

for 40 consecutive days is considered a ''segula'' for finding one’s mate *Holding the jewelry of a bride while she is escorted to her

chuppah A ''chuppah'' ( he, חוּפָּה, pl. חוּפּוֹת, ''chuppot'', literally, "canopy" or "covering"), also huppah, chipe, chupah, or chuppa, is a canopy under which a Judaism, Jewish couple stand during their Jewish wedding, wedding cere ...

is a ''segula'' for finding one’s own mate

Other

* Buying a burial plot is a segula for a long life *Placing a pigeon on a person’s navel is efficacious for curing

jaundice Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or greenish pigmentation of the skin and sclera due to high bilirubin levels. Jaundice in adults is typically a sign indicating the presence of underlying diseases involving abnormal heme meta ...

*Giving ''tzedaka'' in the merit of Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes is a ''segula'' for finding a lost object *Buying a new knife for

Rosh Hashanah Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , " ...

is a propitious remedy for livelihood *One can hang a special note around the neck of a chicken and use it to identify a thief

References

{{reflist

External links

What Are Segulos and How Do They Work?
Kabbalistic words and phrases Hebrew words and phrases in the Hebrew Bible Talmud concepts and terminology