Children: Rabbi Nachman

1) Intense prayer is a segulah for having children. The same is true of the mitzvah of Succah and the Land of Israel. These three concepts are all connected with one another (48).

2) Those who work hard to draw people closer to God and to the Tzaddik are worthy of having children (53).

3) If you are married, be careful that you sanctify the marriage relationship. You must break the force of your desires, which are rooted in the animal soul. You should imagine that a demon is forcing you (cf. Nedarim 20b). Then you will be blessed with children, and they will be protected from premature death (39).

4) The best time for relations between husband and wife is on the night of Shabbat (cf. Ketuboth 61b). Then they will be blessed with children (Ibid.).

5) One with an evil eye will not leave male offspring behind. The same goes for one who talks lashon hara, slander, and bad language (Ibid.).

5) A segulah for having children is that prior to having relations, the husband and wife should recite the account of the additional offerings which were brought on the New Moon. This also helps for a child who is sick (151).

6) A woman who usually has a difficult labour should recite the Psalm of Thanksgiving (Psalm 100). It is also a segulah for her to give generously to charity and to help others as much as possible with favors and acts of kindness (II, 2:3,4).

7) A person who has no children should make it a practice whenever he attends a religious celebration to be especially joyful. When he studies Torah it should be with joy. The same goes for all the mitzvot. The joy should be so great that he literally starts dancing for joy. Then he will be worthy of having children (81).

8) Faith brings children (cf. Genesis 15:5,6) The Hebrew word for faith is emunah. The numerical value of the word emunah is one hundred and two. The word for children is banim. The numerical value of banim is also one hundred and two (Rabbi Nachman’s Wisdom 34).

9) It is best for children if you leave them alone for the most part rather than sticking to them and playing with them constantly. Don’t pay overmuch attention to them. Do what you have to in order to give them their religious education, and training them in mitzvot when they reach the appropriate age. But don’t play with them too much (Ibid. 59).

10) If you are joyous, it can protect your children from death (Ibid. 65).

ADVICE from RABBI NACHMAN
Online English translation of Likutey Etzot
A compendium of Rabbi Nachman’s practical teachings on spiritual growth and devotion.
© AZAMRA INSTITUTE 5766 / 2006