What is the Jewish prayer for protection?

Jewish tradition contains several prayers and texts used for divine protection, with the most central being Psalm 91 (Tehillim, chapter 91), known as the "song of protection" (shir shel pegaim). Protection is also woven throughout the daily liturgy, particularly in blessings like Hashkiveinu (the nighttime prayer for God to "spread over us a shelter of peace") and the Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing).

Key Takeaways

Psalm 91 is the primary Jewish prayer/text associated with divine protection, recited in many communities at night and during times of danger.
Hashkiveinu, recited in the Ma'ariv (evening) service, is a formal liturgical prayer specifically asking God for protection through the night.
The Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24–26) includes a direct petition for God to "guard you" (v'yishmerecha).
Communal prayer holds special protective power — the Sages teach that "et ratzon" (a time of divine favor) is specifically when the congregation prays together [Psalms 69:14, as cited in Zeroa Yamin 4:3].
Jewish tradition also preserves kabbalistic and folk-protective traditions, such as reciting verses beginning and ending with the letter Nun as a segulah (spiritual remedy) against the evil eye.

The Primary Prayers for Protection

Psalm 91 — Yoshev B'Seter Elyon

Psalm 91 is the foundational Jewish prayer for protection. It opens:

"יֹשֵׁב בְּסֵתֶר עֶלְיוֹן בְּצֵל שַׁדַּי יִתְלוֹנָן" "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty..." [Psalms 91:1]

The Talmud calls it "shir shel pega'im" — "the song against calamities" [Shevuot 15b]. It is recited:

At the end of the Friday night Ma'ariv service
Before sleep (Kriat Shema al HaMita)
By many soldiers and travelers entering danger
At funerals and in times of plague

Hashkiveinu — The Evening Blessing of Protection

Recited every night in Ma'ariv, this prayer asks:

"וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ" "And spread over us the shelter of Your peace."

It explicitly petitions God to protect us from enemies, plague, sword, famine, and sorrow throughout the night.

The Power of Communal Prayer for Protection

The verse in Psalms 69:14 states:

"וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה' עֵת רָצוֹן" "As for me, may my prayer to You, O Lord, be at a time of favor." [Psalms 69:14]

The Sages ask: when is "et ratzon" — a time of divine favor? The answer given is: when the congregation prays together [cited in Zeroa Yamin on Pesach Haggadah, Hallel 4:3, quoting Chazal].

The Mabi"t (Rabbi Moshe ben Yosef di Trani, Beit Elohim) lists three reasons communal prayer is especially powerful:

Sacred matters like Kaddish, Kedushah, and Barchu require a minyan of ten, because ten contains a profound spiritual secret.
Many performing a mitzvah together generates far more spiritual power than individuals acting alone — the whole exceeds the sum of its parts.
The unity itself (achdut) creates a special channel for divine response.

The Priestly Blessing — Birkat Kohanim

The Priestly Blessing [Numbers 6:24–26] contains one of the Torah's most direct expressions of divine protection:

"יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ" "May the Lord bless you and guard you."

Rashi explains v'yishmerecha (and guard you) as protection from harm — that God's blessings not be stolen or disrupted by evil forces [Rashi, Numbers 6:24].

The Shema and Mezuzah as Protection

The Shema, including the paragraph of V'ahavta drawn from Deuteronomy 11:13:

"וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל מִצְוֹתַי" "And it shall be, if you diligently heed My commandments..." [Deuteronomy 11:13]

...is traditionally understood as carrying protective power when observed. The Mezuzah placed on doorposts is directly connected to this: it marks the Jewish home as protected under God's covenant, echoing the blood on the doorposts in Egypt [Exodus 12:13] — God says "I will see the blood and pass over you."

Kabbalistic Tradition: The Eleven Nun Verses

The Kav HaYashar [32:4] records a remarkable tradition:

"קַבָּלָה הוּא בְּיָדִי שֶׁהֵן טוֹבִים מִפְּנֵי כְּשָׁפִים וְעַיִן הָרָע" "It is a received tradition in my hands that they [eleven verses beginning and ending with the letter Nun] are effective against witchcraft and the evil eye."

He recommends reciting these eleven verses (found in the Ma'amadot liturgy) followed by a short prayer, as a segulah (spiritual remedy) for protection.

Other Key Protective Prayers and Texts

| Prayer/Text | When Recited | Primary Protection | |---|---|---| | Psalm 91 | Nightly / times of danger | General calamity, demons, plague | | Hashkiveinu | Every evening (Ma'ariv) | Nighttime harm | | Birkat Kohanim | Holidays / daily (Sephardim) | General divine protection | | Tefillat HaDerech | Before travel | Danger on the road | | Shema before sleep | Bedtime | Evil spirits, harm during sleep | | Ana B'Koach | Various | Kabbalistic protection |

For personal guidance on which prayers are most appropriate for your situation or community practice, consult your local rabbi or posek.