[Avodah] Our Attitude towards Segulos

[Micha Berger]

On Areivim, we are discussing the article in the Yated that RYL
preserved at
<http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/yated/segulos_nose.html>, "
On Thu, January 15, 2009 4:56 pm, R Daniel Israel wrote to Areivim,
"Right Under Your Nose" by R' S Binyomin Ginsberg (Dean, Torah
Academy, Minneapolis, MN, USA). That article opens (quoting RYL's
teaser on Areivim):
> I must begin by making it very clear that I am a firm believer in the
> effectiveness of segulos. I have tried some in the past and will
> continue using them in the future. ... Having said this, I think that
> it is important to take some time and reflect on how we view segulos
> and make sure that they don't contradict some other part of
> Yiddishkeit. Specifically, I think that our children can become very
> confused by segulos and that can potentially be a source of dangerous
> questions of kefirah and the like.

In that thread (on Thu, Jan 15 at 2:56pm PST), R Daniel Israel wrote
some observations about the article, and in forming my rely, I found
it really belongs here. The jist of that I'm about to say is that I
have a hard time ascribing anything to metaphysical forces other than
the Ratzon of the Meitiv lehativ. And so, my inclination is to spin
things so that segulos are within sechar va'onesh, they represent
Divine aid in one's tafqid in life. However, with a segulah, the aid
frequently takes a known form. This is the same approach I took in the
"mitzvah of mezuzah protects" discussions we have had over the years.

Yes, my position requires what I am admittedly calling "spinning" the
meqoros. However, I find myself incapable of understanding why the
Borei would create other forces that simply get in the way of the
tachlis of the beri'ah. Physical forces are tools by which bechirah
makes sense -- I can accomplish things and plan (at least
statistically) ahead only because the world follows patterns of
behavior. Metaphysical forces lack that role.

And so, let the spinning begin!

: 1) The author refers to the segulah for finding a lost object by
: giving tzedakah on hehalf of R' Meir Baal Hanes.  He calls this a
: "proven segulah."  I have indeed heard many amazing stories, but in
: what sense is this "proven"?  (I ask semi-rhetorically, this is re-
: opening somthing that has been discussed here at length.)

: (I also note that it would seem that the segulah, which is rooted
: in the Talmud, doesn't actually have anything to do with any
: specific organization.  One could give to any tzedakah that goes to
: aniim in EY and have kavannah that it is on behalf of R' Meir.)

You're right. And in fact, there are numerous tzedaqos named for R
Meir for this reason.

As for "proven", I would refer to the Avodah thread about ancient
minhagim. The segulah of giving money while invoking the memory of
RMBHN's relationship with the borei withstood the test of centuries.
People find it of value, whether or not it is proven to work.

Also, I intentionally switched from RDI's "on behalf of". "E-laka
deMe'ir aneini" doesn't say we're doing it as RMBHN's shaliach.
Rather, we are asking HQBH, remembering how R Meir related to Him. If
we could establish that relationship, even by a tiny incremental
amount, we wouldn't need the tiqun caused by losing things.

And in the previous paragraph, I spun things further, trying to take
the feel of magic out of the segulah by giving it a sechar-va'onesh
mechanism.

Bekhol zos, it's better "leshareis es haRav al menas shelo leqabeil
peras". But mitokh shelo lishmah ba lishmah. If the fact that the
sechar is more predictable helps motivate a mitzvah, better than
nothing.

: 2) The author writes:
: "A child once asked me to explain how wearing a red string on one’s
: hand works to prevent an ayin hara. I stopped myself from
: responding with what was really on the tip of my tongue. I was
: going to tell him that when he explains how an ayin hara works, I
: would explain how the red string works. My response was obviously
: different."

: What is so wrong with that answer.  (Yes, it needs to be phrased a
: little more gently, and accompanied by a more detailed explanation,
: but the basic answer would seem reasonable to me.)

Ayin haRa is also amenable to a sechar va'onesh spin. AhR, as it
appears in Avos, refers to jealousy. Doing things that provoke
jealousy, with no care to how one's good fortune is paining others, is
not how HQBH wants that berakhah used, and thus can cause someone to
lost it.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "Man wants to achieve greatness overnight,
micha at aishdas.org        and he wants to sleep well that night too."
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