[chicago-aneinu]Special segulos for Chanukah, as told by rebbitzin yamima mizrachi:

• This is the holiday that emphasizes beauty. It is a mitzvah to beautify the Chag as much as possible, the most splendid menorah, the best decorations…. o Use olive oil, but not just the regular kind, the best one: the one you would use to dress your salad and cook with. And the reasons are... o You’ll merit children that have a great memory, consuming olive oil helps you retain your memory o Children who are wise/smart, as oil rises above water o Children who have great eyesight, they will be able to see things with a clearer perception… • Chanukah comes from the root word: chinuch/חנך and it is at this time in particular that your reflection is one of love and approval towards them, a successful child is one that sees love and acceptance in the eyes of their parents • Mothers should not say to their kids, during Chanukah or at all, “I am tired” or anything in correlation to ‘I am tired ..not now’. This makes a child feel like they are not important and a burden to their parents and is very hurtful to them and so even if you are tired, and who is not… don’t tell them this • The mitzvah of the women after lighting is not to move, I repeat Do Not Move, after the candles are lit. Sit there and gaze at them for ½ hour, but again without moving, talking on the phone, getting up, or anything…. This is very hard but Rebbi Nachman from Breslov says that as hard as it is to sit and not do anything, so is the size of the yeshua you will get by sitting. But sit there and daven, pray for all and everything… • At the beginning of creation, Hashem created light, a very strong powerful light, that was so holy that the world would not have been able to withstand its’ holiness and so he ‘shrunk’ it, so to speak. And reduced it to what’s called “the hidden light/אור הגנוז”. This light in its’ full capacity will be revealed, B’H, in the future to come. • But in our days, the sparks of this light reappears to us under 3 different circumstances and they are: o When we daven/pray from a siddur, when we meet one of the 36 hidden holy tzadikkim of our generation and when we light the 36 candles of Chanukah. The sparks of this light give us the ability to ‘see and better understand’ Hashems’ ways. Adam HaRishon was able to see the entire world from one end to the other with this original light of creation and so we can perceive Hashems’ ways a bit better and clearer when we encounter the sparks of this light. o By davening we touch this spark and can better understand what Hashem is asking of us and we can get clarity on certain issues and suddenly have insight on issues that we are perplexed about. By meeting with one of the 36 hidden tzadikkim we also will touch this light by getting advice and direction from the mouths of these holy souls. And by gazing into the Chanukah lights we will get a mini glance into the understanding of Hashems ways. If you look you will see the ‘reflection of Hashem’ in the lights of Chanukah. Daven next to these lights and do not miss this opportunity to touch the ability to better understand things in life…. • After the ½ hour has passed, and the candles still glow, every time you pass them by stop for a moment and pray. Don’t just pass them by… • The Father of the holy RamBam, zt”l had said that one should not belittle the power of frying soufganiot in oil. Use plenty of oil, don’t be skimpy, it is a segula for parnassa. But unless you want to make the local baker wealthy, you must fry them yourself and eat them as well. Better to be rich and fat, I guess then skinny and poor…. you choose… Anyway, it’s the utmost importance that you make them, you fry them and then you say the bracha of “על המחיה” at the end, which mentions the מזבח which is of course of most relevance during Chanukah. • On the last night of Chanukah traditionally called זאת חנוכה there is a segula/a special energy that you may tap into for women who wish to conceive, ask from Hashem that in the merit of the eight days of Chanukah you shall celebrate B’H a bris milah on the eighth day for your son, Amen! Look at the candles and ask Hashem to give you a child…. • For all of those who are single or know of someone who wishes to marry, here is one for you: on the Shabbos of Chanukah, you must first light the Chanukah candles and then the Shabbos candles. After both are lit, glance at them both and ask for a zivug, your marriage partner. • חזרה בתשובה/coming back to teshuva: in particular when it comes to our children. On Rosh Chodesh Tevet, on the eve of lighting the Chanukah candles there is an auspicious time for teshuva. On this day Yismael did teshuva and so the power of the day is teshuva. And if Yismael did teshuva certainly we can tap into that energy and ask Hashem to bring back our child/ren to teshuva just as Yismael did, the son of Avraham Avinu, עליו השלום. It is also a custom to light a candle for Rabbi Meir Ba’al HaNess on this night, זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה. • Always light the Chanukah candles in your home, even if you know you will out and/or lighting elsewhere. Lighting the menorah invites Hashem to visit your home and that is something you do not want to miss…. • When you are outside and see the different menorahs displayed in glory, you are buying emunah and bitachon/trust in Hashem. You are ‘buying’ into miracles, look at them… • Anyone in need of healing of the mind/בריאות הנפש the word נפש stands for נר פתיל שמן and so during Chanukah there is a segula to ask for healing of the soul/mind and to look at the flame of the candle in its’ entirety and to recite Psalm 30: מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית • Ask for Mashiach all throughout Chanukah. משיח is hinted in the words: מדליקים שמונה ימי חנוכה • Whoever saw bad images, immodest images, frightening images; you or your husband and/or your children through movies or in real life, looking at the candles of the menorah will erase them from your hard drive memory or those in your family. Ask Hashem to erase them in the merit of the holy flames… • Donate tzedakah every night before lighting the menorah, it is a segula for your prayers to be accepted in favor. • There is great relevance in singing Maoz Tzur. • Last but definitely not least; ask for a miracle, a Big miracle in the merit of Chanukah. Ask for something that you think is impossible & that will be considered a miracle if it happens... Ask that Hashem to release those wrongfully imprisoned: Yonatan Halevi ben Malka Pollard, Shlomo Halevi Mordechai ben Rivka Rubashkin … May we merit to see wonderous miracles this Chag and always and may we merit to witness the most precious miracle of all: the coming of Mashiach במהרה בימינו ברחמים, אמן!