Where the Word Tehillim Is Hidden in the Torah
The importance of reciting Tehillim is underscored by the fact that the word Tehillim itself is encoded in the Torah in two significant places. 1. In the Book of Shemot The final letters of the first five words of the book (Shemot 1):"Ve-eleh shemot bnei Yisrael haba'im Mitzrayim" - (ואלה שמות בני ישראל הבאים) - (and these are the names of the Children of Israel who came to Egypt) - form the acronym of the word תהלים (Tehillim).
Tehillim is the light that helped the Jewish people emerge from the impurity of Egypt and, after 49 days of purification, approach Shavuot—the receiving of the Torah—for Tehillim contains the light of Or Makif (the Surrounding Light), which does not exist within creation. This is the source of the power of reciting Tehillim.
2. In the Book of Devarim The word Tehillim is encoded in another passage of the Torah: "Velo tikpotz et-yadecha me-achicha ha-evyon" - (Do not close your hand to your needy brother). (Devarim 15:7-8) The first letters of the words in this sentence (apart from the first) form the word Tehillim, teaching us that reciting Tehillim alone is not enough; one must first open one's hand. (Rabbi Israel of Ruzhin)The gematria of the word "Tehillim"= תהלימ 400+5+30+10+40 = 485.
The gematria of the word "Lilith" לילית together with the five letters of her name: 30+10+30+10+400+5 = 485.
The correspondence between these gematriot indicates that reciting Tehillim possesses the power to free one from the dominion of the forces of impurity.
(Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, "Likutei Moharan," lesson 205)
