Now then, if you will obey Me faithfully and keep My covenant, you shall be My segulah among all the peoples. (E. 19:5) … a people consecrated to your G-d: of all the peoples on earth your G-d chose you to be G–d’s segulah. (D. 7:6) … a people consecrated to your G–d: your G–d chose you from among all other peoples on earth to be a segulah. (D. 14:2) … And G-d has affirmed this day that you are, as promised, God’s segulah nation who shall observe all the divine commandments (D. 26:18)
This word, segulah, seems to be important – but what does it mean? Can we understand segulah through its constituent letters?
Segulah is comprised of two words – galah, and then the single prefix letter, samech.
The word galah in the Torah means a revelation or exposure – Noach reveals himself (G. 9:21), and G-d reveals himself to Jacob (G. 35:7) – both using the same word, galah.
So far, so good. What does the samech mean? One simple meaning is “To support” or “to lean upon” as with Aaron samach his hands upon the goat, or Moshe doing the same thing to Joshua.
Could segulah thus mean something as simple as “Leaned-upon as G-d’s revelation”? Or perhaps “The support for G-d’s revelation”?