My wife’s brother has cancer of the liver. Over the last two years he has had two operations, and his oncologist has now said that in his opinion he won’t live more than four months. My wife’s brother lives in England. My family and I, Baruch Hashem, live in Efrat. Would it be a good idea for me to get together a group of people so that one person each day would daven at the Kotel for forty days for a refuah shleima? If the answer is yes, what is the wording of the prayer that should be said, and what are the rules of this segula? Is there anything else you would recommend to obtain the mercy of Hashem for a refuah shleima? Shimshon Krell
Answer:
Davening at the kosel is certainly a worthy ‘segula,’ it being the place closest to the Mikdash, and the only remnant of the Temple. Rav Yisrael Yaakov Fischer used to send people to daven forty days at the Kosel, and combined with heartfelt prayer, it is surely worthwhile.
However, you must realize that there are no “magic tricks,” and this includes going forty days to the Kosel. It is a worthy practice for ‘aiding’ our prayers, but certainly not a substitute for prayer, and also not a ‘guaranteed to work.’
You can organize a group to daven, but the best is for you to daven yourself, for those closest will daven with greater intensity. When you can’t make it to the Kosel, somebody can be found to take your place.
Another possible practice is accepting something positive upon yourself for the zechus of your brother-in-law, something that will strengthen your practice of halachah, Torah study, and so on.
Refu’ah sheleimah and good luck!
