THE VIHI NOAM PRAYER (The last verse from Psalm 90, followed by the full Psalm 91)

It is great protection for the whole year to say the Vihi Noam Prayer seven times after lighting the Channukah candles every night. Write this prayer upon clean parchment and conceal it behind the door of your house, and you will be secure from all evil accidents. This is a Prayer through which all distress, danger and suffering may be turned aside. If anyone should be in danger of his life, or become distressed, be it what it may, such as being attacked by an incurable disease, pestilence, fire or water, overwhelmed by enemies or murderers, in battles, lieges, robberies, close imprisonment, etc., let him confess his sins first of all, and then speak the Vihi Noam prayer , 99 times, according to the number of the two holiest names of G-d, YHVH Adonai. Each time when he comes to the 14th verse, “Because he has set his love upon me,” etc., he shall keep in mind the holy name, and then pray devoutly each time: “You are the most holy, king over all that is revealed and hidden, exalted above all that is high, sanctify and glorify your adorable name in this your world, so that all the nations of the earth may know that yours is the glory and the power, and that you have secured me from all distress, but especially out of the painful emergency (here the object of the prayer must be distinctly stated), which has overtaken me N., son of N. And I herewith promise and vow that I will now and ever after this, as long as I shall live upon the earth, and until I return to the dust from which I was taken.” (Here the vow must be verbally stated, - stating what we will do, perform or give in the service of our Creator. The vow may consist in fasting, giving alms, or in the daily reading of several chapters of the Holy Scriptures, Psalms, of the Zohar, or of the Talmud, releasing of the captives, nursing the sick and burying the dead) “Praise be Adonai, my Rock and my Salvation. You will be my representative and intercessor, and will help me, for you help the poor, feeble, and humble creature, and in time of need release from fear and danger, and deal mercifully with your people; merciful and forgiving, you hear the prayer of every one.” “Praised are you, Adonai, you who hears prayers.” (The last words should be repeated seven times at each ending of the prayer.)

Whoever will punctually observe the above instructions three days in succession, in full trust in the mighty help of God, he may rest assured of the assistance which he desires.

Kabbalists, and especially the celebrated Rabbi Isaac Luria have assured us that in a time of pestilence or general emergency, the Vihi Noam Prayer (The last verse#17 from Psalm 90, followed by the full Psalm 91) should be prayed seven times daily, connecting with it in the mind the figure of the golden candlestick (menorah) when it is composed of the 41 holy and important words and names of this Psalm, with which we should especially consider the holy names in their Order.

Each of the 41 names is a notarikon (a kind of acronym) consisting of the first letters of the words of the psalm. When these names were used to write a protective amulet, they were sometimes arranged in the form of a menorah:

THE VIHI THE VIHI THE VIHI THE VIHI NOAM PRAYERNOAM PRAYERNOAM PRAYERNOAM PRAYER (The last verse from Psalm 90, followed by the full Psalm 91)

Rabbi Isaac Luria has assured us that in general emergency or in a time of a serious disease which is spreading fast and killing people, the Vihi Noam prayer should be prayed seven times daily.

90:17. May the pleasantness of My Master our God be upon us, and the work of our hands established for us, and the work of our hands – establish it. Vi'hi No'am Adhonai Elohenu Alenu u'ma'aseh yadenu kon'na alenu u'ma'aseh yadenu kon'nehu. 91:1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Supreme One, under the protection of Shadai he will abide. Yosheb be'seter elyon be'sel Shadai yitlonan. 91:2. I say of Adoniye, [He is] my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I trust. Omar l'Adonai mahsi u'msudati Elohai ebtah bo. 91:3. For He will save you from the snaretrap, from destructive pestilence. Ki hu yasilecha mi'pah yakush mi'deber havot. 91:4. With His wings He will cover you and beneath His wings, you will find refuge; His truth is a shield, a full shield. Be'ebrato yasech lach ve'tahat kenafav tehse sina ve'sohera amito. 91:5. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day. Lo tira mi'pahad laila me'hetz ya'uf yomam. 91:6. The pestilence that prowls in darkness, nor the deadly plague that ravages at noon. Mi'deber ba'ofel yahaloch mi'keteb yashud sahorayim. 91:7. A thousand will fall at your [left] side and ten thousand at your [right] side but it shall not come near you. Yipol mi'sidecha elef u'rbaba mi'minecha elecha lo yigash. 91:8. Only with your eyes will you behold and see the punishment of the wicked. Rak be'enecha tabit ve'shilumat resha'im tir'e. 91:9. For you [have proclaimed]: "Adoniye is my refuge," the Supreme One you have made your dwelling. Ki Ata Adonai mahsi elyon samta me'onecha. 91:10. No evil shall befall you, and no plague shall come near your tent. Lo te'une elecha ra'a ve'nega lo yikrab be'aholecha. 91:11. For His angels He will command on your behalf— to guard you in all your ways. Ki mal'achav yesave lach li'shmorcha be'chol derachecha. 91:12. They will carry you upon their hands, lest you hurt your foot on a rock. Al kapayim yisa'uncha pen tigof ba'eben raglecha. 91:13. You will tread upon lion and snake, you will trample young lion and serpent. Al shahal va'feten tidroch tirmos kefir ve'tanin. 91:14. Because he clings to Me with desire, I will save him; I will strengthen him, for he knows My Name. Ki bi shahak va'afaletehu asagebehu ki yada shemi.

91:15. When he calls upon Me, I will answer him; I am with him in distress, I will free him and honor him. Yikra'eni ve'e'enehu imo anochi be'sara ahalesehu va'achabedehu. 91:16. I will satiate him with longevity, and will let him see My deliverance. Orech yamim asbi'ehu ve'ar'ehu bi'shu'ati.

*END* After praying the Vihi Noam prayer seven times, read Exodus chapter 12 Verses 21-28: 21:21. Moses summoned the elders of Israel, and said to them, 'Gather [the people] and get yourselves sheep for your families, so that you will be able to slaughter the Passover sacrifice. Vayikra Moshe lechol-zikney Yisra'el vayomer alehem mishchu ukchu lachem tson lemishpechoteychem veshachatu haPasach. 12:22. 'You will then have to take a bunch of hyssop and dip it into the blood that [will be placed] in a basin. Touch the beam over the door and the two doorposts with some of the blood in the basin. Not a single one of you may go out the door of his house until morning. Ulekachtem agudat ezov utvaltem badam asher-basaf vehigatem el-hamashkof ve'el-shtey hamezuzot min-hadam asher basaf ve'atem lo tets'u ish mipetach-beyto ad-boker. 12:23. 'God will then pass through to strike Egypt. When he sees the blood over the door and on the two doorposts, God will pass over that door, and not let the force of destruction enter your houses to strike. Ve'avar Adonay lingof et-Mitsrayim vera'ah et-hadam al-hamashkof ve'al shtey hamezuzot ufasach Adonay al-hapetach velo yiten hamashchit lavo el-bateychem lingof. 12:24. 'You must keep this ritual as a law, for you and your children forever. Ushmartem et-hadavar hazeh lechok-lecha ulevaneycha ad-olam. 12:25. When you come to the land that God will give you, as He promised, you must [also] keep this service. Vehayah ki-tavo'u el-ha'arets asher yiten Adonay lachem ka'asher diber ushmartem et-ha'avodah hazot. 12:26. Your children may [then] ask you, 'What is this service to you?' Vehayah ki-yomru aleychem beneychem mah ha'avodah hazot lachem. 12:27. You must answer, 'It is the Passover service to God. He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians, sparing our homes.'

The people bent their heads and prostrated themselves. Va'amartem zevach-pesach hu l'Adonay asher pasach al-batey veney-Yisra'el beMitsrayim benogpo et-Mitsrayim ve'et-bateynu hitsil vayikod ha'am vayishtachavu.

12:28. The Israelites went and did as God had instructed Moses and Aaron. They did it exactly. Vayelchu vaya'asu beney Yisra'el ka'asher tsivah Adonay et-Moshe ve'Aharon ken asu.