A Segulah for Protection 

The
portion of Pinchas includes the readings of all of the holidays of the year.
The renown Gaon and MeKubal , Rabbi Chaim Palagi in his sefer Refuah VeChaim
12/46 – (Healing and Life) brings an incredible segulah. The Rabbi explains
that the reading of these perekin 28 and 29 is a protection against judgment, and
specifically with regard to court and legal cases especially from the nations
of the world.  

Who
was this great Rabbi: Rabbi Chaim Palagi was a prolific author. Seventy-two of
his works are known, but it also is known that some of his manuscripts were destroyed
in the great fire which struck Izmir in 1841. Every time R' Palaji published a
new book, he made a festive meal and ate a new fruit, on which he would recite
the blessing of 'She'he'cheyanu 

In
one of his works, R' Palagi describes his own life as follows: I call heaven
and earth to testify that from the age when I could control my faculties until
I was 20, I used to devote myself single-mindedly to Torah study, day and
night, with no wasted time. I had no involvement with worldly matters. From age
20 to age 40, when my children were dependent on me, I dealt with worldly
matters as a broker. Nevertheless, whenever I had no work, I did not turn to
frivolity and wasteful things, but rather I returned to my studies. From age
40, when I was appointed to be a rabbinical judge and teacher and to handle
matters of concern to the public, until this day, there is not a minute when I
am not surrounded by litigants or by public affairs. These matters come both
from this city and its environs, and also various decrees of the government
keep me busy with matters affecting the public. Therefore my heart worries
within me that I do not spend sufficient time studying. I, therefore, force
myself to use the limited time that I have for studying, and may others see me
and do the same; may they learn from me that when distractions come along,
whether they come from public or private matters -- for one's eyes and heart
search for a spare moment -- that spare time, when it comes, should not be
wasted. If one lives thus, his Torah studies will be blessed. 

 R' Palagi's son wrote of him: His behavior
with his family and the excellence of his character traits in dealing with them
was unique in the world. He never became upset about any household issue; to
the contrary, he always made peace overtures. He never became upset at the
children's noise. He used to call them to him each morning to recite the
morning blessings, and they prayed out loud. Very patiently, every day, he
performed the mitzvah of 'You shall teach them to your children.' He
would instruct his children in fearing Hashem . . . and never to make fun of
any person. Once, a member of his household offended another person, and he
[i.e., R' Palagi] did not rest until that person had been appeased. A number of
times, he even gave money to a person who had been offended.  

A
couple of weeks ago, a friend who is dealing with issues exaggerated against
him by seemingly overzealous government employees asked about a Kameyah written
and segulot which might come to assist in his defense against these malevolent
forces. As these subjects are way above my rabbinical paygrade, I spoke with
some rabbis who frequent these worlds to understand the power behind the
kameyah and suggested some tefilot and actions to add. I also employed my
brother Victor who I can depend on to always explain to me difficult to
understand kabbalistic concepts and he too gave me some tools. Earlier this
week Victor was excited to share the words of Rabbi Chaim Palagi as recalled by
Rabbi Daniel Gladstein from the Sefer quoted above.  

It
is our custom every day to begin Mincha with Lamnaseyach and before the ketoret
to recite the first 8 verses from Bamidbar Chapter 28 recalling the dailing
Tamid offerings. In another sefer, Moed LeKol Chai, Rav Palagi mentions that it
was his own custom to not stop at 8 pesukim but to continue at mincha gedolah
to read these two chapters in full beginning with Shabbat through the 21 days
of holidays culminating with the sacrifices brought each day of sukkot, the 70
offerings brought on behalf of the 70 nations. Rabbi Palagi who dealt with
government entities each day explained that through the reading of these
offerings, there is a reduction in spiritual power against us for those
nations. He continues and he elucidates that anyone who has a claim against
them from the nations of the world, whether a government or court should employ
this method as a segulah to protect themselves. 

The
Rabbi brings a story of a man would been incarcerated on an inflated charge in
Izmir, and he suggested to the man to read every single day in the afternoon
prayer these two chapters.  

This
occurred during the month of Elul and miraculously and without explanation, the
man was released on Sukkot.  

The
power of these verses is not limited to Sukkot and in fact during our period of
ben hametzrim they can be a very commanding protection activating the
incredible power hidden within this portion of Pinchas. Reading of a portion
influences the time of the year, especially now when we go into this difficult
period of the three weeks when we caution against court cases against
adversaries. Hashem brings this to assist us.  

Continuing
on this path, if we examine the reading in this portion where we see the
listing of all of the holidays, we see in the chumash that between all of the
holidays, there is the letter samach. For example between Passover and
Shevauot, there is a samach and between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and Yom
Kippur and Sukkoth through each day of the festival, but between the new year
and the day of atonement there is a letter S and then another one before the
festival of booths . But between Shavuot and Rosh Hashana there is only a Peh,
take a look and ask why? What could be
the significance of this? 

The
Apter Rav suggests that this period of Ben HaMesarim which we call the three
weeks is comprised of 21 days, relating to the 21 holidays we mention in these
chapters of Pinchas. They are Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Pesach(7), Shavuot, Rosh
Hashana (2), Yom Kippur and Sukkot (8). And there is a reason in reading about
them at the start of this period. The
hint in the word ACH, we say Ach Tov – just good. The good for Yisrael is in
the Ach, which has the numerical equivlent Aleph and Chaf of 21. Tov of good
can be found in these 21. And these 21 holidays are rooted in the 21 days of
the Three Weeks.  

So
one must ask a question, why would all our holidays all be rooted in the 21
days of Ben HaMesarim?  

We
must remind ourselves of what Rabbi Abittan taught. These 21 days should’ve
been a very special period. We recall that the day Moses came down with the
luchot was the 17th of Tammuz. That should have been an incredible holiday. And
the day the spies returned and we could’ve made the decision to go marching
into the land was the ninth of Av. We reversed the dynamic of these days. We
cut the wires holding incredible power and turned the great spiritual energy
into great spiritual danger. But the potential remains.  

Rabbi
Gladstein also suggested that all of the fast days represent the root of the
Davidic dynasty. We are taught that the Mashiach was born on the ninth of Av.
And the 17th of Tammuz is the wedding night of Ruth and Boaz when the
conception of Oved occurred. We also have the 10th of Tevet, 9 months prior to
the 9th of Av, as the conception date of the Mashiach.  

These
21 days are really festive days at a higher plane, but because of our actions,
we have dimmed them and we await the reconnection of the wires, the restoration
of that energy and light that will transform these 21 days of mourning to 21
days of a festival of joy. And the greatest holiday will be the one on the ninth
of Av. 

Therefore,
as we begin these 21 days, it is important to read about the 21 days of
holiness.  

The
Benai Yissaschar asked, why do we (other than in a leap year) always double up
the last two portions Matot and Masei of the book of Numbers? Why not double up
the two portions of Chukat and Balak as we read last week in order to catch up
with Israel? He answers that it’s important for us to read the portions of
Pinchas, Matot and Masei now as they discuss the distribution of the land of
Israel especially during this time when we read about or we live through the
aspect of exile. 

And
as we explained in the class we posted earlier this week, “Incapacitating the
Angel of Death”, we have to remember that Pinchas as explained by Rabbi Pinchas
Friedman, is Eliyahu and Eliyahu will announce the coming of the messiah. This
was also the claim Moses made against Hashem at the burning bush, shelach beyad
tishlach, when he told Hashem to send instead, Eliyahu, who would usher in the
final redemption as Moses did not want to be the guy to bring in a half
redemption. 

Hashem
always gives us the cure before bringing the malady. We can suggest that
Pinchas is the cure being Eliyahu, which we read at the outset of the three
weeks in order to show us as we go into the three weeks that the cure is
already there, and Eliyahu is waiting for us, and we just need to bring the
cure. 

Then
we have the distribution of the land, showing us that, even though we are in a
period where we recall the exile, and we are living within this very long
exile, just as the land was distributed for us back then, the land is for us
even now, and into the future. 

And
finally, we can allude to the 21 days of holidays that are mentioned as the 21
days of holidays we have, and the source for those 21 holidays and the fact
that these 21 days Ben HaMEsarim, will be transformed into a great holiday
culminating with, the great festivity of The new Tisha BeAv 

Returning
to our original question where we asked why there is a Samach between all of
the holidays with the exception of between Shavuot and Rosh Hashana, we can
that Hashem reserved for us another holiday to fit into that time slot between
June and September, and that is the 21 day holiday to be re-introduced into the
system, leatid lavoh. We’ve mentioned often that the original plan was to have
a holiday each month and when we messed it up with the Golden Calf and with the
Spies, everything got pushed. But we are hoping that with the imminent arrival
of Mashiach we will be blessed to celebrate these 21 days in joy together with
the rebuilding of the Mikdash speedily in our days. 

Shabbat
Shalom 

David
Bibi