Rabbi Meir Baal Hannes

Rabbi Meir or Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes (the miracle maker) was a Jewish sage who lived in the time of the Mishna. According to the Talmud, his father was a descendant of the Roman Emperor Nero who had converted to Judaism. His wife Bruriah is one of the few women cited in the Gemara. He is the third most frequently mentioned sage in the Mishnah.

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Rebbi Meir Baal HaNes said he would help those that gave to the poor of Israel. Before his death, Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes promised - as his legacy to all generations - that he will personally intercede in Heaven, on behalf of anyone in distress, who will give charity to the poor for the sake of his neshama (soul), in Israel in his memory.

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To this very day it has been a sacred and hallowed tradition for Jews, in crisis or need, to recite the words “God of Meir - answer me!” while giving Tzedakah. Countless stories abound of men and women who during a personal crisis, experienced miraculous help when they gave charity to this holy fund in memory of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes.

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The story behind the segula has its basis in Mesechtes Avodah Zarah 18a-b of the Talmud. When Rabbi Meir’s in-laws were found teaching Torah publicly, they were executed and his sister-in-law was taken by the Romans. Determined to win her release, Rabbi Meir took a large bag of golden dinars and approached her warden with the bribe. “Take the dinars, and give her to me!” he demanded. The warden, fully aware of his fate should the escape be discovered, refused. Rabbi Meir then instructed him that if his superiors would try to harm him, he need only cry out, “G-d of Meir, answer me!” and the threat would disappear.

The warden was skeptical, so Rabbi Meir proved the efficacy of the segula by throwing a stone at the vicious jail dogs. When the dogs rushed to attack him, Rabbi Meir cried, “G-d of Meir, answer me!” and they retreated meekly. The Roman warden, satisfied that he could rely on the miracle, released the girl. Sure enough, her disappearance was quickly discovered, and the guard was taken to be hanged. At the last moment, he exclaimed, “G-d of Meir, answer me!” The executioner suddenly stopped, took him down from the gallows, and questioned him. When the guard revealed the entire episode, the Romans engraved a likeness of Rabbi Meir on the city gates and hunted him down as a wanted man. Rabbi Meir narrowly escaped, but felt it necessary to run away to Babylon to avoid the Romans.