Tikun HaNefesh of Rabbi Naftali Katz
Tikun HaNefesh of Rabbi Naftali Katz
Tikun HaNefesh is a set of 12 psalms (10 central psalms together with an opening and a concluding one), selected by the greatest sage of the 17th century — the kabbalist and miracle-worker Rabbi Naftali Katz.
A great Torah scholar and renowned kabbalist, Rabbi Naftali Katz was famous as a miracle-worker and healer.
In 1718, Rabbi Naftali Katz decided to make aliyah to the Land of Israel, but upon reaching Istanbul, he ascended to the Heavenly Yeshiva (he is buried in Istanbul). Thanks to Rav Yeshayahu Yosef Pinto — Tikun HaNefesh was revived and made available to us.
The uniqueness of this collection of psalms lies in the fact that, for centuries, it has brought deliverance and salvation to Jews from various troubles and illnesses.
It was these very 12 psalms that saved Rabbi Naftali from misfortune and death (he was once held captive by Tatars and sentenced to death by the authorities — but miraculously escaped).
Tikun HaNefesh
Before reciting Tikun HaNefesh, one should recite the six mitzvot that a person must always keep in mind, fulfilling the positive commandment — an active mitzvah:
1) «Anochi Ha-Shem Elokecha asher hotzeticha me'eretz Mitzrayim mibeit avadim» -
(I am the L-rd your G-d, who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage);
2) «Lo yihyeh lecha elokim acherim al panai» -
(You shall have no other gods before Me);
3) «Shema Yisrael Ado-nai Elokeicha, Ado-nai Echad» -
(Hear O Israel: the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One)
4) «Ve'ahavta et Ado-nai Elokecha bechol - levavcha uvechol nafshecha uvechol - me'odecha» -
(Love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might);
5) «Et Ado-nai Elokecha tira» -
(The L-rd your G-d shall you fear);
6) «Velo taturu acharei levavchem ve'acharei eineichem, asher atem zonim achareihem» -
(And you shall not stray after your hearts and after your eyes, following after which you go astray, to sin);
Introduction:
«Lechu neranenah lAdo-nai, nariah letzur yish'enu. Nekadmah fanav betodah, bizmirot nariah lo. Ki Kel gadol Ado-nai, umelech gadol al kol elokim».
Tehillim 1
Ashrei ha-ish asher lo halach ba'atzat resha'im uvderech chata'im lo amad, uvmoshav leitzim lo yashav. (2) Ki im beTorat Ado-nai chefzo, uvtorato yehegeh yomam valailah. (3) Vehayah ke'etz shatul al palgei mayim asher piryo yiten be'ito ve'alehu lo yibol, vechol asher ya'aseh yatzliach. (4) Lo khen haresha'im, ki im kamotz asher tidfenu ru'ach. (5) Al ken lo yakumu resha'im bamishpat, vechata'im ba'adat tzadikim. (6) Ki yode'a Ado-nai derech tzadikim, vederech resha'im toved.
Tehillim 6
Lamnatzeach binginot al hasheminit, mizmor leDavid. (2) Ado-nai al be'apecha tochicheni, ve'al bachamatecha teyasreni. (3) Choneni Ado-nai ki umlal ani, refa'eni Ado-nai ki nivhalu atzamai. (4) Venafshi nivhalah me'od, ve'atah Ado-nai ad matai. (5) Shuvah Ado-nai chaltzah nafshi, hoshi'eni lema'an chasdecha. (6) Ki ein bamavet zichrecha, bishe'ol mi yodeh lach. (7) Yagati be'anchati ashcheh vechol lailah mitati, bedim'ati arsi amseh. (8) Ashshah mika'as eini, atkah bechol tzorerai. (9) Suru mimeni kol po'alei aven, ki shama Ado-nai kol bichyi. (10) Shama Ado-nai techinati, Ado-nai tefilati yikach. (11) Yevoshu veyibahalu me'od kol oyevai, yashuvu yevoshu raga.
Tehillim 20
Lamnatzeach mizmor leDavid. (2) Ya'ancha Ado-nai beyom tzarah, yesagevcha shem Elokei Ya'akov. (3) Yishlach ezrecha mikodesh, umiTziyon yis'adecha. (4) Yizkor kol minchotecha, ve'olatecha yedashneh selah. (5) Yiten lecha chilvavecha, vechol atzatecha yemale. (6) Neranenah bishu'atecha uveshem Eloheinu nidgol, yemale Ado-nai kol mish'alotecha. (7) Atah yadati ki hoshia Ado-nai meshicho, ya'anehu mishmei kodsho, bigvurot yesha yemino. (8) Eleh varechev ve'eleh vasusim, va'anachnu beshem Ado-nai Eloheinu nazkir. (9) Hemah kar'u venafalu, va'anachnu kamnu vanit'odad. (10) Ado-nai hoshi'ah, hamelech ya'anenu veyom kor'einu.
Tehillim 24
LeDavid mizmor lAdo-nai ha'aretz umlo'ah, tevel veyoshvei vah. (2) Ki hu al yamim yesadah, ve'al neharot yechonneha. (3) Mi ya'aleh vehar Ado-nai umi yakum bimkom kodsho. (4) Neki chapayim uvar levav asher lo nasa lashav nafshi, velo nishba lemirmah. (5) Yisa verachah me'et Ado-nai, utzedakah meElokei yisho. (6) Zeh dor doreshav, mevakshei fanecha Ya'akov selah. (7) Se'u she'arim rasheichem vehinasu pitchei olam, veyavo melech hakavod. (8) Mi zeh melech hakavod, Ado-nai izuz vegibor, Ado-nai gibor milchamah. (9) Se'u she'arim rasheichem use'u pitchei olam, veyavo melech hakavod. (10) Mi hu zeh melech hakavod. Ado-nai tzeva'ot, hu melech hakavod selah.
Tehillim 67
Lamnatzeach binginot mizmor shir. (2) Elokim yechonenu vivarecheinu, ya'er panav itanu selah. (3) Lada'at ba'aretz darkecha, bechol goyim yeshu'atecha. (4) Yoducha amim Elokim, yoducha amim kulam. (5) Yismechu viranenu le'umim ki tishpot amim mishor, ule'umim ba'aretz tanchem selah. (6) Yoducha amim Elokim, yoducha amim kulam. (7) Eretz natnah yevulah, yevarecheinu Elokim Eloheinu. (8) Yevarecheinu Elokim, veyir'u oto kol afsei aretz.
Tehillim 91
Yoshev beseter Elyon, betzel Shadai yitlonan. (2) Omar lAdo-nai machsi umtzudati, Elokai evtach bo. (3) Ki hu yatzilcha mipach yakush, midever havot. (4) Be'evrato yasech lach ve'tachat kenafav techseh, tzinah vesocherah amito. (5) Lo tira mipachad lailah, mechetz ya'uf yomam. (6) Midever ba'ofel yahaloch, miketev yashud tzohorayim. (7) Yipol mitzidcha elef urevavah miminecha, eleicha lo yigash. (8) Rak be'einecha tabit, veshilumat resha'im tir'eh. (9) Ki atah Ado-nai machsi, Elyon samta me'onecha. (10) Lo teuneh eleicha ra'ah, venega lo yikrav be'oholecha. (11) Ki mal'achav yetzaveh lach, lishmorcha bechol derachecha. (12) Al kapayim yisa'unecha, pen tigof ba'even raglecha. (13) Al shachal vafeten tidroch, tirmos kefir vetanin. (14) Ki vi chashak va'afaletehu, asagvehu ki yada shemi. (15) Yikra'eni ve'e'enehu imo anochi vetzarah, achaltzehu va'achabdehu. (16) Orech yamim asbi'ehu, ve'ar'ehu bishu'ati.
Tehillim 100
Mizmor letodah, hariu lAdo-nai kol ha'aretz. (2) Ivdu et Ado-nai besimchah, bo'u lefanav birnanah. (3) De'u ki Ado-nai hu Elokim hu asanu velo anachnu, amo vetzon mar'ito. 4) Bo'u she'arav betodah chatzerotav bithilah, hodu lo, barchu shemo, 5) Ki tov Ado-nai le'olam chasdo ve'ad dor vador emunato.
Tehillim 111
Halleluyah odeh Ado-nai bechol levav, besod yesharim ve'edah. (2) Gedolim ma'asei Ado-nai, derushim lechol cheftzeihem. (3) Hod vehadar po'olo, vetzidkato omedet la'ad. (4) Zecher asah leniflotav, chanun verachum Ado-nai. (5) Teref natan lirei'av, yizkor le'olam berito. (6) Ko'ach ma'asav higid le'amo, latet lahem nachalat goyim. (7) Ma'asei yadav emet umishpat, ne'emanim kol pikudav. (8) Semuchim la'ad le'olam, asuyim be'emet veyashar. (9) Pedut shalach le'amo tzivah le'olam berito, kadosh venora shemo. (10) Reshit chochmah yir'at Ado-nai, sechel tov lechol oseihem, tehilato omedet la'ad.
Tehillim 121
Shir lama'alot esa einai el heharim, me'ayin yavo ezri. (2) Ezri me'im Ado-nai, oseh shamayim va'aretz. (3) Al yiten lamot raglecha, al yanum shomrecha. (4) Hineh lo yanum velo yishan, shomer Yisrael. (5) Ado-nai shomrecha, Ado-nai tzilcha al yad yeminecha. (6) Yomam hashemesh lo yakekah, veyare'ach balailah. (7) Ado-nai yishmorcha mikol ra, yishmor et nafshecha. (8) Ado-nai yishmor tzeitcha uvo'echa, me'atah ve'ad olam.
Tehillim 144
LeDavid baruch Ado-nai tzuri hamlamed yadai lakrav, etzba'otai lamilchamah. (2) Chasdi umtzudati misgabi umfalti li magini uvo chasiti, haroded ami tachtai. (3) Ado-nai mah adam vateda'ehu, ben enosh vatechashvehu. (4) Adam lahevel damah, yamav ketzel over. (5) Ado-nai hat shamecha vateired, ga be'harim veye'eshanu. (6) Berok barak utefitzem, shelach chitzecha uthumem. (7) Shelach yadecha mimarom petzeni vehatzileni mimayim rabim, miyad benei nechar. (8) Asher pihem diber shav, viminam yemin shaker. (9) Elokim shir chadash ashirah lach, benevel asor azamerah lach. (10) Hanoten teshu'ah lamlachim, hapotzeh et David avdo mecherev ra'ah. (11) Petzeni vehatzileni miyad benei nechar asher pihem diber shav, viminam yemin shaker. (12) Asher baneinu kinti'im megudalim bin'ureihem, benoteinu chezavit mechutavot tavnit heichal. (13) Mezaveinu melei'im mefikim mizan el zan, tzoneinu ma'alifot meruvavot bechutzoteinu. (14) Alufeinu mesubalim ein peretz ve'ein yotzet, ve'ein tzevachah birchovoteinu. (15) Ashrei ha'am shekachah lo, ashrei ha'am she'Ado-nai Elokav.
Tehillim 145
Tehilah leDavid aromimcha Elokai hamelech, va'avarechah shimcha le'olam va'ed. (2) Bechol yom avarecheka, va'ahalelah shimcha le'olam va'ed. (3) Gadol Ado-nai umhulal me'od, velig'dulato ein cheker. (4) Dor ledor yeshabach ma'asecha, ugvurotecha yagidu. (5) Hadar kevod hodecha, vedivrei nifle'otecha asichah. (6) Ve'ezuz nor'otecha yomeru, ugdulatecha asaprenah. (7) Zecher rav tuvecha yabi'u, vetzidkatecha yerenenu. (8) Chanun verachum Ado-nai, erech apayim ugdol chased. (9) Tov Ado-nai lakol, verachamav al kol ma'asav. (10) Yoducha Ado-nai kol ma'asecha, vachasidecha yevarechuchah. (11) Kevod malchutecha yomeru, ugvuratecha yedaberu. (12) Lehodia livnei ha'adam gevurotav, uchvod hadar malchuto. (13) Malchutecha malchut kol olamim, umemshaltecha bechol dor vador. (14) Somech Ado-nai lechol hanoflim, vezokef lechol hakefufim. (15) Einei chol elecha yesaberu, ve'atah noten lahem et ochlam be'ito. (16) Poteach et yadecha, umasbia lechol chai ratzon. (17) Tzadik Ado-nai bechol derachav, vechasid bechol ma'asav. (18) Karov Ado-nai lechol kor'av, lechol asher yikra'uhu ve'emet. (19) Retzon yerei'av ya'aseh, ve'et shavatam yishma veyoshi'em. (20) Shomer Ado-nai et kol ohavav, ve'et kol haresha'im yashmid. (21) Tehilat Ado-nai yedaber pi, vivarech kol basar shem kodsho le'olam va'ed.
Tehillim 150
Halleluyah halelu Kel bekodsho, halelu-hu birkia uzo. (2) Halelu-hu bigvurotav, halelu-hu kerov gudlo. (3) Halelu-hu beteka shofar, halelu-hu benevel vechinor. (4) Halelu-hu betof umachol, halelu-hu beminim ve'ugav. (5) Halelu-hu betziltzelei shama, halelu-hu betziltzelei teruah. (6) Kol haneshamah tehalel Kah halleluyah.
After Tikun HaNefesh, one says:
- «Gal einai ve'abitah niflaot miToratecha» -
(Open my eyes, that I may behold wonders from Your Torah);
- «Hashivah li sesson yish'echa veruach nedivah tismecheni» -
(Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and let a generous spirit sustain me);
- «Or zarua latzadik, ul'yishrei lev simchah» -
(Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright of heart);
- «Aseh imi ot letovah, veyir'u sonai veyeivoshu, ki atah Ado-nai azartani venichamtani» -
(Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, for You, O L-rd, have helped me and comforted me);
- «Lishuatecha kiviti Ado-nai» -
(For Your salvation I have hoped, O L-rd);
- «Hamalach hago'el oti mikol ra yevarech et hane'arim veyikarei vahem shemi veshem avotai Avraham veYitzchak veyidgu larov bekerev ha'aretz» - (May the angel who redeemed me from all evil bless these lads, and may my name be declared upon them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they multiply abundantly in the midst of the land);
- «Ana Ado-nai hoshi'ah na, ana Ado-nai hatzlichah na» -
(Please, O L-rd, save us; please, O L-rd, grant us success);
- «Ner leragli devarecha ve'or lenetivati» -
(Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path);
- «Ve'et ha'anashim asher petach habayit hiku vasanverim mikaton ve'ad gadol vayil'u limtzo hapetach» -
(And the men who were at the entrance of the house were struck with blindness, from the smallest to the greatest, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the entrance).
At the end, say seven times in one breath:
Uriel - Uriel - Uriel - Uriel - Uriel - Uriel - Uriel.
(From the booklet «Tikun HaNefesh», edited by Leah Gervitz, «Sha'arei Rachamim»)
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Tags: Rabbi Naftali Katz, The Power of Tehillim, Tikkun HaNefesh by Rabbi Naftali Katz, Tikkun HaNefesh, Tikkunim, Tikkun
