- אמונה has the same gematria as the word בנים, When one has אמונה, he merits having children (Sefer Likkutei Eitzos, Erech Banim, 14).
- A segulah to be remembered for children is for the husband to ask two kohanim meyuchasim (pedigreed kohanim) in Eretz Yisrael to specifically say his name in request for a salvation before reciting Birkas Kohanim every day (Segulos U’Tefillos).
- It is a tried and tested segulah to pay shadchanus to a shadchan. This is not simply an extra-pious deed, but rather, an obligation. Rav Moshe Feinstein recounts that a couple that was longing for children asked him for a berachah, and to their surprise he asked them if they had given a gift to their shadchan. When their answer was in the negative, Rav Moshe informed them of their halachic obligation to do so and that they should not push this off. Within a year of following Rav Moshe’s advice, they had their first child and subsequently were blessed with several more children (Rani Akarah, page 199).
- Accepting upon oneself to light Shabbos candles early is a segulah to be remembered for children (Segulos U’Tefillos in the name of the Arizal).
- Lending sefarim to those who learn Torah is a segulah to be remembered for children (Kuntres Sefasai Tiftach).
- Drinking from a kos shel brachah after bentching is a segulah to be remembered for children (Ne’eimas Hachayim, page 537, in the name of the Kupas Besamim).
- Being vigilant about not getting angry is a segulah to be remembered for children (Kuntres Sefasai Tiftach).
- A tried-and-true segulah to be remembered for children is to be particularly careful to guard one’s mouth from lashon hara and falsehood (Erech Banim 28).
- A segulah to be remembered for children is for one to ask the mohel or sandek before a bris milah to mention his name and the name of his wife (Segulos U’Tefillos).
- Those who print sifrei kodesh merit to be remembered for children (see Kesubos 50a).
- A number of authors have written that it is a segulah to be remembered for children to print or learn from their sefarim. If one is not able to do this, he can buy these sefarim and lend them to others to learn from them. Following is a list of some of these sefarim:
- Sefer Ohr Hachayim Hakaddosh
- Sefer Batei Knessiyos
- Sefer Lechem Habikkurim
- Sefer Rabbeinu Bachya
- Sefer Raziel Hamalach
- Harav Shimshon Nachmani of Rigav, Italy, wrote in the introduction to his Sefer Neziros Shimshon on the Torah that “all those who busy themselves with my sefer will merit sons, long life and a sufficient livelihood,” and many have done so and merited to be blessed with children.
- The Maharal Tzintz wrote in his will that he will stand as an advocate in Heaven for those who print his sefarim. There are a number of other authors who promise that they will act as advocates in Heaven for those who learn regularly from their sefarim, including the authors of the Pele Yo’etz and the Yesod V’Shoresh Ha’avodah.
- In the introduction to the Sefer MeiAsher Shemeinah Lachmoh by the tzaddik Harav Hoberman of Ra’ananah, he writes that he will act as an advocate for those who learn from his sefarim.
- A beautiful and important segulah to be remembered for children is to buy sefarim and lend them out to others (Devarim Rabbah, 14, based on the pasuk, “Mi hikdimani va’ashaleim” [Iyov 41:3]).
- It is a segulah to be remembered for children to try to produce chiddushei Torah, with the condition that it is being done l’sheim Shamayim.
- A person should check if he or she wronged someone while involved with a shidduch prior to his or her marriage. Perhaps the other side was hurt, and this can hold one back from having children. If one indeed discovers that there was some kind of wrong done, he or she should ask for and make sure to receive forgiveness (Sefer L’Shichno Sidreshu).
- Learning the works of poskim until one knows how to pasken (render halachic decisions) is a segulah to be remembered for children (Sefer Hamiddos, Erech Banim Hasheini, 20).
- Giving tzeddakah daily is a segulah to be remembered for children (Kuntres Sefasai Tiftach, as heard from Harav Hakaddosh of Pittsburgh).
- Reading and learning the halachos of Korbanos in Parshas Vayikra, and in Gemara seder Kodashim, and in the Rambam, is a segulah to be remembered for children (Matzav Hayashar 5:74).
- The mitzvah of shilu’ach hakan is a segulah to be remembered for children. As it says in Medrash Tanchuma on parshas Ki Seitzei: From where do we see that one mitzvah leads to another? First the Torah writes about the mitzvah of shilu’ach hakan, and then immediately following that it says, “Ki yikach ish ishah…” (when a man marries a woman…). In other words, the one who performs this mitzvah will merit a wife and children.
It also says in the medrash, “Fulfilling the mitzvah of shilu’ach hakan is a segulah to merit children,” as it says, ‘Sha’layach tishalach es ha’eim’ – you should send away the mother [bird]. And what is the reward? ‘V’es habanim tikach lach’ – and the children you should take for yourself – meaning the children of the mother bird, but also, children for oneself” (Techinos U’Bakashos 240).
- Learning Ohr Hachayim al HaTorah, by Rabbeinu Chaim ben Attar, is a segulah to be remembered for children.
- If a woman is having difficulty with child raising or she doesn’t have children altogether, it is a segulah to say the haftorah of the first day of Rosh Hashanah (“Vayehi ish echad min haRamasayim Tzofim…”) after hadlakas neiros. She should understand the words that she is saying and say it with kavannah, and she should give tzeddakah before lighting the candles. Through this she will be remembered for children who are talmidei chachamim and tzaddikim. (In Yerushalayim this is an established custom in the name of the Arizal.)
- Those who wish to be remembered for children should get a brachah from a truly wise man, a yarei Shamayim, who should daven on their behalf.
- A great segulah to be remembered for children is to perform the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim; we see from the Torah that the occasion of Sarah Imeinu being blessed with a son is juxtaposed with Avraham and Sarah’s performance of the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim for the three malachim.
- A segulah to be remembered for children is to raise an orphan in one’s home; if one does so, it is considered as if he and his wife actually gave birth to the child (Mareh Hayeladim).
- A righteous man who had not been blessed with children went to the Ba’al Shem Tov (or one of his students) and cried and begged to know why he was being prevented from having children. It was revealed to him that when he was very young, he had been engaged to a young woman, but when he got older, he rejected this kallah and broke the engagement; this was preventing him from having children. He was told that if he were to find his kallah from long ago and ask her for forgiveness, perhaps he would be granted children. Indeed, he found the woman and was able to appease her and was subsequently blessed with children.
- Serving as the chazzan for davening is a segulah for having children.
- A segulah to have goodhearted, male children is to be generous in distributing tzeddakah to worthy poor people. Additionally, on Friday night, one should light many candles (Segulas Zahav).
- An appropriate time to ask for children is during Kedushah of Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when the chazzan says the words, “Aiyei mekom kevodo.” Particularly during the word Aiyei he should beg for children, as this is a fortuitous time for tefillos to be accepted (Likkutei Tzvi).
- The Arizal was known to have advised someone that he should be careful to add on to Shabbos (tosfos Shabbos) and to encourage others to do the same, both at the beginning of Shabbos and at its end, and in that merit he would be blessed with children (Ha’ach Nafsheinu, Ma’areches 2:6).
- There have been many tefillos printed by great chachamim for those who wish to be blessed with children. However, it is a segulah for the one in need to compose a personal prayer from the depths of his aching heart because by doing so, he will truly express his feelings of pain, and Hashem will thus have mercy on him.
