In several places throughout the Torah (Sh’mos 19:5 and D’varim 7:6, 14:2, 26:18), Hashem refers to the Jewish People as an am s’gulah. In this context, it means that they possess certain traits that supersede the rules of creation. For instance, according to Chazal, if a Jew intends to perform a mitzvah and is prevented from doing so, he receives reward as if he performed it. If, on the other hand, he is prevented from performing a transgression, this same principle will not apply. He is not held accountable (Kiddushin 40a).
This is not how Hashem deals with the other nations of the world. In the case of a non-Jew, he is held accountable for the negative deeds that he intends to perform, but receives no reward for the good deeds that he did not manage to carry out.
In his discourse, the Or HaChayim also puts an emphasis that a Jew’s ability to do t’shuvah does not follow even the spiritual rules of creation; it completely supersedes the whole system.
Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin in his sefer Nefesh HaChayim says that the Jewish People merit such “supernatural” abilities on account of the Torah and mitzvos that they perform, which enable their prayers to be answered in a special way.
Going to a tzadik or a talmud chacham to request a brachah or a t’filah is a well-known, wide-spread custom. It doesn’t matter if the tzadik is alive or has passed on from this world. In fact, according to many sources, a tzadik’s power is greater after death.
While it is forbidden to pray to a tzadik directly and ask him for your needs, you can request that a tzadik be a meilitz yosher and a shaliach to daven to Hashem on your behalf. There are many sources for this practice:
The Gemara states: “If there is someone ill in your house, go to the wise man of the city and ask that he should pray for him.” (Bava Basra 116a)
Aharon HaKohen asked Moshe Rabbeinu to daven for Miriam’s recovery (BaMidbar 12:11-13).
Kaleiv ben Y’funeh went to Chevron, beseeching the Avos to pray on his behalf that he should be saved from the wicked counsel of the spies (Sotah 34b).
(Material was previously published on ShiratMiriam.com.)
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Yossi Azriel ben Chayah Michal
Aviel ben Ktziyah Batyah
Eliyahu ben Sophia
Mordechai ben Rachel Anba
Nissim ben Devorah
Ezra ben Farida
Yossi ben Vardit
Yaakov ben Mazal
Nissan ben Yael
Yehoshua ben Miriam
Eliyahu ben Miriam
Aharon Mordechai ben Sharon
Moshe ben Rachel
Gavriel ben Imo-Shalom
Marik ben Tamara
Yitzchak ben Chanom Chanah
Yosef ben Leah
Shlomo ben Miriam
Shalom Baruch ben Malkah Freida
Ilay Eliezer ben Rivah Rivkah
Misha Moshe ben Tamara
Meir Yaakov ben Esther
Shlomo Hartzel ben Eka
Chaim Zanvil ben Sarah Dinah
Reuven HaKohen ben Golda
Amram ben Perla
Arkady Avraham ben Mazal
Itai ben Ahuvah
Eliyahu ben Rachel
Pinchas Yitzchak ben Beila
Yosef Gideon Yaakov ben Peninah
Tovah Yocheved bas Esther Bukas
Ruchamah Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel
Esther Hadasah bas Devorah
Alizah bas Miriam
Shoshanah Shurah bas Zina
Luna bas Rachel
Malkah bas Miriam
Malkah bas Reicha Shifrah
Adele bas Adi
Evon bas Sally
Karen bas Rachel
Chavah bas Sarah
Brachah Chanah bas Sarah
Tovah Chanah bas Sarah Devorah
Rachel bas Edith
Chanah Elianah bas Naomi
Gittel bas Malkah
Mira Gitta bas Beila Mariasha
Gittel bas Malkah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.