DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 758 KB)
Cards and Stickers With the Words “En Od Milebado”

Rav Haim of Volozhin (1749-1821), in his famous work Nefesh Ha’haim (3:3), mentions that contemplating the words "En Od Milebado" – that there is no power or force in the world besides G-d – is an effective Segula against harm. This concept already appears in the Gemara, which tells that Rav Hanina Ben Dosa was unharmed when sorcerers tried to cast a spell on him, because he said, "En Od Milebado," reaffirming his belief that only G-d controls the universe, and there is no force capable of overpowering Him. Rav Haim writes that contemplating these words and their meaning is an effective Segula to ensure that nobody exerts any sort of control or power over a person (listen to audio recording for precise citation).

Accordingly, it has become common for people to keep near them cards or stickers with the words "En Od Milebado," so that whenever they find themselves in any sort of difficult situation they will be reminded of this concept and thus make use of this special Segula. People keep these in their wallets, on their refrigerators, in their cars, and other places so they will frequently be reminded of this concept.

It should be noted, however, that these cards and stickers require Geniza (burial), since these three words come from a Pasuk in the Torah. Once they start to fade and one wants to replace them, they may not be thrown it in the trash; they must be placed together with other sacred texts which will be collected for burial. This is the ruling of Hacham Moshe Shayo in his Mehkereh Eretz (vol. 4, Y.D. 30).

Summary: Many people have cards or stickers with the words "En Od Milebado" because contemplating these words is an effective Segula for protection against harm. One must ensure not to throw out these stickers or cards, and to rather put them in a Geniza.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
The Beracha of Yogurt Mixed With Fruit or Granola
Does One Recite a Beracha Over a Beverage If He is Thirsty Only Because of Something He Ate?
Must One Recite Two Berachot When He Eats a Cracker With a Topping?
The Proper Sequence When Eating Different “Mezonot” Foods, and When Eating a “Mezonot” Food With Fruit
The Status of Date Honey, Beer and Whiskey With Regard to the Sequence of Berachot
The Proper Sequence of Berachot When One Eats Two Fruits or Vegetables
The Order of Precedence When Eating Several Different Types of Food
Giving Precedence to the Special Fruits of Eretz Yisrael
“Peri Ha’gefen” or “Feri Ha’gefen”; The Proper Beracha Over Cognac
Reciting Berachot Over Fruit Eaten as Dessert
The Text of Al Ha’mihya For Products Made From Grains Grown in Israel
“Beriya” – If One Eats a Whole Grape, Nut or Olive Smaller Than a “Ke’zayit”
Does One Recite a Beracha on Ice Cream Which is Served During a Meal?
What Quantity of a Beverage Requires the Recitation of a Beracha Aharona?
Within How Much Time Must One Eat a “Ke’zayit” For a Beracha Aharona to be Required?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found