December, 2021
I often say in these pages that rabbanim get asked questions on a myriad of topics. Of course, many of these questions require greater poskim, lamdanim and baalei machashava (at least in my case). But this challenges me to research varied subjects and learn about things I would otherwise not know. I tell younger rabbanim that while they should always know their own limits and be ready to call poskim, they should, at the same time, take advantage of that situation by first reviewing in depth that sugya before placing that call. This will not only give one greater insight into how the gadol rules but will -over time -improve one’s own level of expertise in many areas.
Questions relating to devarim shel nistar (the hidden) are often asked. There are a very limited people one could call to help guide the balla buss who had asked it. It is not as if I could pick up the phone each time and speak to Rav Chaim. When these questions arise, I first share any halachic warnings (as we wrote here regarding the segula of parshas hamann). After which, I tell them, “I will get back to you if I can find a source as to the efficacy of X.
Over the past several years, one question has arisen again and again. In fact, it has now reached the point that it often is performed without asking, as it seems to have entered into the fabric of frum life.
I refer to the ‘Forty X of Y…” segula. In other words, this could be forty days of saying X, or, forty women performing the action of hafrashas challa, or forty days of going to the kosel.
This segula has become highly popularized.
This week we will discuss what significance, if any, forty has. Next week, iy’H, we will discuss a few of the particular segulos, like saying nishmas for forty days.
There is a midrash that is often quoted in support for such segulos. “Some teffilos are answered after forty days, as can be learnt from Moshe” (Devarim Rabbah 2:17; see yarchon Ohr Yisroel, kislev 5762, p.187ff, by Rav Levi Freund).
However, there are two issues with this being the lone source. For one, it only explains forty days and does not bring support to the concept of this working for a specific number of participants. Secondly, this midrash goes on to list many other time-periods for teffila: “…and some could be answered after twenty days, from Daniel…three days, from Yona…one day, from Eliyahu…and some teffilos can be answered at the moment one begins to daven, from Dovid…and some even before the teffilah is even said, from Yeshayahu (65:24)…”.
Nevertheless, this chazal does indeed indicate a period of forty days as being the longest set of teffila.
In fact, that very point is raised by another chazal which states in the name of Rav Eliezer that a teffila should be no longer than forty days “…as it is written (Devarim 9:18) ‘And I fell down before Hashem as at first, forty days and forty nights.’ (Sifri, 105; see also Mechilta D’Rebbe Yishmoel 15:25)
Can we additionally find that this number has unique purchase for holy acts other than teffila? The Zohar (introduction) how Rav Chiya fasted for forty days before meeting Rav Shimon bar Yochai. This seemingly indicates that this time-period is a potential segula for other mitzvah actions.
What about forty as a time-period, but not as days? The Zohar
writes, “the bnei yisroel completed their journey after forty years, forty years before techias hameisim…,and the rain (by Noach) was for forty days and nights…” (toldos).
Back to teffilah for forty days, in pekudei he discusses how each teffila is gathered every forty days and held for forty days by a special entity.
While the above sources may offer support, it is unconvincing as this segula’s origin.
I would, therefore, suggest two alternative sources for how this became a popular segula.
- -Chazal teach how the formation of a fetus takes place by day forty (Berachos 60a). Chazal then state that once this time-period passes it is forbidden to daven for a specific gender of baby. This is codified in the Shulchan Aruch (orach chaim, siman 230:1). While one can still daven for a healthy baby, etc., one can longer daven for something that is already a reality. In fact, chazal tell us that when Leah davened regarding Dina and Yosef, this was before firty days had passed! Here, we have a very clear and known source for placing the time-period of forty days on a (specific) teffila.
- – This may be a little deep, but the number forty has deep significance. the Maharal often wrote of chomer and tzurah, matter and its form. Often numbers that are almost at their whole point have matter but no form. An example: there are thirty-nine melachos of Shabbos, because they represent the physical, a world which cannot reach the completeness of its mission, its form, without being imbued with kedusha. Tisha B’av is on the 9th of av because it represents a world with matter but lacking its whole, its form. There are forty-nine days of physical counting (matter) so as to reach the form of Shavuos on day fifty. Etc.
Knowing this, it then makes sense that from Elul, there are thirty-nine days, culminating with Yom Kippur as the fortieth; Forty weeks of pregnancy; forty seah (amount of water) to make a mikveh, etc. (see further Jewish Wisdom in Numbers, Artscroll). So too, when wishes to to tsake their hopes and turn them into a form, they choose…forty. Be it days, actions, places or people.
Both the halacha above, and these numerous references to forty in hashkafa are well known. I find it likely that this was our first introduction to a time-limit of forty days, and the importance to change that this number represents. Once known, we then expanded on this knowledge with other the sources above,
Nevertheless, when Rav Elyashiv was asked about the segula of going to the kosel for forty days straight, he is purported to have answered, “There is no such concept; rather any single time one goes there, their teffila will be accepted” (Dvar Hashem, Zu Halacha, inyanei kosel hamaaravi, #11). On the other hand, Rav Elyashiv is also quoted as explaining what to do on Tisha B’av for one in the midst of a forty-day cycle of reciting shir hashirim (Mivakshei Torah, 5768). Rav Yaakov Yosroel Fisher was also reportedly in favor of it.
Whether we can find a direct source to any of these segulos, the fact remains that many report great yeshuos from them.
Chazal tell us that when Moshiach arrives he will rule for forty years (Sanhedrin 99a), using that time -and number -to take the matter fo this physical world and bring it to its ultimate form.
May we see that day soon!
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