Doing Pesicha when one’s wife is pregnant

Doing Pesicha when one’s wife is pregnant:[1]

It is a Segula for easy birth for the husband to endeavor to perform Pesicha and remove the Sefer Torah when his wife enters her ninth[2] month of pregnancy [until she gives birth[3]].[4] [This Segula includes closing the doors of the Aron after the Sefer Torah is removed.[5] Some write that one is to also say a special prayer during Pesicha on behalf of his wife.[6] Practically, one is only to do the above Segula if it can be done without drawing too much attention to the fact that he is habitually performing Pesicha.[7] This Segula was advised by the Rebbe to certain individuals[8], although was omitted by the Rebbe from being published in a booklet of Minhagei Chabad relating to childbirth[9], hence implying that it is not meant to be a directive for all the public to follow.]

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[1] Rafael Hamalach Mem; Chida in Ovodas Hakodesh 3:90 “It is the custom of the city, that one whose wife enters the 9^th month of pregnancy, to perform Pesicha of the Heichal for that entire month. This is a good custom.”; Ledavid Emes 2:3 “It is the custom in some cities that when the wife enters the 9^th month”; Yosef Ometz 57; Siddur Yaavetz 1:312; Sefer Hachaim [Falagi] 1:5; Ohel Yissachar 88:2; Keser Shem Tov [Gagin] 1:242 that so is custom of Eretz Yisrael; Igros Kodesh 5:327 [no mention is made of 9^th month]; 6:27 [mentions 9^th month]; 7:108 [no mention is made of 9^th month]; Likkutei Sichos 17:470; See Chikrei Haminhagim 1:160-164

Other traditions: Birchas Efraim p. 35 writes a Mesorah in name of the Rashba to open the Aron for Anim Zemiros from when his wife enters the seventh month.

[2] So write Rafael Hamalach, Chida ibid in all his Sefarim, and all the other Sefarim ibid; However in Igros Kodesh ibid, two of the above three letters make no mention of the ninth month while one does. However, perhaps the questioner himself already mentioned in his letter that his wife was in her 9^th month and to this came the reply. Rav Gavriel Tzinner relates in the name of Rav Groner that the Rebbe’s directives were specifically during the 9^th month. [See Hearos Ubiurim 879; 636-639]

[3] Igros Kodesh ibid

[4] The reason: The opening of the Aron and removal of the Sefer Torah is a Segulah for Hashem to reciprocate and open his wife’s womb easily and without pain. [Rafael Hamalach ibid; Sefer Hachaim ibid]

[5] Sefer Hachaim ibid

The reason: The closing of the Aron is a Segulah for Hashem to reciprocate and close his wife’s womb easily after the birth. [Sefer Hachaim ibid]

[6] Rafael Hamalach ibid writes to add a prayer for one’s wife during the prayer of Berich Shmei, asking Hashem to open her womb without difficulty, just like he opened the Aron, and to merit him with a healthy child.

[7] Rebbe in Igros Kodesh 5:327 “Its proper to do so if doing so will not draw attention”; 6:27 “Without Belitos”

[8] Igros Kodesh ibid; Rabbi Groner relates that the Rebbe instructed many times for this custom to be followed during the 9^th month. [Related by Rav Gavriel Tzinner in Hearos Ubiurim 879]

[9] The Rebbe instructed for the above directive of Segula to be omitted from the Sefer “Minhagei Chabad Beinyan Hirayon, Leida” of Rav Avraham Holtzberg, and indeed no mention of it is made there. [See Hearos Ubiurim 878; Kovetz Chasuna p. 32]