Sefer Otzros Hapelaim relates the following story in the name of the Mashgiach Rav Dan Segal shlita:
One of the distinguished residents of the city of Tunis was once walking with two of his students. Suddenly, they were accosted by a huge strong Arab man, who blocked their way and threatened to kill the Rov. The two students tried to shield their teacher. They tried to convince the angry man to leave him alone but he would not give in. He insisted that he was going to kill the rabbi and if the students would get in the way, he would kill them too.
The Rov told his students to run away and leave him to his fate. With tears in their eyes, they walked away, but they watched from a distance to see what would happen.
The Arab told the Rov that he would allow him one final request before he killed him. The Rov asked for a cup of water. The Arab gave it to him and he recited a loud bracha with much devotion and concentration. He screamed out the words: “Boruch ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam shehakol nihiyeh b’devaro”, and he began drinking the water.
Before he finished drinking the cup of water, a miracle occurred. An Arab minister suddenly passed by. This man also hated Jews but, for no apparent reason, he called out to the murderous Arab, “You can kill any Jew you want but leave the rabbi alone!“
When the Arab heard this, he freed the Rov, who went to find his two students. When he found them, they asked him, “Why did you use your last request to ask for a cup of water?“
He answered, “I didn’t need water because I was thirsty. I just wanted to make a bracha of Shehakol because I have a tradition that this blessing has the power to tear up harsh decrees and no one can harm someone who makes this bracha and testifies that Hashem created everything in this world.”
In this vein, the Nefesh Hachaim (Shaar 3, Perek 12) writes that when a person thinks in his heart that Hashem is the sole power in this word and no other force has any strength, it is a segulah to cancel all judgements and decrees and to save oneself from all harm. When one thinks clearly that “Ain od milvado“, there is no force besides Hashem, nothing can cause him harm.
Regarding the bracha of Shehakol, the Lechovitcher Rebbe zy”a said that one recitation of this blessing with kavanah can sweeten any harsh decree. It is also related that the Brisker Rov zt”l said that during the Holocaust, he was saved many times because he focused his thoughts on the words “Ain od milvado.”
