Chazal on the Power of Tehillim

Chazal on the Power of Tehillim

For more than 3,000 years, the Book of Tehillim by David Ha-Melech has been a source of prayer and unity for all Jews. All 150 Psalms contain supplications and praises encompassing the full range of human emotions: joy, fear, confidence, longing, hope, despair, excitement, and disappointment. There is a chapter for every possible situation, feeling, and experience a person may encounter. At any moment, any Jew can open the Book of Tehillim and find his own experience reflected in it. According to the holy Zohar, all the chapters of the Book of Tehillim were composed through Ruach Ha-Kodesh. Although the Gemara (Bava Batra 14b) tells us that other great figures, such as Adam Ha-Rishon and Moshe Rabbeinu, also contributed to Tehillim, only David Ha-Melech possessed the wisdom to gather them all into a single book. “Come and see how these songs and praises uttered by David Ha-Melech contain secrets and lofty ideas connected with the mysteries of wisdom—for they were all recited through Ruach Ha-Kodesh.” (Zohar, Vayishlach) “Anyone who reads Tehillim every day is considered as though he had fulfilled the entire Torah and earned a place beneath the Throne of Glory. One who makes a practice of reading Tehillim wards off all kinds of calamities from himself, his family, and his entire generation.” (Rabbeinu Chida, “Yosef Tehillot”) “There is a tradition from holy, righteous sages that anyone facing difficulties or calamities, or traveling on a road, at sea, or on a river, should read the entire Tehillim every day without interruption, with concentration and submission, and he will experience miracles. This has been tested and proven. One who regularly reads Tehillim removes all kinds of misfortunes and terrible tragedies from himself, his home, his family, and his entire generation, and bestows upon them every form of abundance, good blessings, and success.” (“Pele Yoetz”) Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz taught that one should not even say “Yehi Ratzon”, which is often recited between the five books of Tehillim. (“Pele Yoetz”) “If only you knew the power contained in the verses of Tehillim and their influence in Heaven, you would read them constantly. Know that the chapters of Tehillim break through every obstacle and ascend effortlessly from one level of Heaven to the next. They intercede before the Master of the Universe and secure His kindness and mercy.” (Tzemach Tzedek) “Through Tehillim, we bring the redemption closer.” (Midrash Tehillim, Shir Ha-Shirim) One whose soul longs to cleave to Ha-Shem through praise should attach himself to the Sefer Tehillim. Our Sages already said that David Ha-Melech prayed for his songs to be recited in the Batei Mikdash. Blessed is the person who says Tehillim with shira, zimra, simcha, and heartfelt kavanot. (Shlah Ha-Kadosh) “The word תהלים is the same word as תָּהֶל אוֹר, ‘light flashes forth’ (Job 41:10), because there is only the Great Light in תהלים. There is no power for Din (judgment) to act as a mekatrেগ; there is pure Rachamim, and it sweetens everything. Therefore, the songs of David Ha-Melech are called תהלים, through which miracles can be performed; there is no Satan and no bad mazal.” (Noam Elimelech, Likutei Shoshana) “David Ha-Melech arranged Tehillim into five books corresponding to the Five Books of the Torah. We find that the entire Torah is included and concealed within Tehillim. When David Ha-Melech endured suffering, he searched the Torah for letters and words connected to his suffering and composed the holy Psalms that were revealed to him through the light of the Torah. And every chapter of Tehillim certainly corresponds to a chapter in the Torah.” (“Degel Machaneh Ephraim,” Chayei Sarah) “The Egyptian exile includes all the other exiles, and ‘Mitzrayim’ is connected to the word צר (meaning narrow). Through Torah and teshuvah, we can be redeemed from exile. Now, everyone is capable of doing teshuvah, although not everyone succeeds. Therefore, Ha-Shem assured David Ha-Melech that the Book of Tehillim would be regarded as the study of ‘Negaim’ and ‘Oholot’ (which are very difficult subjects). The possibility of doing teshuvah through Tehillim is alluded to in the final letters of the first five words of the book (Exodus 1): “Ve’eleh shemot bnei Yisrael haba’im Mitzraymah” — (ואלה שמות בני ישראל הבאים) — (and these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt), which form the acronym תהלים (Tehillim). (“Tehillim u-Teshuvah,” Iggeret d’Kala, Shemot) Everyone should find himself in the words of Tehillim. This is why it says at the end of Ashrei: וִיבָרֵךְ כָּל-בָּשָׂר, שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד (all flesh shall bless You); in every situation, we can find ourselves in Tehillim. (Yismach Yisrael, Ekev) “If you read Tehillim with kavanah, it is a pidyon (atonement) from all kinds of calamities and tragedies. Perhaps this is why David composed 150 chapters, corresponding to the gematria of the word פדיון. Through studying Tehillim with kavanah, one can redeem oneself from all kinds of misfortunes.” (Magen Ve-Shemesh, citing Emek Ha-Melech) Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli taught that the power of Tehillim as an atonement for a person is alluded to in Psalm 106:2, מִי-יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יְהוָה יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל-תְּהִלָּתוֹ. The word יְמַלֵּל is used to denote rubbing or breaking through, as in Beitzah 12b. The verse can therefore be read as follows: “Who breaks away the gevurot, the harsh judgments, from Ha-Shem? The one who causes His praises to be heard (by reading the entire Sefer Tehillim).” There is a minhag to complete the entire Sefer Tehillim at least twice before Rosh Hashanah, since the gematria of כפר (atonement) is 300, while Tehillim contains 150 chapters. One should try to complete the Book a third time before Yom Kippur. There is a minhag from the Baal Shem Tov to recite three chapters of Tehillim each day beginning on the first of Elul. Then, on Yom Kippur itself, one should recite chapters 115–123 before Kol Nidrei, 124–132 before going to sleep, 133–141 after Musaf, and 142–150 after Neilah. (Tehillim Tehillah L’David) “One who wishes to have a connection with Ha-Shem should read Tehillim.” (Shlah, Nazir 257) Shevut Yaakov writes (Helek Bet, Yoreh De’ah 44) that if someone wishes to offer many prayers, he should read Tehillim, because it inclines toward Torah. Rabbi Chaim Palaggi writes (Minhag Ha-Havi, p. 80) that one who reads Tehillim and recites Birkat Ha-Mazon daily prolongs his years and days. Rabbi Chaim Palaggi also writes that the world stands on Tehillim, and anyone who reads Tehillim atones for himself from all losses and troubles; redemption comes through reading Tehillim. (Hakdamah, Kol Ha-Katuv Le-Chaim) One who reads Tehillim daily merits being beneath the Kisei Ha-Kavod (Throne of Glory). We have nothing greater than Tehillim, because it contains everything within it. (Shlah Ha-Kadosh)