Segulos to be followed during pregnancy:[1]
A. Placing the bed from North to South:[2]
In addition to the Halachic obligation[3], placing the bed from North to South [is a Segula] for having healthy pregnancies without miscarriage.
B. Lamnatzeiach Ye’ancha-The Segula of reciting the Mizmor of “Lamnatzeiach Ye’ancha” during pregnancy prior to retiring to sleep:[4]
Throughout all the days of a woman’s pregnancy, the husband[5] is to say the Psalm of Lamnatzei’ach Ya’ancha [Kapital 20, printed between Ashreiy and Uva Letziyon] prior to sleep.
Repeating the verse of Ya’ancha: At the conclusion of the paragraph, the verse of Ya’ancha is to be repeated a second time.
Where:[6] The Psalm is to be recited within the recital of the bedtime Shema, prior to the blessing of Hamapil.
Being discreet:[7] One is to be discreet about this custom.
The Kavanos:[8] When reciting the above paragraph, one should do so with intent that G-d accept his recital as if it was done with all the proper [Kabbalistic] intents.
Beli Neder:[9] The above is to be done without it taking the status of a vow, [and hence one should explicitly intend to do so Beli Neder when first beginning this custom].
C. Pesicha-Doing Pesicha when one’s wife is pregnant:[10]
It is a Segula [for an easy and painless birth[11], as well as custom with mystical basis[12]] for the husband to endeavor to perform Pesicha and remove the Sefer Torah when his wife enters her ninth[13] month of pregnancy [until she gives birth[14]].[15] [This Segula includes closing the doors of the Aron after the Sefer Torah is removed.[16] This Segula applies both on Shabbos and weekdays.[17] One should not purposely try to outbid one who is careful to keep this custom, just so they give more money for the honor.[18] Some write that one is to also say a special prayer during Pesicha on behalf of his wife.[19] 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.[20] This Segula was advised by the Rebbe to certain individuals[21], although was omitted by the Rebbe from being published in a booklet of Minhagei Chabad relating to childbirth[22], hence implying that it is not meant to be a directive for all the public to follow.]
D. Eating Esrog jelly:[23]
Some are accustomed to make Esrog jelly from the Esrog of the Daled Minim. The jelly is consumed on the night of the 15th of Shevat which is the Rosh Hashanah for trees. The consumption of this Esrog jelly is a Segula for women to have an easy birth. [Some[24] are accustomed to also save the Esrog jelly to be eaten on Shavuos.]
E. Biting the Pitum of the Esrog:[25]
Some pregnant women are accustomed bite off the Pitum of the Esrog on Hoshana Raba as a Segula for an easy birth. Some Poskim[26], however, negate this custom being that it is forbidden to taste from the Esrog until after Sukkos.
- Melaveh Malka:[27]
It is said in the name of Harav Elimelech Milizensk that it is a Segula for women to have an easy birth if they eat a food in honor of the Mitzvah of Melaveh Malka. They are explicitly to state they are eating the food out of respect for this meal.
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[1] Shulchan Menachem 6:6
[2] Brachos 5a [stated by Rav Nachman the son of Yitzchak]; This is learned from a juxtaposition with the verse: “And her days were complete to give birth and she had twins in her stomach”
[3] See Admur Kama 3:9-10. Michaber 3:6; Siddur Yaavetz Mosach Hashabbos Mitos Kesef 4:2 Part 2; Taharas Yisrael 240:89; Sheyikadesh Atzmo [Nachmanson-2015] p. 328-334
[4] Instruction of Rebbe recorded in letters: Igros Kodesh Vol. 4:454; 492; 5:105; 220; 6:104; Heichal Menachem 3:190; Minhag Chabad recorded in: Koveitz Minhagei Chabad Inyanei Hirayon p. 13; See Chosen Yeshuos 1:90 footnote 4; Shevach Habris 1:23
Source of custom: While I have yet to find this custom recorded in reference to pregnancy, it is widely recorded in reference to birth. See Peri Eitz Chaim Shaar Kerias Sefer Torah 4 and Sefer Toldos Yaakov of Maharam Gabaiy and Siddur Arizal and Avodas Hakodesh of Chida “This Mizmor is good for arousing mercy on behalf of the woman giving birth as it has nine verses corresponding to the nine months of pregnancy, and contains seventy words corresponding to the seventy contractions of a woman giving birth”; See Yesod Veshoresh Havoda Shaar Hachamishi, Shaar Hakarban in name of Abudarham that “This Psalm is a Segula to be said during a difficult birth, as this Psalm contains 9 verses corresponding to the nine months of pregnancy.”; Likkutei Mahrich 3 in name of Midrash Talpiyos Erech Leida
[5] In all the letters of the Rebbe, the Segula is written in reference to the husband. Possibly however, this does not come to exclude the wife, and hence she is to also say it. Vetzaruch Iyun.
[6] Igros Kodesh ibid
[7] Igros Kodesh 5:105 [Vetzaruch Iyun as to the reason and meaning behind this.]
[8] Igros Kodesh ibid
[9] Igros Kodesh 5:105
[10] Rafael Hamalach Mem; Chida in Ovodas Hakodesh 3:90 “It is the custom of the city, that one whose wife enters the 9th 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 9th month”; Yosef Ometz 57; Chesed Lealafim 134:16; 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; Kaf Hachaim 134:12; Igros Kodesh 5:327 [no mention is made of 9th month]; 6:27 [mentions 9th month]; 7:108 [no mention is made of 9th month]; Likkutei Sichos 17:470; See Chikrei Haminhagim 1:160-164; Shevach Habris 1:19; Nitei Gavriel 56:15-18
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.
[11] Yosef Ometz ibid; Rafael Hamalach ibid
[12] Avodas Hakodesh ibid; Kaf Hachaim ibid
[13] So write Rafael Hamalach, Chida ibid in all his Sefarim, Sefer Hachaim ibid, Kaf Hachaim ibid, and all the other Sefarim ibid and Shevach Habris ibid; Nitei Gavriel 56:8; 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 9th 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 9th month. [See Hearos Ubiurim 879; 636-639]
[14] Igros Kodesh ibid
[15] 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]
[16] Sefer Hachaim ibid; Nitei Gavriel 56:16
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]
[17] Nitei Gavriel 56:18
[18] Yosef Ometz 57; Nitei Gavriel 56:17
[19] 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.
[20] Rebbe in Igros Kodesh 5:327 “Its proper to do so if doing so will not draw attention”; 6:27 “Without Belitos”
[21] Igros Kodesh ibid; Rabbi Groner relates that the Rebbe instructed many times for this custom to be followed during the 9th month. [Related by Rav Gavriel Tzinner in Hearos Ubiurim 879]
[22] 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]
[23] Alef Hamagen 660:7; Yifei Laleiv 2 664:15; Likkutei Maharich; See Kesubos 61a; Midrash Raba Vayikra 37b
The Chabad custom: Some individuals received a directive from the Rebbe to use the Esrog to make jelly. [See Otzer Minhagei Chabad 233 that this instruction was given several times]
[24] Mishmeres Shalom 44
[25] Alef Hamagen 660:6; Keser Shem Tov 7:166; Chaim Ubracha 228; Nitei Gavriel Sukkos 80:8
[26] Darkei Chaim Veshalom 796 in name of Minchas Elazar 5:36
[27] Divrei Yitzchak 61; Minchas Shabbos Hosafos 98; Orchos Chaim 300:2; Kaf Hachaim 300:4; Shevach Habris 1:8; Nitei Gavriel 56:10
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