The Ohr HaChaim's Note to the Shechinah: A Powerful Lesson in Faith and Prayer

Once, a desperately poor man came to Rabbi Chaim ben Attar, the holy Ohr HaChaim. He stood before the rabbi exhausted and broken, his eyes filled with tears.

"Rabbi," he pleaded, "my children are crying from hunger. We have no bread, no livelihood, and I do not know what to do. I have heard that the holy rabbi can help. Perhaps you could write me an amulet, something that will open the gates of blessing so I can support my family with dignity."

The rabbi looked at him with compassion and replied gently, "I will give you a note. Go to the Western Wall, place it between the stones, pray with all your heart, believe, and, with God's help, salvation will come."

The Note at the Western Wall

The tzaddik took a small piece of paper, dipped his quill into ink, wrote a few words, folded the note, and placed it into the man's hand.

Filled with hope, the poor man hurried to the Western Wall. Clutching the note tightly, he slipped it between the ancient stones and began to pour out his heart in prayer.

Nearby stood an elderly Jew, watching in amazement. What heartfelt prayer! Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swept through the plaza, carrying the note from the Wall to the ground.

The elderly man picked it up. Curious, he unfolded it and was stunned. It was a note written by the holy Ohr HaChaim himself.

What Was Written?

What did the note say? Not sacred names. Not an amulet. Not mystical formulas.

It contained only these simple words: "To the holy Shechinah, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, please help so-and-so, son of so-and-so, and bless him with a good livelihood. Chaim ben Attar."

That was all. No complicated language. No hidden formulas. No mystical intentions. Just a simple note addressed to the Shechinah as though she were truly present.

The man returned home, and before long, his circumstances began to change. His livelihood improved, and his family was blessed with relief.

The Hilula of the Ohr HaChaim

On the 15th of Tammuz, we commemorate the passing of this holy tzaddik, Rabbi Chaim ben Attar.

Light a candle in his memory, and imagine yourself standing before him, asking for his blessing. Picture him smiling and saying: "My daughter, you too can send a note to the holy Shechinah."

Write Your Own Letter

Write without lofty language, without holy names, and without complicated intentions. Write with one simple purpose: speak honestly from your heart.

Write to the Shechinah as though she is sitting beside you. Because she is. Feel that she is close.

Take a few quiet moments, find a small piece of paper, and simply write. Let the words come naturally. Do not edit them or worry about finding the perfect expression. Just be sincere.

If you cannot find the time to write, then remember the words of King David: "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer." (Psalms 45:2) Speak to the Shechinah in the simplest language you know, and tell her everything that is on your heart.

If you write a note, close your eyes for a moment and imagine placing it gently between the stones of the Western Wall.

When a woman writes to the Shechinah with a sincere heart, no prayer is ever lost.