Tehillim 118 – Kavanot During Wartime, or Who Forges Victory for the Chayalim

Kavanot During Wartime, or Who Forges Victory for the Chayalim

Tehillim 118:6 יְמִ֣ין ה׳ רוֹמֵמָ֑ה יְמִ֥ין ה׳ עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל - “Yemin Ado-nai romemah, yemin Ado-nai osah chayil” – (The right hand of G-d is exalted; the right hand of G-d performs mighty deeds.) As is known from the Midrashim, four kings waged war against Abraham and took his nephew Lot captive. Hashem endowed Abraham with supernatural strength: Abraham would lift a handful of sand from the ground, “chol” חול, throw it toward the enemy, and the sand would turn into bows and arrows that struck down Abraham’s enemies. The Sages say that at that time Abraham used one of Hashem’s Holy Names—one of the 72 Names—ומב. This Name has a gematria of 48. The word חָֽיִל in Tehillim 118, verse 6—“Yemin Ado-nai romemah, yemin Ado-nai osah chayil”—also has a gematria of 48, revealing the power of the Name ומב—“la’asot chayil” (to forge victory). In Hebrew, the word for soldier—חייל “chayal”—consists of the same letters as the word חָֽיִל “chayil” (victory) and shares the same root as the word חול “chol” (sand). By reciting this verse with all the kavanot presented above, we add good fortune to our soldiers’ success in victory.   (A chiddush from SilaTehilim.com based on a lesson by Rabbi Yisrael Yakobov)