Reading Tehillim 119 According to the Letters of a Name—the Segula of Rabbeinu Chida
Reading Tehillim 119 According to the Letters of a Name—the Segula of Rabbeinu Chida
Rabbeinu Chida teaches that anyone suffering from the consequences of Middat ha-Din (the attribute of judgment) should immediately gather 10 Jews (a minyan) and recite all the pesukim of Tehillim that begin with the letters of his name.
For example, if one is praying for someone named Moshe משה , they should read all the chapters of Tehillim beginning with the letter (mem) מ, then all the chapters beginning with the letter (shin) ש, and afterward all the chapters of Tehillim beginning with the letter (hei) ה. In addition, they should recite the Tehillim corresponding to the letters of the mother's name.
In the event of a calamity in the city where the person lives (chas ve-shalom), the letters of the city's name should also be recited.
This is an excellent segula for salvation from any misfortune, as it is written at the end of the book Kitzur Ha-Shelah (geonei olam).
He also advises that when someone is seriously ill, the patient's name and the names of his or her parents should be discreetly divided among the family members, so that they recite all the pesukim of Tehillim corresponding to those letters for 40 days. (If it is not possible to gather a minyan, they should recite them on their own.)
Abbreviated Version
In the abbreviated version, one recites the letters of the name according to Psalm 119, which consists of 22 verses corresponding to all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Each section of Tehillim 119 consists of eight verses.
This hints to us that if the number 7 - (ז) symbolizes the material forces of nature and the world was created through seven spiritual attributes, then the number 8 (ח) is supernatural: it rises above the boundaries of the laws of nature and enables one to transcend them.
When David HaMelech composed this psalm of Tehillim in this manner, he invested its recitation with a special power.
Rabbeinu Chida reveals this manner of reciting Tehillim as a way to transcend ordinary limitations in one's conversation with the Creator. By reading Tehillim 119 according to a person's name, with each section containing eight verses, one can bring a person beyond the confines of his problems, worries, and troubles.
How It Is Recited
1. For “Ptichat mazal” (opening one's mazal)—recite, from Psalm 119 in Hebrew, all the letters of the name:
דויד בן רות מזל (for example, for the name David ben Ruth)
ד
25. Davkah le-afar nafshi, chayeini ki-devarecha.
26. Derachai sipparti va-taaneni, lamdeini chukecha.
27. Derech pikkudecha havineini, ve-asichah be-niflaotecha.
28. Dalefah nafshi mi-tugah, kaimeini ki-devarecha.
29. Derech sheker haser mimeni, ve-Toratecha choneni.
30. Derech emunah vacharti, mishpatecha shiviti.
31. Davakti ve-edvotecha, A-donai al tevisheni.
32. Derech mitzvotecha arutz, ki tarchiv libi.
ו
41. Viyvouni chasadecha A-donai, teshuatcha ke-imratecha.
42. Ve-e'eneh chorefi davar, ki vatachti bi-devarecha.
43. Ve-al tatzel mi-pi devar emet ad me'od, ki le-mishpatecha yichalti.
44. Ve-eshmerah Toratecha tamid le-olam va-ed.
45. Ve-ethalech va-rechavah, ki fikudecha darashti.
46. Va-adaberah ve-edotecha neged melachim, ve-lo evosh.
47. Ve-eshta'asha be-mitzvotecha asher ahavti.
48. Ve-essa chappai el mitzvotecha asher ahavti, ve-asichah ve-chukecha.
ד
25. Davkah le-afar nafshi, chayeini ki-devarecha.
26. Derachai sipparti va-taaneni, lamdeini chukecha.
27. Derech pikkudecha havineini, ve-asichah be-niflaotecha.
28. Dalefah nafshi mi-tugah, kaimeini ki-devarecha.
29. Derech sheker haser mimeni, ve-Toratecha choneni.
30. Derech emunah vacharti, mishpatecha shiviti.
31. Davakti ve-edvotecha, A-donai al tevisheni.
32. Derech mitzvotecha arutz, ki tarchiv libi.
ב
9. Ba-meh yezakkeh na'ar et orcho li-shmor ki-devarecha.
10. Be-chol libi derashticha, al tashgeini mi-mitzvotecha.
11. Be-libi tzafanti imratecha le-ma'an lo echeta lach.
12. Baruch atah A-donai, lamdeini chukecha.
13. Bi-sfatai sipparti kol mishpetei ficha.
14. Be-derech edvotecha sastii ke-al kol hon.
15. Be-fikudecha asichah ve-abitah orchotecha.
16. Be-chukotecha eshta'asha, lo eshkach devarecha.
ן
105. Ner le-ragli devarecha, ve-or li-netivati.
106. Nishba'ti va-akayemah, li-shmor mishpetei tzidkecha.
107. Na'aneti ad me'od, A-donai chayeini ki-devarecha.
108. Nidvot pi retze na A-donai, u-mishpatecha lamdeini.
109. Nafshi ve-chapi tamid, ve-Toratecha lo shachachti.
110. Natenu resha'im pach li, u-mi-pikkudecha lo ta'iti.
111. Nachalti edvotecha le-olam, ki seson libi hemah.
112. Natiti libi la'asot chukecha, le-olam ekêv.
ר
153. Re'eh oni'i ve-chaltzeini, ki Toratecha lo shachachti.
154. Rivah rivi u-ge'aleni, le-imratecha chayeini.
155. Rachok me-resha'im yeshuah, ki chukecha lo darashu.
156. Rachamecha rabbim A-donai, ke-mishpatecha chayeini.
157. Rabbim rodfei ve-tzarai, me-edvotecha lo natiti.
158. Ra'iti bogedim va-etkotatah, asher imratecha lo shamaru.
159. Re'eh ki fikudecha ahavti, A-donai ke-chasdecha chayeini.
160. Rosh devarecha emet, u-le-olam kol mishpat tzidkecha.
ו
41.Viyvouni chasadecha A-donai, teshuatcha ke-imratecha.
42.Ve-e'eneh chorefi davar, ki vatachti bi-devarecha.
43.Ve-al tatzel mi-pi devar emet ad me'od, ki le-mishpatecha yichalti.
44.Ve-eshmerah Toratecha tamid le-olam va-ed.
45.Ve-ethalech va-rechavah, ki fikudecha darashti.
46.Va-adaberah ve-edotecha neged melachim, ve-lo evosh.
47.Ve-eshta'asha be-mitzvotecha asher ahavti.
48.Ve-essa chappai el mitzvotecha asher ahavti, ve-asichah ve-chukecha.
ת
169.Tikrav rinati le-fanecha A-donai, ki-devarcha havineini.
170.Tavo techinati le-fanecha, ke-imratecha hatzileini.
171.Tabana sefatai tehilah, ki telamdeini chukecha.
172.Ta'an leshoni imratecha, ki kol mitzvotecha tzedek.
173.Tehi yadecha le-azreini, ki pikkudecha vacharti.
174.Ta'avti li-shuatecha A-donai, ve-Toratecha sha'ashu'ai.
175.Techi nafshi u-tehalaleleka, u-mishpatecha ya'azruni.
176.Ta'iti ke-seh oved, bakesh avdecha, ki mitzvotecha lo shachachti.
מ
97. Mah ahavti Toratecha, kol ha-yom hi sichati.
98. Me-oyevai techakmeini mitzvotecha, ki le-olam hi li.
99. Mi-kol melamdai hiskalti, ki edvotecha sichah li.
100. Mi-zekenim etbonan, ki pikkudecha natzarti.
101. Mi-kol אורח ra kaliti raglai, le-ma'an eshmor devarecha.
102. Mi-mishpatecha lo sarti, ki atah horitani.
103. Mah nimletzu le-chiki, imratecha mi-devash le-fi.
104. Mi-pikkudecha etbonan, al ken saneti kol orach shaker.
ז
49. Zechor davar le-avdecha, al asher yichaltani.
50. Zot nechamati ve-onyi, ki imratecha chiyatni.
51. Zedim helitzuni ad me'od, mi-Toratecha lo natiti.
52. Zacharti mishpatecha me-olam A-donai, va-etnecham.
53. Zalafah achazatni me-resha'im, ozvei Toratecha.
54. Zemirot hayu li chukecha, be-veit megurai.
55. Zacharti va-lailah shimcha A-donai, va-eshmerah Toratecha.
56. Zot haytah li, ki pikkudecha natzarti.
ל
89. Le-olam A-donai, devarcha nitzav ba-shamayim.
90. Le-dor va-dor emunatecha, konanta eretz va-ta'amod.
91. Le-mishpatecha amdu ha-yom, ki ha-kol avadecha.
92. Lulei Toratecha sha'ashu'ai, az avadeti ve-onyi.
93. Le-olam lo eshkach pikkudecha, ki vam chiyitani.
94. Lecha ani hoshieini, ki fikudecha darashti.
95. Li kivu resha'im le-abdeini, edotecha etbonan.
96. Le-chol tichlah ra'iti ketz, rechavah mitzvatecha me'od.
For “ptichat mazal” (opening one's mazal), there is another way to recite Tehillim 119.
Tehillim 112 says:
כּֽי־ ְלעוֹ ָל֥ם לֹא־יִמּ֑וֹט ְל ֵ ֥ז ֶכר ע֝וֹ ָל֗ם יִ ְה ֶי֥ה ַצ ִדּֽיק -
“Ki le-olam lo yimot, le-zecher olam yihyeh tzaddik”—(For he shall never be moved; the righteous man shall be remembered forever)—the sofei tevot (final letters) of the last three words form the Holy Name הק"מ
For elevating one's mazal, it is beneficial to read the letters of this Name in Tehillim 119:
first, the eight pesukim for the letter—ה
then, the eight pesukim for the letter— ק
then, the eight pesukim for the letter— מ
2. To receive “yeshuot” (salvation) and deliverance from troubles, recite all the letters of the name, followed by the word “yeshuah”—ישועה
3. For healing and recovery, recite all the letters of the sick person's name, followed by the phrase “Kera Satan”:
קרע שטן
4. For the elevation of the soul of one who has passed on to the World of Truth and at the graves of relatives, recite all the letters of the name, followed by all the letters of the word “neshamah”נשמה
5. For Shalom Bayit—read each day the verses from Tehillim 119 corresponding to the letters of the phrase “Shalom Bayit”—שלום בית
(Otzar HaChochmah, “Avodat HaKodesh,” chapters 11 and 12:2)
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Tags: The Power of Tehillim, Tehillim 119, Rabbeinu Chida, Tehillim According to the Chida, Reciting Tehillim According to the Letters of the Name, 119 Tehillim – for mazal, 119 Tehillim for Yeshua, Psalm 119 by the Letters of the Name, Reciting Psalm 119 according to the Chida — by the letters of the name, Hf, tqye {blf
